The opportunities to learn at StFX’s eighth annual Student Research Day on March 25 were amazing.

Visitors to the Keating Centre’s conference rooms had a chance to talk with StFX students on research projects running the gamut from the correlation between food and Saturday morning children’s TV, to understanding board dynamics, to the male nursing student experiences in learning to care for a breastfeeding family.

In all, 91 students from 14 academic disciplines presented their research.

“I want to extend congratulations to the students,” StFX President Dr. Sean Riley said in opening remarks as dozens of students gathered, “and to say how important this day has become. We now have four times the amount of presentations than when the event started

“The other striking thing is this really cuts across all the faculties and includes many departments. We’re really in the presence of a university-wide presentation.”

As he thanked all who worked to put this day together – organizer human kinetics professor Dr. Angie Thompson, the students, and their faculty supervisors – he told the students the event will go a long way to helping them, be it in subsequent years at StFX, at grad school, or just in problem solving abilities.

“This is a really, really exciting event for the whole university,” agreed Dr. Mary McGillivray, StFX Academic Vice-President and Provost. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to think through their research and get presenting experience.”

Dr. McGillivray says it takes courage, and effort, on the part of the students to ready for the presentation, and she said she wanted to acknowledge their hard work and that of their faculty supervisors, which she called “a symbol of their dedication to your success.”

As volunteer faculty adjudicators walked the room, students milled about by their poster presentations ready to talk and take questions on their research projects.

Dr. Thompson says this year the event took a huge jump, up by more than 20 student presentations. “I think students, and their supervisors, are recognizing the benefits of participating and valuing it as part of the academic experience.”

The day is also now included as an event in the SFX Academic Calendar.

Dr. Thompson says Student Research Day gives students an opportunity to showcase their research or advanced studies in a public forum. “The presenting students get the opportunity to talk about their work to others not so closely related to it. This really helps students understand their work because when you present it to people outside your field, you really have to break it down.”

She gave special thanks to Dr. Riley, Dr. McGillivray, Dr. Robert van den Hoogen, Dr. Steve Baldner and Dr. Keith De’Bell for providing opening or closing remarks; to adjudicators Lori Graham, Barry Taylor, Brandon van Zyl, David Garbary, Alvaro Montenegro, Nancy Marenick, Sasho MacKenzie, Jacques Boucher, Truis Smith-Palmer, Charlene Weaving, Mike Melchin, Elaine MacLean, James Cormier, Deirdre Smythe, Angela Beye, Randy Delorey, Mike Haller, Erika Koch, Moira Galway, Colleen Faulkner, Russell Wyeth, Christie Lomore, Vijay Vishwakarma, Donna MacDougall, Norine Veberg, and JeanGuy Lalonde, Peter Clancy, Denton Anthony and Chris Galea; and to Charlene Weaving who spent the afternoon helping with the adjudication process.

The prize winners were:

Community Service Learning Award:
Jonathan Gallant, Aquatic Resources

Asadulla-Bibijan Awards of Excellence:
Cora MacDonald, Aquatic Resources
            Emily Osmond, Biology
            Sara Klapstein, Environmental Sciences

StFX Bookstore Awards: Top Level:
            Curt Wetmore, Human Kinetics
            Kailee MacDonald, Psychology
            Brett Barron, Human Kinetics

StFX Bookstore Awards: Second Level:
            Erin Gillis, Psychology
            Kristie Forbes, Business
            Kraig Porter, Aquatic Resources
            Amy MacKinnon, Human Kinetics

StFX Bookstore Awards: Third Level
            Kristen Stallard, Political Science
            Laura Sherrard, Psychology
            Andrea Glenn, Human Nutrition
            James Hudson, Biology
            Kaitlyn Dolimount, Psychology
            Colin Boyd, Human Kinetics

People’s Choice/Student Union Station Awards:
            Kat Olsheski, Human Kinetics
            Ruth Patten, Biology
            Aaron Farrell, Physics
            Victoria Klimek, Psychology

And the inaugural Faculty’s Choice Award:
            Michelle Pereyema, Human Nutrition