The Boise State Graduate College recently awarded six graduate students funding for registration costs for online academic conferences where they will present their work, including performances, exhibitions, readings and lecture recitals.
Sponsored by the graduate college, the awards recognize outstanding graduate student scholarship and cover up to $100 toward conference participation fees per award recipient. Presentation experience that graduate students gain from academic conferences makes them more competitive in the job market and better prepares them for careers. Through the awards, Boise State graduate students are able to capitalize on the virtual conference experience to network and share their scholarship with a worldwide digital audience.
The 2020 fall conference presentation funding awardees are:
- Jade Bowers – geosciences, Ph.D.
- Katherine Kappelman – anthropology, MA
- Sarah Lausch – curriculum and instruction, Ed.D.
- Emma McCully – geosciences, Ph.D.
- Ehsan Moshkelgosha – materials science and engineering, Ph.D.
- Hao Zhang – art, MFA
More about the recipients:
Geosciences doctoral student Jade Bowers received funding to present her collaborative work on petrological forensics of the Curacautín Magma(s)” at the American Geophysical Union Fall 2020 meeting. Bowers’ research provides insight into the magmatic conditions that cause mafic Plinian eruptions, which are amongst the most powerful volcanic events.
“2020 threw quite a few curve balls at us, but if there is one positive thing it did, it made it easier than ever to attend scientific conferences and share our science,” said Bowers. “Thanks to the graduate college conference presentation award, I was able to share the initial findings of my dissertation, and receive feedback from experts and colleagues in my field.”
“Presenting at academic conferences fosters a number of enduring skills and increases the value of the graduate student research and creative activity experience,” said Tammi Vacha-Haase, dean of the graduate college. “We are pleased to offer opportunities for our outstanding graduate students to develop their scholarship and elevate the reputation of Boise State graduate education.”
Master of Fine Arts student Hao Zhang received an award to present his artwork, Contemporary Landscape in American West, at the Contemporary Landscape 2020 exhibition at the CICA Museum in Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Zhang’s artistic practices focus on the conflict between humans and the effects of rapid urbanization.
“The graduate college conference presentation award opened up incredible opportunities for me,” said Zhang. “Without the funding program, I would have missed the chance to show my artwork in the CICA Museum.”
The graduate college has a limited number of academic conference funding opportunities, with review/submission periods three times per academic year.