After graduate students complete the extensive research required for their master’s thesis or project, there is another crucial step—being able to explain the significance to individuals unfamiliar with the subject.
At Buffalo State, approximately 100 students have that opportunity on Friday, May 10, during the sixth annual Graduate Student Research Fair. A collaboration between the Graduate School and the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the fair will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union.
Open to the campus and surrounding community, the fair features 85 posters on subjects ranging from “Bail Treatment and Judicial Discretion” to “Closing the Gender Gap in Mathematics,” with each of the campus’s four academic schools represented.
“This is the largest participation we’ve ever had for the research fair. We have at least 20 presentations above what we’ve had in the past,” said Kevin Miller, dean of the Graduate School. He attributes the increase to faculty mentors encouraging their students to participate and then supporting them through the process.
This year for the first time, the fair will include virtual presentations from distance learners within the International Center on Creativity who live in Florida, Brazil, and the Netherlands.
Along with the presentations, five students will compete in the Four-Minute Thesis Contest, at 4:00 p.m. in the Assembly Hall. They will be expected to explain their research within four minutes with just one PowerPoint slide. A panel of judges, composed of Buffalo State faculty, staff, graduate students, and alumni, will determine which presentation is the best and award the winning student a $250 prize.
“This exercise creates a bridge from research to relevancy with the general public,” Miller said. “It also gives students the opportunity to display their communication and presentation skills, which will be necessary in the workplace.”
At 5:00 p.m., the Graduate School will recognize four outstanding master’s project and thesis awardees from each academic school.
Afterward, the students who created the posters will be on hand to discuss their research with the campus and local community members. An end-of-year happy hour celebration, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., will wrap up the research fair.
For more information, contact the Graduate School at (716) 878-5601.
