By Marilyn Reed, University Marketing and Communications
Get set to present your research and creative achievements at Showcase, a weeklong celebration of WSU academic triumphs. This year’s event unfurls in March, but the time for faculty, staff and graduate/professional students to submit abstracts for Showcase poster sessions is now — before the Jan. 16 deadline.
During Showcase week you could present a poster, watch or take part in competitions, listen to speeches, and attend a celebratory awards banquet. The events not only recognize outstanding achievements, but enable participants and attendees to share knowledge.
“Sharing research findings and creative ideas is vitally important — not only for academia, but for society as a whole,” said Rebecca Van de Vord, Ph.D., chair of the Showcase Steering Committee. “Only by exchanging knowledge can we solve problems that affect us all.”
Poster sessions for WSU’s entire academic community
A poster session known as Academic Showcase attracts faculty, staff and graduate/professional students from all disciplines, campuses, and extension offices statewide. It offers a forum for presenting research, scholarship or creative work to WSU colleagues.
Topics exhibited vary widely. A sampling of those explored at last year’s event includes agricultural techniques, biorefinery concepts, consumer behaviors and music composition.
Running concurrently is the Graduate and Professional Students Association (GPSA) Research Exposition, a poster session and scholarship competition for WSU Pullman graduate and professional students. Participants vie for $9,600 in awards.
Both events will be held Thursday, March 28, at WSU Pullman.
“The January 16 deadline to apply for these events is right around the corner,” Van de Vord said. “I urge all who are interested in participating to apply now.”
Each would‑be participant must submit an abstract of their research or creative activity by the deadline. Abstracts are to be brief — 250 words or less.
Undergraduate poster session and competition
A separate poster session is dedicated to faculty-mentored undergraduate research. At Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA), freshmen through seniors from all majors, grades and campuses compete for awards by sharing original contributions to their fields.
Competition for doctoral students
When sharing research highlights with an audience outside one’s field, investigators must articulate ideas simply, without jargon, so that listeners can understand. That communication challenge is the crux of another Showcase competition: Three‑Minute Thesis (3MT®).
3MT asks doctoral students to present a concise version of their ideas and research discoveries to a lay audience. Contestants have just three minutes to deliver a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance.
Recognition of excellence
Additional events throughout Showcase week honor WSU’s top performers.
Crimson Reads recognizes faculty, students, staff, alumni and retirees who have authored, co‑authored or edited a book within the past year.
The Distinguished Faculty Address honors a faculty member who has risen to the front ranks of his or her discipline through achievements in research, scholarship and teaching. The entire university community is invited to attend.
Culminating the week is the Celebrating Excellence Banquet, where the university bestows a slate of awards to honor outstanding faculty and staff.
More information
Please visit the Showcase website or contact event organizers at 509‑335‑5581 or provost.office@wsu.edu.
