After a year and a half of virtual meetings and distance education, the Office of Research and Scholarship (R&S) returned to in-person programming on July 13th with an ice cream social for faculty and students working on summer research projects. According to Dayna Henry, Coordinator of Student Research, the event was intended to give participants “an opportunity to network with others, reflect on their summer [inquiry] experiences, and take some time to celebrate their work with R&S staff.” The R&S team welcomed over 80 guests to the Hall of Presidents Room in D-Hall, making sure that everyone had the room to be safe, enjoy treats, and have meaningful conversations.
Students and faculty share summer research experiences during the Research & Scholarship Ice Cream Social.
With faculty members and students from diverse disciplines ranging from sport and recreation management to engineering, attendees had the chance to make cross-disciplinary connections with colleagues they may not typically have met at other functions.
Dayna Henry added, “I loved hearing about the different projects students were working on, their favorite moments from their summer research experience, and to hear from faculty about their ideas for continuing to work with students over the year.”
Henry's Coordinator of Student Research position will allow R&S to prioritize work that fosters faculty-student collaboration and mentorship. Looking ahead to the upcoming academic year, Henry said, “I look forward to more conversations with faculty and students about how I can best support their student research efforts.”
