by Jennifer Schneider
Staff Writer

For students wondering what the rest of the campus is doing while they are slaving away on projects and papers, the opportunity of a lifetime awaits.

Appalachian State University presents its seventh annual Student Research Celebration today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom and the Roan Mountain Room of Plemmons Student Union.

Hosted by Appalachian’s College of Arts and Sciences and Cratis D. Williams Graduate School, the celebration will showcase the research of graduate and undergraduate students who have taken on major research projects.

“It is an opportunity for students to see their peers, both graduate and undergraduate, present the research they have been doing over the course of the year or show some kind of other creative endeavor such as film or performances,” psychology professor Dr. Mark C. Zrull said. “It is basically what students are doing outside of the classroom.”

“Experience as researchers has helped Appalachian students gain admission to prestigious master’s and doctoral programs nationwide and in acquiring employment in their chosen field,” senior Spanish major Elizabeth A. Korb said.

Although the sciences will be more heavily represented, over 90 abstracts were submitted this year from students in a variety of disciplines ranging from computer science and anthropology to music therapy and interdisciplinary studies.

“There is a good mix,” Zrull said. “This is what students are doing to enhance their education. Take what they learned in class and use that.”

There will be close to 100 presentations throughout the day. Some of the presentations will focus on issues like dream analysis, numeral integration techniques, implementations interpretations and ecological analysis, implementations and interpretations.

“It will be interesting to see what research people are doing and to see what each department is offering,” Korb said.

“It is a way for students who are thinking about getting involved to see what is possible,” Zrull said.

The celebration is free and open to everyone.