Scholars Week returning to in-person format this year; registration opens April 25
Scholars Week, an annual celebration showcasing the best of Western Washington University students’ research and creative work, returns to Western’s campus May 16 – May 20, 2022, after two years of virtual events.
The Scholars Week Planning Committee invites students to register April 25 – 29, submit presentation materials by May 11, and present as part of the Scholars Showcase open to the campus and the public, highlighting student achievement and the significance of faculty and staff mentorship on student scholarship. In addition, participants are to upload their presentations to an online gallery, providing visitors from afar a means to view academic excellence at Western.
This year’s Scholars Showcase features the return of the Poster Session — the centerpiece event held in Carver Gym on Wednesday, May 18 — highlighting outstanding scholarly research and creative works by graduate and undergraduate students across a wide range of disciplines, programs and departments. Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) graduate student presentations, to be held Thursday, May 19 in SMATE library, will feature three-minute talks designed to explain discipline-specific research to an unfamiliar audience.
Scholars Week 2022 marks the launch of new presentation category, Faculty/Student Group Collaborations, featuring collaborations involving research, creative work or other academic projects stemming from field work, lab work or some other collaborative setting or arrangement. These will be held in various classrooms in Carver on May 18.
Associate Professor Maria McLeod, Scholars Week Planning Committee chair, said the committee was enthusiastic about the return to in-person events, while pleased to retain a virtual gallery that allows an opportunity to extend the viewing audience, as well as the capacity to incorporate multimedia presentation elements.
“With the new presentation category, featuring faculty/student collaborations, the return of in-person events, and retaining our virtual galley, there are many opportunities to present,” McLeod said. “It’s set to be our best year yet, and I think the campus is ready to celebrate our return.”
Scholars week events will be held in person and online May 16 through May 20, including activities and events hosted by colleges, departments and programs throughout the university. To register to participate, go to wwu.edu/scholars. For more information about Scholars Week, contact scholars.week@wwu.edu.
Scholars Week, an annual celebration of student research and creative activities at Western, was created by a unanimous resolution of the Faculty Senate in November 1999. Originally envisioned as “Scholars Day,” the event quickly transformed into “Scholars Week” to accommodate a diverse series of events highlighting the scholarship and creativity of Western students across a variety of disciplines. Financial support for Scholars Week is provided by the WWU President, Provost, Office of Undergraduate Education, Offices of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Graduate School, Foundation, and academic colleges and departments.
