Welcome Message

Welcome to the 2021 WCU Research and Scholarship Conference’s (RASC) first-ever virtual proceedings! RASC is a collaboration between the Brinson Honors College, Graduate School & Research, and the Office of the Provost. This event brings together the Graduate Research Symposium and the Undergraduate Research Exposition to highlight research, scholarship, and creative activities across the university. This conference highlights some of the remarkable academic partnerships between WCU students and their faculty mentors to advance knowledge across the disciplines.   

This year’s virtual format is reflective of our times and demonstrates WCU’s commitment to providing students with an opportunity to showcase their work even during a pandemic. Our website features a diverse digital collection of projects and conversations. For the Undergraduate Expo, we feature students’ posters and pre-recorded oral and performance presentations. We also highlight the efforts of our 2020 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) participants, which was coordinated entirely remotely this past summer. The projects completed by the 10 SURP student-faculty teams demonstrate the creative, virtual re-interpretation of a traditionally in-person experiential learning opportunity. While other institutions had to cancel their summer research programs, WCU was able to keep SURP going through the ingenuity of our students and faculty.

The pandemic has reminded us that we are all in it together and that is reflected in this year’s theme of Sustainability and Progress in the Midst of a Pandemic.RASC 2021 features student and faculty work that impacts us at scales from the local to the global. A Faculty Roundtable Discussion and an academic competition for both undergraduate and graduate students are centered around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. 

We are glad you are part of the 2021 (Virtual) RASC. The presentations shared represent countless hours of student work, but also would not be possible without the tireless efforts of their faculty sponsors. Thanks to the faculty, staff, and students, as well as our sponsors, who worked to make this event possible. This website and the content therein represent the perseverance and persistence of our students and faculty to keep moving their discipline forward, together.    

Enjoy! 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Brandon E. Schwab 
Associate Provost for Academic Affairs