Today and tomorrow, Northern Kentucky University, along with invited Northern Kentucky high school students, teachers, counselors and parents, will have the first time opportunity to participate in the Celebration of Student Research and Creativity in the Arts and Sciences. The celebration includes impromptu comedy skits, poster sessions, musical and theatrical performances, and art exhibitions. There are no charges for any of the events. According to Gail Wells, dean of Arts and Sciences, approximately 100 students have had their work accepted for the first celebration.

“This will be a time to view the work of students who have been actively involved in undergraduate research and original creativity activity,” Wells said, “Most universities reserve such research opportunities for their graduate students. At NKU, our undergraduate students have the opportunity to work hand in hand with faculty members in high level research projects.”

“Two highlights of the celebration will be the Honor’s Lecture by Anne Braden at 6:30 on Wednesday evening and the celebration lecture by Hazel Barton at 7:30 on Thursday evening,” said Dr. Phil Schmidt, Chair of the Celebration committee. Hazel Barton is a world renowned scientist committed to undergraduate research. She is a microbiologist from the University of Utah. “She studies life in “extreme environments” and may be recognized by students as one of the “stars” of the Omnimax film “Amazing Caves” that was premiered at the Cincinnati Museum Center last year,” Schmidt said. Her presentation is entitled “It’s Life, But Not As We Know It…” Students and their faculty mentors will be recognized, along with a celebratory party for their achievements.

According to Tom Zaniello, director of the honors program, this conference has five areas of business, which are:

1. Senior Honors students present their projects orally

2. Alpha Chi National Honors society induction (minimal GPA 3.8)

3. Outstanding freshmen (all 4.0’s)

4. Honors Program scholarship announcements

5. Guest speaker: The April 17th speaker

“Anne Braden is a visiting Honors professor,a Civil Rights veteran, and a “legend” who teaches an Honors course every year on the Civil Rights movement and/or social justice movements,” Zaniello said. On Wednesday from 10:40am-11:50am in Student Life office #304, Melissa Gers, Camilla Asplen, Ellen Bayer, Rob Detmering, and Joel Spencer will be presenting creative works such as, poems, songs, paintings, and photographs. These are all students from professor Bob Wallace’s last semester ENG 351 class on Emily Dickinson and Henry James. “There work is a response to these two authors,” Wallace said. Gers will also be showing the Web site and booklet she has compiled from the work of her entire class. “This project is unusual in two ways