Gatton Academy Adventure Week: Research Fair

Julia Gensheimer and Kelly McKenna

One of the many benefits of coming to the Gatton Academy is the abundance of research opportunities. Academy students are offered the chance to participate in undergraduate research with WKU professors starting as early as their first semester. To introduce the juniors to these opportunities, a research fair was held Monday afternoon. Over 25 faculty and student representatives from a variety of departments came to the Academy to speak with students about their projects. These departments included Chemistry, Architecture and Manufacturing Sciences, Computer Science, Mathematics, Psychology, Physics and Astronomy, Geography and Geology, and Engineering. Both juniors and seniors were excited to learn about current and past studies at WKU. An app for Google Glass, knot theory, graphene synthesis, pollution analysis, mathematical modeling for cancer research, and viewing emotional trends in student growth were just a few of the topics discussed. This was a wonderful chance for the juniors to meet potential research mentors and learn the basics of how to start a project.

Because this was just a sample of the many research opportunities on campus, some students may not have found exactly what they were looking for. Junior Nolan Calhoun was hoping to speak with a biology staff member, but still enjoyed the fair overall: “It was an amazing experience and I think it will really jump start my Gatton career.” Other students previously decided that they were going to wait to participate in research, but still felt the fair was very interesting and informative. By speaking with faculty members and fellow classmates, the juniors are now better prepared to find research mentors if interested with the help of Derick.

Before moving into the Academy, some juniors already committed to a research program known as the Genome Discovery and Exploration Program. This program allows incoming juniors to gain hands-on biology research experience with bacteriophages and become biotechnology certified. Over the summer, students were asked to apply for the program which doubles as a class and a research experience. It is a convenient way to dive into research for those interested. Other students chose to participate in the STEM + Critical Languages program which combines Science, Technology, Engineering and Math subjects with critical language courses such as Arabic and Chinese. STEM + fulfills a research requirement needed to graduate with Honors or Honors with Distinction. It is a great alternative to typical lab work.

Overall, students felt the research fair was a great way to see the variety of opportunities available at WKU. We are very thankful for all of the faculty and student representatives that took the time to share their research with us.