Unique talents and innovative research efforts of a record 325 SUNY Fredonia students will take center stage Tuesday, April 27, at the Williams Center at the annual Research & Creativity Expo, which runs from noon 7 p.m.
Now in its 12th year, the expo serves up an ever-growing variety of attractions.
Among the offerings are oral presentations, displays, poetry readings, and posters that can be experienced throughout the day in the Multipurpose Room and, beginning at 3 p.m., live performances by students from the spring musical production of “Kiss Me, Kate” in The Spot and dancers in S104, at 3:15 p.m.
New this year will be another room reserved to screen films produced by students in Visual Arts and New Media. Also joining the expo will be experiential art, which creates opportunities for audience participation.
Expo organizers reached out to the entire campus to expand participation this year. “In the past we had been primarily focused on Natural and Social Sciences, and now we’re getting more and more participation in the Arts and Humanities, also the College of Education, and that includes both graduate and undergraduate students,” explained Dr. Jack Croxton, director of the Office of Student Creative Activity and Research.
“It really keeps growing, and that’s great,” Croxton said. “We’ve been trying to build it up every year and get more students involved, more types of displays and presentations.” Tracy Horth, secretary to the dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences, played a leading role in coordinating the event.
The 4:30 p.m. keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Jamie Wasilenko, a research microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a 2000 SUNY Fredonia graduate. Wasilenko, who has a doctorate in genetics and molecular biology from Emory University, will describe her research into pathogenic influenza viruses and also reflect upon her undergraduate experience.
“There is going to be a lot going on,” Croxton said.
