The 33rd annual Celebration of Excellence in Research and Creative Activity (CERCA) will take place from April 21 to 25 at the UW-Eau Claire campus.
This event highlights graduate and undergraduate student research and emphasizes their contributions to the academic community. It is open to students, faculty, friends and family. The schedule for the weeklong celebration can be found online.
CERCA features various events throughout the entire week, covering all disciplines. A comprehensive schedule with each event, time, place and presenter can be found online. The celebration takes place on lower campus in Hibbard Humanities Hall and Davies Student Center.
Christa Garvey, a music professor who specializes in oboe, oversees the Spotlight on First-year Student Research. This program focuses on conducting research and teaching first-year students the process of academic research. Garvey said the experience is similar to what CERCA offers on deepening knowledge through curiosity and creativity.
“I think the experience that students can get outside the classroom, but also with their peers and with faculty, is such a deep learning experience … The idea that research is not something just, for first of all, scientists,” Garvey said. “But there is creative activity and scholarly work, and that we can all be a part of it at any stage of your learning and your career, it’s just not those other people.”
CERCA offers a chance for students to apply their learning from class to their own interests. Samara Gries, a third-year hydrogeology student, was able to apply the teachings in her classes to her own project, which focuses on pegmatite, an igneous rock found in the Eau Claire area.
“I do geochemical research,” Gries said. “So, I am looking at pegmatite, which is a really weird type of rock in Eau Claire and analyzing their chemistry. I have done research for a year and a half, and then I created an abstract, applied and have spent quite a few hours making my poster. And making lots of edits.”
The goal of CERCA is to give any student who is willing to apply their knowledge and interests to a more specialized project the opportunity to share it with friends and family.
“I’ve done a lot of research and I’m excited to share it with other people. I am very passionate, and I’m excited to see what other people are presenting. Getting to compare what we are doing all across campus,” Gries said.
All student projects presenting at CERCA have met three application requirements. First, students were required to decide on a presentation format based on the five CERCA-supported presentation formats. These formats range from an oral presentation, a poster presentation, an art or other display accompanied by an explanation, a performance or a film with a lecture.
Additionally, students were required to write an abstract alongside their mentor to specify their title and research claim, conceptualize the project within existing knowledge or ideas, describe the methods or approach used and describe the main conclusion or outcomes. All projects were due on March 1.
Leading up to their presentations and performances, students were encouraged to reach out to the Center of Writing Excellence (CWE) and Career Services for drop-in hours in preparation for the event.
“This is part of our school, but we get to be able to do projects with students, it’s just so rewarding. It’s learning at the university, but not in class,” Garvey said.
Lederer can be reached at [email protected].
