Archive for ‘Uncategorized’

Congratulations!

0 Commentsby   |  02.26.14  |  Uncategorized


Pursuit Research Grant Fellows for 2014-2015

Congratulations are in order to the Pursuit Research Grant Fellows for the 2014-2015 Academic Year. The following faculty and their research topics are listed below:

Stephen Baldridge – Biopsychosocial Factors Associated with Emotional Resiliency in Children 9-18 Undergoing Cancer Treatment

T. Brian Cavitt – Design and Characterization of Novel Clay Nanocomposite Photointiators for Use in Barrier Coatings
Matthew Garver – Running Economy, Anaerobic Metabolism, and Maximal Aerobic Capacity in Recreationally-Trained Endurance Athletes Using Simulated Altitude Devices
J. Darby Hewitt – Determining Interaction Potentials through the Analysis of Alkali-Rare Gas Absorption Spectra
Bruce Hopkins – Distributed Drug Discovery
Jennifer Huddleston – Continuing the Investigation of Genes Responsible for Natural Genetic Transformation of Members of the Bacterial Genus Aeromonas
Ryan Jessup – Testing an Integrated Model of Learning and Decision Making
Sarah Lee – Extreme Makover Chromatin Edition
Laura Phillips – Pay-what-you-want Pricing for Goods with Embedded Social Value
Gregory L. Powell – New Metal-Organic Frameworks
Matthew Steele – Literature Review and Design of West Texas Aquaponics Systems
John Weaver –  Constructionist Learning Across the Curriculum: Re-imagining Abilene Christian University as a Maker Space

Research Opportunities

0 Commentsby   |  01.03.13  |  Uncategorized

The most recent newsletter from the Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR) includes a number of funding opportunities for faculty and undergraduate research students. The following link should take you to the website, then scroll down until you see listing for opportunities:

 http://archive.cur.org/newsletter/newsletter01012013.html

Pursuit Grant News

0 Commentsby   |  08.27.12  |  Uncategorized

Abilene Reporter News Article

2011 Undergraduate Research Festival Presentation Rubric

0 Commentsby   |  04.05.11  |  Additional Rubrics for Undergraduate Research Festival, Research Festival, Uncategorized

URF Presentation Rubric 2011

University on track for accreditation

0 Commentsby   |  03.09.11  |  Optimist, Uncategorized

This Optimist article discusses the accreditation process and the QEP.
http://www.acuoptimist.com/2011/03/university-on-track-for-accreditation/

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Connection

0 Commentsby   |  03.08.11  |  Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Uncategorized

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

College of Education and Human Services

Abilene Christian University

Department Goals aligning with the QEP

1.     Utilize research literacy skills to locate and use seminal literature in the field. Students in CSD programs will be required to use reliable databases to search journals and other peer reviewed literature for seminal resources pertaining to topics in the field of speech-language pathology and audiology.  Students will then use this information to write research papers, determine the efficacy (EBP) for assessment/treatment strategies, and/or formulate a literature review to support a research question/hypothesis.

2.     Develop and carry out a research proposal with a faculty mentor. Select undergraduate students and all graduate students in CSD will develop a research proposal investigating a topic of interest.  The students will work closely with a faculty mentor during the execution of the research proposal.  The students will write up the results of the proposal in preparation of disseminating the research study in a public setting.

3.     Submit research project for presentation in a peer reviewed forum. Students who participate in faculty mentored research will submit their project for presentation in a peer reviewed forum.  Traditionally, this forum is the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention held each spring.  Other forums are available depending on the nature of the research project.

Department of Teacher Education Connections

0 Commentsby   |  03.06.11  |  Department of Teacher Education, Uncategorized

What does it mean to mentor students through the research process in Teacher Education?

Mentoring students through research means walking them through the entire process. Not only how to form research questions, choose a methodology, collect and analyze data, and present findings, but a focus on ethical research practices is extremely important. Students need to be exposed to the IRB process, not only as a required step in the research process, but also as the right thing to do in terms of protecting participants’ rights, especially those of children. Value also needs to placed on children’s consent to participation, not just as another step, but as an ethical, caring practice.

I think the students also need to be introduced to the world of scholarship as both consumers and producers. Learning the language of research, understanding how conferences work, and walking through a proposal submission process.

Teacher Education Research Goals:

1. Raise funds for student travel to research conferences. The experience of attending a research conference is a powerful part of preparing students to think as scholars. It demystifies it for them, making it an attainable goal to present their own work at future conferences.

2. Develop a Teacher Education Research Handbook  for faculty mentors and undergraduate researchers to have available as a resource. Will include things such as IRB history and processes, tips for constructing research questions, instructions for writing an abstract, templates for proposals or papers, etc.

3. Our hope is that 15 undergraduates per year will participate in substantive research projects beyond what is required in professional education courses.

doc iconQEP Thoughts Teacher Education.docx

Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Connections

0 Commentsby   |  03.04.11  |  Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Uncategorized

Undergraduate Research—Scientific Reasoning

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (A&E) are applied sciences building on the natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry) and for agribusiness, also the social sciences.  Therefore, our students have historically been exposed to the scientific method and critical reasoning throughout their academic experience at ACU.  Yet, to more fully engage our students in this process in the future, three key steps are being taken.  They are:

1)     All A&E students take AENV 110- Introduction to Agricultural and Environmental Systems at initial enrollment.  A part of the course curriculum concentrates on the scientific method and critical thinking, and how applied scientists use the scientific method.

2)     A&E has set an initial goal that 5% of our students will engage in faculty mentored research as undergraduates.  Subsequently, research findings will be developed into oral or poster presentations for delivery at disciplinary professional conferences.  A&E is currently meeting this goal.  In fact, many of our students have won honors at these conferences.  Students are also expected to present their research at the ACU Undergraduate Research Festival.  For the first time in 2011, ACU students will also present their research at the inaugural Research Symposium sponsored by the Agriculture Consortium of Texas.  Our next step is to increase this number to 10% of our undergraduates as funding allows.

3)     A&E students engage in senior-level capstone courses in their respective disciplines (i.e., agribusiness, animal science, environmental science).  Products vary, but senior-level students are expected to produce artifacts ranging from scientifically supported position papers to pieces built upon primary data.  All artifacts are evaluated by A&E faculty and several of them are assessed by evaluators outside of the department (e.g., writing samples for Writing Across the Curriculum, professional conferences).