Inaugural summit highlights arts and humanities research

With the intent of building visibility for faculty research and encouraging collaborative research – both among and beyond the arts and humanities -- the Center for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities will host an inaugural half-day research summit on Thursday, Oct. 23 (9 a.m.-noon, 302 Catt Hall). The summit is open to the public and guests are welcome to come and go as their schedules allow.

The event will include two panel presentations/discussions and two "lightning round" sessions, in which each participant introduces her or his scholarship in an energetic, four-minute segment, modeled after a format gaining popularity at academic and business conferences. The first panel will highlight how the arts and humanities can engage with science, engineering and technology research in significant ways. Members of the second panel will share examples of how winning a major award took their research to a higher level. All presenters are faculty in the colleges of Design and Liberal Arts and Sciences (in an arts/humanities discipline).

Associate professor of music Christopher Hopkins, who became director of the center in February, said one of his goals for the center is to provide research-based, collegial programming for the faculty it serves.

"The CEAH was established to be cross-cutting, not only bringing an interdisciplinary perspective to arts and humanities research, but to make it more visible across our departments and colleges," he said. "We have an excellent faculty in the arts and humanities. We need more opportunities to get to know each other, learn of others' work and be inspired by each other."

Hopkins said outcomes of a successful summit would be new collaborative projects, further conversations and greater collegiality among faculty.

Research summit schedule (all sessions in 302 Catt)

  • 8:45 a.m., Gathering
  • 9:05 a.m., Welcome
  • 9:20-9:55 a.m., Lightning round research presentations (seven presenters scheduled)
  • 10-10:40 a.m., Panel discussion, "Connecting Arts and Humanities with the Sciences: Creativity, Communication and Culture," moderator Steve Herrnstadt, industrial design
  • 10:45-11:05 a.m., Lightning round research presentations (four presenters scheduled)
  • 11:10-11:55 a.m., Panel discussion, "Advancing Arts and Humanities Research with Major Awards," moderator Barbara Ching, English
  • Noon-1 p.m., Light lunch reception