Student Scholarship and Innovation Highlighted at Spelman College Research Day

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Apr 21, 2017, 12:32 ET

ATLANTA, April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 220 Spelman College students, representing 25 academic disciplines, will present their undergraduate research and scholarly findings in STEM, the social sciences, the humanities, and the arts during Research Day, Friday, April 21, 2017. This year's theme is "Inquire … Discover … Imagine … Explore … Create."

Established in 1989, Research Day will feature oral and poster presentations that are the result of an independent thesis, an original group research project, faculty-led research and scholarship, an apprentice in a lab or on a project, or a performance piece. Students will delve into a variety of topics from analyses of Black Twitter, to the economics of food discourse and Black women, to identity and career decisions. The all-day event will culminate with an awards ceremony to recognize students and faculty advisors.

Research Day is co-chaired by Dolores Bradley Brennan, Ph.D., interim vice provost, director of undergraduate research and professor of the Department of Psychology, and Marionette Holmes, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Economics and associate professor of economics.

Dr. Holmes noted, "Spelman trains our students to operationalize research questions to generate results that are recognized in the general scholar community. Research Day showcases this process."

Research Day is free and open to the public. For more information, visit Research Day.

WHO:
The plenary speaker is Hazel D. Dean, Sc. D., M.P.H., deputy director of the National Center for HIV/AIDs, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention.

Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., will moderate a panel discussion with the following faculty members: T. Lang, M.F.A., chair of the Department of Dance, associate professor and director of Spelman Dance Theatre; Tiffany Oliver, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology; Valerie Jones Taylor, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology; and Charissa Threat, Ph.D., assistant professor of history.

WHY:
Research Day is an opportunity for Spelman students to demonstrate their creativity, innovation, scholarship and critical thinking skills, explained Dr. Brennan. "Not only is it an important academic experience, but it is an essential professional development exercise, as students learn to discuss their work and its significance. Research Day creates an atmosphere that is similar, in many ways, to what students would experience at a professional conference in their area of study or in a given profession. When graduate schools and employers see that Spelman students have experience presenting their work, they know our students have a particular set of skills that set them apart, such as methods of inquiry and analysis, or the ability to communicate effectively.

"We want our students to be leaders in research and scholarship because their unique voice is needed for us as a society to be better informed," Dr. Brennan added. "In many instances, Spelman women are asking questions or addressing issues that only they will, or can. As a result, we will be treated to a host of presentations during Research Day that focus on the views, biology, traditions, expertise or experiences of Black women in the U.S. and around the world. I am thrilled at how Spelman prepares our students to articulate their research questions from the unique perspective of a Black woman."

WHEN:
Friday, April 21, 2017
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

WHERE:
Spelman College
GPS Address: 440 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310
Research Day will be held at various locations across campus.

MEDIA NOTE:
Spelman College students and faculty will be available for on-site interviews. To request media credentials, email [email protected] or call 404-270-5892.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Follow the events of the day at #SpelmanResearchDay.

About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a highly selective, liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the College's picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman, former Sam's Club CEO Rosalind Brewer, Broadway producer Alia Jones, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman's first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, Harvard University Professor Evelynn Hammonds, author Pearl Cleage and actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.