{"id":14439,"date":"2025-11-05T19:54:48","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T19:54:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/?page_id=14439"},"modified":"2026-04-09T19:35:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T19:35:05","slug":"2026-home-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Home page"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The 2026 Research and Scholarship Conference
will be held March 25-26, 2026<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The 28th Annual Undergraduate Exposition, the 34th Annual Graduate Research Symposium, and the 21st Annual Faculty Scholarship Celebration\u2019s combined event returns through the Research and Scholarship Conference (RASC)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Western Carolina University\u2019s annual Research and Scholarship Conference (RASC) will be held on Wednesday, March 25th, and Thursday, March 26th. An event that is already inclusive of all disciplines, students, faculty, and staff will expand its scope even further this year. For the first time, faculty will be included in the oral and poster presentations, performances, and fine arts exhibits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Featured Presentations<\/h2>\n

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Sept. 27 marked the one-year anniversary of the devastating storm that tore through Western North Carolina. The Catamount community stepped up then and continues to help in the rebuilding process today. RASC will feature presentations on research done in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and how WCU faculty and students’ scholarly endeavors have benefited the community and the region.<\/p>\n

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Keynote Event Features WCU Faculty Panel<\/h2>\n

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At 5 p.m., the arena will host this year\u2019s keynote event, a faculty panel titled “Helene\u2019s Lessons: Interdisciplinary Research\u00a0By\u00a0WCU Faculty.” Moderated by Associate Provost of Academic Affairs Carmen Huffman, the panel will feature five WCU professors: Katie Schneider and Diane Styers of Geosciences and Natural Resources, Andy Hansen and Sarah Jackson of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Chase Harless of Social Work. \u00a0Their discussion will cover a broad range of post\u2011Helene research, including flood mapping, law enforcement practices, community response, and the storm\u2019s long-term mental health effects on families in Western North Carolina.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/298\/2026\/02\/Keynote-Option-2-1.png” title_text=”Keynote Option 2 (1)” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”Research and Scholarship Conference announces 2026 schedule of events” url=”https:\/\/www.wcu.edu\/stories\/posts\/research-and-scholarship-conference-announces-schedule.aspx” image=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/298\/2026\/03\/0dbaa15f-6e40-4c88-be65-629311e68c44-scaled.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_option_url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s events will begin with oral presentations and performances in the A.K. Hinds University Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty presenters.\u00a0 The afternoon program will shift to the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

At 5 p.m., the arena will host this year\u2019s keynote event, a faculty panel titled “Helene\u2019s Lessons: Interdisciplinary Research by WCU Faculty.” Moderated by associate provost of academic affairs Carmen Huffman, the panel will feature five WCU professors: Katie Schneider and Diane Styers of geosciences and natural Resources, Andy Hansen and Sarah Jackson of criminology and criminal justice and Chase Harless of social work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” type=”1_2″][et_pb_blurb title=”2026 WCU Research and Scholarship Conference introduces new faculty involvement, highlights Hurricane Helene research” url=”https:\/\/www.wcu.edu\/stories\/posts\/2026-wcu-rasc-introduces-new-faculty-involvment-highlights-hurricane-helene-research.aspx” image=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/298\/2026\/04\/b951f944-b607-4269-948a-aa2f646b3653-scaled.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_option_url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” title_text=”b951f944-b607-4269-948a-aa2f646b3653″ sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Western Carolina University\u2019s annual Research and Scholarship Conference is fast approaching.<\/p>\n

This year’s event will be the largest ever, with the Research Exposition and Symposium featuring over 200 presentations, spanning undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty.<\/p>\n

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2026 Schedule At A Glance<\/h2>\n

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On <\/span>Wednesday, March\u00a025th,<\/span><\/b> experience a full day of scholarly engagement, including oral and poster presentations, and fine arts exhibits. The day concludes with a keynote address and celebratory reception <\/span>sponsored by the Office of the Provost.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • 9:00 am – 3:00\u00a0pm<\/span> Undergraduate, Graduate, and Faculty Oral Presentations: A.K. Hinds University Center, Performances: Coulter Recital Hall <\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 5:00 pm – 6:00\u00a0pm<\/span> Keynote Address, Ramsey Center Arena\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n
  • 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm<\/span> Undergraduate,\u00a0Graduate, and Faculty\u00a0Poster Presentations, Fine Arts\u00a0Exhibits, and the Celebration Reception, Ramsey Center Concourse\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

    On\u00a0<\/span>Thursday, March\u00a026<\/span><\/b>th<\/span><\/b>,\u00a0<\/span><\/b>the annual Faculty Scholarship Celebration will highlight faculty research and scholarship accomplishments, including the Faculty 3MR Competition and recognition of major award recipients.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • 11:00 am – 1:30 pm<\/span>, A.K. Hinds University Center Grand Room<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n
        \n
      • The 5th Annual Faculty 3-Minute Research (3MR) Competition\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Faculty Scholarship Celebration Luncheon (<\/span>reservation-only event)\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Awards Presentation\u00a0<\/span>(Million Dollar Circle, Hunter Scholar, Provost\u2019s Scholarship Development\u00a0Award)<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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        The 2026 Research and Scholarship Conference will be held March 25-26, 2026 The 28th Annual Undergraduate Exposition, the 34th Annual Graduate Research Symposium, and the 21st Annual Faculty Scholarship Celebration\u2019s combined event returns through the Research and Scholarship Conference (RASC) Western Carolina University\u2019s annual Research and Scholarship Conference (RASC) will be held on Wednesday, March […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14439","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14439"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14439\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14998,"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14439\/revisions\/14998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/rasc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}