Eastern prepares for 20th annual symposium

Eastern Washington University is holding its 20th annual Research and Creative Works Symposium Week, May 15-17.

The three day event is an opportunity for staff, students and community members to view various research projects from undergraduate and graduate students using a variety of mediums such as art, posters and oral presentations. The theme for this year’s symposium is diversity and inclusiveness.

“This year’s theme is about making the symposium a lot broader,” Michael Watts, assistant coordinator for the event, said “During their presentations, students address diversity in their projects.”

One such presentation will be from senior McNair scholar Minerva Zayas. Zayas, who is majoring in Women and Gender Studies and psychology, will be presenting her research on Chicana identity and how it relates to the LGBT community.

In addition to the projects from Eastern undergraduate and graduates, students from Spokane and Spokane Falls community colleges will present their research at the symposium.

“We saw a lot of interest from community college students,” Watts said. “We visited the community colleges and students told us about the research they were doing but they didn’t have a place to present it.”

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 15 at 4:30 p.m. At the session, EWU staff, faculty and administrators will share their activities and research projects.

Students will present their creative works at the art facilities on the Cheney campus, May 16.

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

Dr. Amani El-Alayli, who teaches courses in social psychology, general psychology, research methods and statistics, will be the keynote speaker at the luncheon at Reese Court.

The Aging Policy Fair, on that same day at Senior Hall. The fair is an older-adult-focused academic event that involves faculty, students and agencies. Presenters discuss 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.

Last year, the fair was held at both Cheney and Spokane campuses as separate events. This year it will be folded into Symposium Week.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].