Physics Connections

0 Commentsby   |  06.17.11  |  Department of Physics

The ACU Department of Physics has a long history of including our students in our world-class research programs.  Our students work side-by-side with mentoring Christian faculty members.  The results of our work are published in peer-reviewed journals with our students as our co-authors.

  • For more than 30 years the Nuclear Physics Research Group has conducted research at national laboratories.  During the past 3 years more than 30 students have worked with us on three research projects investigating the internal structure of the proton and making precision measurements needed to build the next generation of nuclear power plants.  Primarily funded by research grants from the Department of Energy, funding for this year is almost half a million dollars.  Plans for the summer of 2011 include 15 students working at 5 different national laboratories (Los Alamos National Lab, Brookhaven National Lab, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Idaho National Laboratory).
  • The Solid State Research Group is our newest research group and the department’s only completely on-campus experimental efforts.   This group uses phonon-imaging techniques to measure the acoustic properties of crystals.  Seven students have worked with this group during the past 3 years.
  • Plans for the future of our department include adding an ABET accredited engineering degree.  With the addition of an engineering program, new research opportunities and internships for our students will be available.

COBA Faculty and Student Kudos

0 Commentsby   |  04.13.11  |  College of Business Administration

At ACU’s Annual Research Festival and at the 15th Annual North Texas Area Student Conference 2011, our faculty and students added great value to the program.  Below are listed some of their work.

Social Science Presentation Award:
A Student-Created Textbook Replacement – Courtney Richardson and Courtney Martin (Mark Phillips, Management Sciences)

Paper Presentations:
The Virtuous Entrepreneur – Jess Weeden (Orneita Burton, Management Sciences)

Charity Volunteer Motivations – Ellen Pfeiffer (Laura Phillips, Management Sciences)

A Student-Created Textbook Replacement – Courtney Richardson and Courtney Martin (Mark Phillips, Management Sciences)

Learning and Growing: The Economic Impact of Higher Education in Abilene – Joseph Austin (Monty Lynn, Management Sciences)

Mobile Textbook App – Brittany Rae and Ellen Kight (John Homer, SITC)

Improving an Existing Game System – Clement Ho (Brent Reeves, SITC)

Reinforcement Learning in Virtual and Physical Domains – Nigel Bosch and Emily Phenix (Ray Pettit, SITC)

E-Commerce Web Presence – Josh Dowdy, Oswald Ingraham, Tyler Nolan and Clay Selby (Brent Reeves, SITC)

Constraint Based Student Arrangements – Jason Mar, Andrew Kinnaman, Nathanael McConnel, and Thomas Prince (Brent Reeves, SITC)

Entertainment on Mobile Devices – Brittany Kight, Steven Peterson, and Seth Poplaski (Brent Reeves, SITC)

What is Your Number? – Joshua Evans, Laura Holt, Christiana Kotyk, and Aaron Parker (Brent Reeves, SITC)

Device Use on a Futuristic Campus – Morgan Davis, Dody Duncum, and Daniel Tomkins (Brent Reeves, SITC)
Poster Presentation:
Serious Games in Learning – Michelle Brothers (Brian Burton, SITC)

2011 Undergraduate Research Festival Posters Rubric

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

URF Poster Rubric 2011

2011 Undergraduate Research Festival Presentation Rubric

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

URF Presentation Rubric 2011

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

0 Commentsby   |  04.05.11  |  Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Connections

QEP – Two JMC Goals

a.     Every JMC major will participate in at least two semesters of mentored creative professional productivity in media/agency labs and produce professional work product worthy of submission to regional or national competition.

b.     By May 2014,  20 percent of  JMC majors will  participate in a mentored scholarship project with a faculty member by the time they graduate, producing work worthy of  submission to the peer-reviewed process.

Department of Management Sciences Connections

0 Commentsby   |  04.05.11  |  Department of Management Sciences

The faculty in the Management Sciences department works with students in research and/or creative efforts in several possible ways:

  • The first is the annual Springboard business plan competition.  This competition involves students developing an original business plan for a business startup.  The development of these plans involves considerable research into the business environment of the proposed startup, and these plans involve faculty and our business entrepreneur-in-residence working with the students.  These plans are presented to a panel of judges, and in poster form at the dinner exhibition.
  • Honors projects – Our faculty work on projects with honors students to research specific business related topics.
  • Student organizations – Our faculty work with students in such organizations as Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), American Marketing Association.  These students perform research or other projects for outside organizations and report on their findings to those organizations.  The SIFE students develop a presentation for the regional competitions.

Department of Political Science Connections

0 Commentsby   |  03.24.11  |  Department of Political Science

The Political Science Department has two strategies that we are using to implement the QEP.  First, we as individual teachers in our teaching areas are incorporating students in our research.  As a result, we are co-authoring presentations and publications with students.  Second, we are encouraging our students to independently do research (which we sometimes are able to supervise) and present it at national POLS conferences, at regional honors conferences, and our Undergraduate Research Festival.

Department of Music Connections

0 Commentsby   |  03.24.11  |  Department of Music

Abilene Christian University

Department of Music

Quality Enhancement Plan

Currently the department has in place a set of three research enhancement initiatives which are currently being used to help the student develop basic research skill sets and make application of those skills to more advanced projects in composition, arranging and performance.  Some students, due to their particular degree program, will complete three projects and some, depending on major, only two.  We believe that the combination of a basic research component in a beginning course with the addition of two or three additional research/creative experiences will provide the necessary framework for continued research and creative projects in the future.

I.  MUSM 131 Music in World Cultures  (Freshman Experience)

(Introduction to Basic Music Research Project)

Research Project

Purpose of the Activity

This assignment is designed to give each class member an opportunity to develop some basic skills in researching the music of world cultures.  Obviously, we can only explore a few of the world’s musical traditions in one semester.  The most important things that you should gain from the course are:

• an awareness of the astounding variety of musics from around the globe, and

• the ability to learn more as your own curiosity and academic pursuits, as well as your teaching and performing activities, raise further questions regarding the music of various world cultures.

This research project will allow you to explore some of the resources related to world music that are readily available, giving you a foundation for further study.

Description

Each person will choose a focused topic that has not been dealt with extensively in class.

NOTE: You may not cite any materials that we have already used in class this semester.

1. Briefly (one well written paragraph) describe the musical tradition you are exploring:

a. Nationality/specific culture group (“who”)

b. Geography (“where”)

c. Musical tradition(s) being examined (“what”)

d. Any appropriate specific information such as description of genre, instrument used, cultural context (religious or secular, etc.)

2. (a) Compile a five-item (minimum) listing of audio or video materials related to your topic. CDs and DVDs work well; other sources may be used with discretion.

(b) Compile a bibliography of at least five books or journal articles related to your topic.

You must use a standard bibliographic format for your listing. PLEASE use the format guide provided in class.

3. Compile a listing of five URLs for websites directly related to your topic.  In addition to creating a hyperlink by writing out the complete URL, you must also include a brief (two or three sentence) annotation that gives a good summary of each site.

4. Provide photocopies (apx. 2 or 3 pages each) related to your topic from two of the three following sources found in the reference section of the ACU Brown Library:

Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. 10 volumes.

World Music: The Rough Guide, vol. 1 and 2.

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians

TIMELINE:

• Monday, April  5 — have your topic chosen and approved (in writing)

Wednesday, April 21 — turn in your project IN TWO FORMATS

1. Hard copy: preferably one page, copied front/back (not including photocopies of pages from reference sources)

2. E-mailed as a Word document attachment to:

II.  MUST 432 Orchestration and Arranging  (Junior Experience)

(Final Orchestration /Arranging Project)

Semester Experiences Leading to the Final Project:

1.     Introduction of all instruments of the orchestra—ranges, limitations, sound qualities available.

2.     Introduction of principles of orchestration

3.     Introduction of composer software choices available: Sibelius, Finale

4.     Introduction to possibilities for score printing, playback, part extractions, etc. in Sibelius and Finale

Final Orchestration Project:

1.     Selection of piece to orchestrated – done in conjunction with the teacher

2.     Discussion of appropriate ensemble and instruments to be used

3.     Completion of the orchestration with checks and comments for improvement by the teacher based on score and electronic playback

4.     Print conductor score and parts after final approval

5.     Conduct the orchestration project with the band, orchestra, or jazz band (semester end)

III.  Senior Recital  (All Senior Music Education/Performance Majors)

(Final Creative Activity Project Involving Historical and Stylistic Research/Language Translation)

Senior Project Requirements:

1.     Selection of repertoire that displays an understanding of historical styles from a variety of composers to be performed with an hour time frame.

2.     Selection of repertoire should demonstrate the very best of the student’s abilities without being too easy or going beyond the capability of the established norms for a quality undergraduate program.

3.     Program notes are to be written by the student utilizing research techniques learned through the sophomore and junior experiences.

4.     The vocal student must also translate all texts, provide translations for the program, and be able to provide a literal translation for each phrase as it is rehearsed for the recital.

5.     The student must learn to work closely with the collaborative pianist in a give and take artistic endeavor.

6.     The student and teacher work together to create an unique and creative approach to each piece that is appropriate and stylistically correct.

7.     The student must also incorporate excellent stage deportment skills as a part of the recital program.

Department of Art and Design

0 Commentsby   |  03.24.11  |  Department of Art and Design

Take a look at the following Optimist iPad Project video:   Art and Design Creative Expressions

Faculty in the Department of Art and Design work with our undergraduates in numerous ways towards the production of creative products in efforts to further the body of knowledge of the discipline. Here are three examples:
First and Second Year ReviewsAll first and second year art and design students are required to participate in yearly reviews. Students prepare a portfolio of work produced in the classroom over the previous year and present it to a group of 4 to 6 faculty members. The portfolio must includes process material that communicate the students visual thought process throughout the evolution of a creative product. Students are evaluated on several dimensions including verbal skills about visual concepts. Reviews give faculty members an opportunity to lead and direct individual student based on a comprehensive body of original, creative work. They also require students to think critically about the work they have produced and the processes utilized.
Senior ShowsIn collaboration with 4 or 5 other graduating seniors, all art and design students are required to curate and produce a gallery show of the work they have completed during their time at ACU. The work is shown publicly in one of our two galleries for a period of several weeks. The process of assessing, preparing and exhibiting their work for public display is both daunting and demanding. The curation (assessment) process is often done collaboratively with faculty mentors giving opportunity to guide students in the critical thinking needed to compile a cohesive body of original work. Students are also required to write and display an ‘artist statement’ that articulates the concepts and core ideas embodied in their work.
Interface for the iPadOur Spring, 2010 interactive design class worked with professors and students from 3 departments to design and produce the interface for the first iPad app for a university newspaper. The Art and Design students researched and explored best practices for a platform that hadn’t been released to the public. The research phase required students to learn and implement cutting edge processes from many disciplines. Faculty members from Art and Design, Computer Science and Journalism mentored and directed students over a 3 month period. We have already seen remarkable results from this kind of innovative, collaborative and cross-disciplinary project. Very recently a student from the course accepted a position at The Daily, the first international daily newspaper produced solely for the iPad.

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/