Northern Kentucky University will celebrate students’ work in the annual Celebration of Student Research and Creativity April 2-6.
On any given day at NKU, students are playing instruments, performing in stage productions and conducting research for classes from anthropology to psychology. The fruits of a biology student’s labors, however, are often not apparent to a student majoring in musical theater, nor vice versa.

The celebration gives students an opportunity to share research through posters, demonstrations and oral presentations, as well as creative endeavors through art exhibitions and performances.
“This is a week where we celebrate who we are and what we‘ve accomplished together,” said teacher education professor Stephen Walker, one of the event’s two co-chairs.
The poster session will be held from 1 to 1:30 p.m. April 3 in the Student Union Ballroom. It will feature about 150 posters, according to Walker. The posters provide glimpses into topics students have studied in classes, from the history and uses of palm oil to the effects of antipsychotic drugs on motor activity in rats.

Some students, like senior psychology major Rachel Stevens, have multiple presentations in the celebration. Stevens was the lead researcher on a study of Risperidone, a drug commonly used to treat children with autism. In addition to two other studies of Risperidone, Stevens will present a study about texting while driving.

“It’s neat to see all the different projects that people have, because I’m used to just psychology, but they have all the different fields,” Stevens said.
While the poster session is one of the main events of the week-long celebration, Walker and anthropology professor and co-chair Judy Voelker have adapted the celebration to highlight other events, like theatrical skits and musical performances.

One addition to the celebration is a large tent, which will be set up between Steely Library and Founders Hall. The tent will house dance, theater and musical performances April 3 and 4. Although such performances have traditionally been a part of the celebration, bad weather has often forced them to relocate.
Another attempt to spur interest in a wider array of student work is a set of events called Celebrate NKU All Around the Campus. According to Voelker, these events include performances in the Griffin Hall Digitorium, demonstrations by nursing and engineering students, art and anthropological exhibits and planetarium shows.
The celebration is inclusive of more than just various colleges and programs. Work will be presented throughout the week from students across various stages in their education. Many of the students presenting are undergraduates, but graduate students, like Adam Wickert will be presenting research, too.

Wickert, a graduate student studying English, will give an oral presentation based on interviews and observation about literacy in Cincinnati Public Schools.
“It’s really exciting that the university gives students the opportunity to share our work on such a large scale,” Wickert said.
For more information about the celebration, including a schedule of events, go to http://celebration.nku.edu/.