On Friday, May 4, over 100 students representing 26 academic departments and programs will present at the annual Celebration of Creative Inquiry in the Jackson Campus Center.
An intentionally broad term, “creative inquiry” includes research, scholarship, and creative works that may be initiated as part of a class assignment or project, by the student or group of students on- or off-campus, or by a faculty member through collaborative student-faculty projects. At this annual campuswide forum, presentations vary by department but typically explore questions that haven’t been asked before, processes that attempt to fill a gap or create new knowledge, projects that are shaped by independent student work, or reflections on a student’s creative or learning process.
“I’m excited to be able to show faculty and students from other departments things I’ve been working on all year,” said Emily Odermatt, a Gustavus senior who will continue her research next year while applying to doctoral programs in psychology. “It’s been a challenging and fun process to take all these interdisciplinary ideas and apply them to my research on gender and memory.”
“Presenters will be describing their projects and their most interesting findings in an accessible and engaging format, with lots of opportunities for attendees to ask questions,” classics professor and director of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creativity Eric Dugdale said. “At the Celebration of Creative Inquiry we get to hear and see some of our own rising talent presenting their research. To me this is one of the most thrilling events of the year.”
For many Gustavus students, research is one of their most meaningful college experiences, allowing them to pursue their academic interests beyond the confines of a single class. Often their research projects combine multiple disciplines in ways that reflect the breadth of their liberal arts education at Gustavus. The Celebration of Creative Inquiry allows them to share their knowledge with a broader audience in addition to polishing their presentation skills.
This year’s presentations include research ranging from exploration of Mars and Ecuadorean glaciers to the Minnesota River Valley, from ancient Greece to modern day Vietnam, and everything in between. Some of the projects have been presented at international conferences, at the State Capitol, and even in a forthcoming BBC documentary.
To learn more about undergraduate research at Gustavus, visit the research website.
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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510