Eastern to host Symposium Week

Eastern Washington University is holding its Research and Creative Works Symposium Week May 16-19, with different events for staff, students and community members to attend.

The symposium started 19 years ago as a two-day event where students from different disciplines presented various research projects, using a variety of mediums such as art, posters and oral presentations.

Last April, EWU held the 29th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research which brought thousands of students from 700 colleges to the Cheney campus. Many Eastern undergraduate students participated in NCUR, which led to the university’s 2015 symposium to be open only to graduate students.

Daniel Castillo, symposium assistant coordinator, said both undergraduate and graduate students will be able to present in this year’s symposium.

Symposium week begins with the S.M.A3.R.T. (Successful Mentoring Advising Administration, Arts Research Teaching) session at the Hargreaves Hall Reading Room, May 16 at 4:30 p.m. At the session, EWU staff and faculty will share their activities and research projects.

Students will present their creative works at the art facilities on the Cheney campus, May 17.

The next day, students will present their research projects at Hargreaves and Senior halls.

“That is the best time for anyone to go see art, drama and a variety of academic programs,” symposium coordinator Jeff Johnson said.

Professor Kevin Deckard will be the guest speaker at the keynote luncheon in the Pence Union Building’s multi-purpose room.

Johnson added that students from the Community Colleges of Spokane will come to Eastern and showcase their projects. Faculty and staff from the community colleges are also invited to participate in the S.M.A3.R.T. event.

“This will be the first year students from community colleges will come and present,” Johnson said. “Being a regional school, Eastern tries to serve the regional community.”

The final event will be the Aging Policy Fair, May 18 at Senior Hall and May 19 at the Spokane Academic Center, formerly the Riverpoint campus. The fair is an older-adult-focused academic event that involves faculty, students and agencies discussing a variety of topics including age-friendly communities, health disparities, a model for mental health service delivery in primary care, supportive housing, impact of communication disorders on quality of life, medical treatment alternatives to medication and transportation needs.

“The symposium has something for everyone,” Johnson said. “Everyone is going to find something they want to see.”

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].

 

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