Welcome to the 2021 Graduate Research Conference!

On behalf of the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, I welcome you to the 2021 Graduate Research Conference. The GRC is an event that combines the primary missions of the Office of Graduate Studies and Research: The Office of Research Development and Administration and the Office of Research Compliance support and promote all research activities at EMU, including the GRC. Meanwhile, the Graduate School supports academic programs that emphasize the highest forms of intellectual development in each discipline, which includes the creation of the new knowledge that you see at the GRC.

This year’s GRC is EMU’s 22nd annual celebration and showcase of graduate student scholarly and creative activities. Over 115 students will deliver formal accounts of their work by way of 106 oral presentations and poster presentations. This year we are excited to present the GRC through a virtual experience featuring both live sessions (from 9am until 4:15pm) as well as recorded presentations.

The activities they describe took significant investments of time and were performed over countless hours outside the traditional classroom. These students and their work are sponsored by over 80 faculty who wisely guided the students’ activities and, in many cases, gave students access to their laboratories, studios, and specialized equipment.

This year GRC alumnus, Shawn T. Mason will present during the keynote speaker session from 12-1pm. Dr. Mason was a previous presenter at the Graduate Research Conference and earned a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from EMU. Today, Dr. Mason is the Director of Research & Outcomes at Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions.

I wish to thank the students and faculty mentors for their hard work in carrying out their projects and in preparing the presentations. I thank everyone who had a role in planning, promoting, and facilitating today’s activities. We thank Dr. Mason for his message. And, of course, we thank those who are attending today’s event who wish to support our students and to learn and experience something new.

Please take some time to browse the site and engage with the projects of our hard-working graduate students.

Wade Tornquist, Ph.D.

Associate Provost, and Associate VP for Graduate Studies & Research