West Virginia University’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design is preparing for its annual Research and Creative Scholarship Conference from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday (April 7) on the second floor of the Evansdale Library.

“Research performed by students is at the core of the WVU mission, which is to deliver high-quality education and excel in discovery and innovation in the state, our nation and the world,” said Vagner Benedito, assistant professor of biochemical genetics in the Davis College and chair of the event.

Graduate and select undergraduate students in the Davis College will have the opportunity to present research conducted as part of theses or dissertations, or representing their efforts on projects conducted in collaboration with faculty members.

“Through research, students get involved with specific topics, learn how to address their questions, work towards accomplishing their goals and finally confront their results with the existing body of knowledge,” Benedito said. “This process not only advances our current understanding of the world, but also creates better citizens who are capable of critically thinking.”

Forty-two posters will be on display, representing subjects ranging from morphological stages of seedling development in mustard to an analysis of binge drinking on state-level hospital expenditures. Eighteen presentations will cover topics such as wind energy and agriculture, stream mitigation, and landscape-level spatial dynamics of the brown mamorated stink bug in organic farming systems.

“The Davis College Research and Creative Scholarship Conference celebrates what we do here in our college,” Benedito said. “It congregates students and advisors from all divisions. It also creates an environment where we can learn which creative activities our colleagues are doing and allows for fellowship.”

Papers by doctoral candidates will be presented from 8:10 – 11:50 a.m., with master’s students presenting papers from 1:30 – 5 p.m. Posters will be displayed for the duration of the day and authors will be on hand to answer questions from attendees.

As a new addition to the conference, students are invited to attend a career development talk from 12:30 – 1:15 p.m.

Sarah Kennedy, the agriculture, natural resources, design and extension librarian at the Evansdale Library, will present a career development talk entitled “Libraries and Modern Society: What Can Your Library Do For You?”

All portions of event are free and open to the public.

-WVU-

law/04/07/15

CONTACT: Lindsay Willey, Public Relations Specialist
304-293-2381, Lindsay.Willey@mail.wvu.edu

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