Feb. 21, 2019

Wilfrid Laurier University's Brantford campus will showcase student and faculty research, creative student projects and learning experiences for the community during its annual Academic, Creative and Engaged Research Showcase (ACERS) from March 4 to 8. All activities are free and open to the public.

“Our students are producing excellent research as part of their coursework and through the community projects they are involved in,” said Christina Han, associate professor in History and coordinator of undergraduate research in the Faculty of Liberal Arts. “It is important to provide a platform for our students to share their projects and research findings with the university community and general public.”

ACERS kicks off on Monday, March 4 with a social event in the Research and Academic Centre lobby featuring interactive research and refreshments. The social event will feature interactive research displays including “Privacy Booth” from Associate Professor and Vice Dean Ken Werbin, “Escape Room” from Professor Scott Nicholson, “Brant Builder: Community Voices” from Assistant Professor James Popham and “Quibbles in the Dirty Kitchen” from Associate Professor Danielle Law.

The week’s feature conference will take place on Tuesday, March 5 and include a panel discussion about the resiliency and resourcefulness of refugees and the communities that receive them. The panel will include Laurier’s Bree Akesson of the Faculty of Social Work, Kristiina Montero of the Faculty of Education and Stacey Wilson-Forsberg of the Faculty of Liberal Arts. Christopher Kyriakides, Canada Research Chair in Citizenship at York University, will also participate.

Following the panel, Kyriakides will give a keynote presentation about the dynamic of trust in refugee-host relations. In 2017, Kyriakides established a research team at York University to research refugee-host relations.

Faculty Research Rundowns, featuring faculty members presenting their research in three-minute presentations, will also take place on Tuesday. Nine Laurier faculty members will present on topics ranging from Indigenous law to immigration in Brantford.

ACERS student poster presentations, which showcase Laurier’s undergraduate research initiatives, will take place on Wednesday, March 6 and Thursday, March 7, with judging from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Thursday. The competition includes close to 40 projects from individuals and teams across 12 programs.

Presentations by participants in Laurier’s Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship program will take place Friday, March 8, followed by International Engagement presentations. Research apprenticeships allow qualified undergraduate students to work with a faculty member on a project of mutual interest.

Times and Locations of Events

Monday, March 4

• ACERS 2019 launch and interactive research displays. Research and Academic Centre, RCW lobby, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday, March 5

• Feature conference: “Changing the Narrative: The Resiliency and Resourcefulness of Refugees and Receiving Communities in Turbulent Times” panel discussion. Odeon Building, OD110, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Keynote presentation: Christopher Kyriakides, “The Dynamic of Trust in Refugee-Host Relations.” Odeon Building, OD110, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Faculty Research Rundowns. Research and Academic Centre, RCW002, 2:30 p.m. to 4:20 p.m.

Wednesday, March 6

• ACERS 2019 poster competition. Research and Academic Centre, RCW lobby, noon to 3 p.m.
• LaunchPad and Creativity Hub presentations. Research and Academic Centre, RCW Lobby, noon to 3 p.m.
• Criminology Student Conference. SC Johnson Building, SCJ127, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• History Research Colloquium, Carnegie Building, CB100, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 7

• ACERS 2019 poster competition. Research and Academic Centre, RCW lobby, 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• ACERS 2019 award ceremony. Research and Academic Centre, RCW lobby, 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday, March 8

• Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship presentations, Carnegie Building, CB100, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• International Engagement presentations by Laurier International. Carnegie Building CB100, 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Human Rights Human Diversity International Women’s Day workshop. SC Johnson Building, SCJ127, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.