Hundreds of students showcase their work at Liberty’s largest Research Week to date

Close to 300 student research projects from various schools within Liberty University were on display in the Jerry Falwell Library from Monday through Thursday for the university’s annual Research Week.

Open to both undergraduate and graduate students in Liberty’s residential and online programs, Research Week is a multidisciplinary event sponsored by the Center for Research & Scholarship, The Graduate School, and the Jerry Falwell Library. It began in 2017 and is designed to highlight excellent research and scholarship studies by Liberty students.

“Research Week is a tremendous opportunity for our students to present research and scholarship in a competitive venue that is superior compared to even national conferences,” said Dr. Darren Wu, director of the Center for Research & Scholarship . “I have been impressed with the range of topics, quantity, and quality of the research and scholarship being presented by our graduate and undergraduate students during Research Week 2023.”

Projects ranged from medical research on fetal development to biological studies on snakes and, the role of female spies in World War II’s French Resistance. Poster presentations were on display throughout the library (in the Carter Learning Commons, Scholars Lounge, and on the Terrace level). Residential students were also required to give individual oral presentations to judges; online students presented their work virtually. Nearly 100 faculty from different departments volunteered to serve as judges, and cash prizes will be given to first-place, second-place, and third-place presentations (winners will be announced May 3).

Wu said the record number of presentations is a testament to the hard work of the students and faculty and indicative of an advancing culture of research at Liberty.

“This event and culture change would not be possible without the support of the Office of the Provost and a large team of faculty and staff, including our key partners of the Jerry Falwell Library and The Graduate School,” he said.

The Center for Research & Scholarship coordinates and supports new and ongoing research initiatives for both faculty and students.

A reception featuring keynote speaker Dr. Roger Schultz kicked off the week Monday morning. Schultz is the residential Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Liberty University. He previously served as Chair of the History Department at Liberty and has taught at Virginia Intermont College, the University of Arkansas, and Oak Hills Christian College. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

His specialty is American religious history, and he presented his study of the late 18^th century religious survey of the greater Bedford County New London Presbyterians during Monday morning’s reception.

Senior English and theology student Michaela Misantone presented her research on the maternal metaphors of Yahweh in the Old Testament, combining both her love for English with her passion for theology to dig deeper into this seldom-heard theme.

“I really love the opportunity to dive into something that you’re really interested (in) and share it with people,” Misantone said. “I’m wanting to go into academic research, so this is a really cool opportunity for me to present some research that I’ve done and put my name out there a little bit before I go into the career … to take something that I’ve worked really hard on and put a lot of hours into and be able to talk about it with people.”

William Lee graduated in December with a B.S. in Therapeutic Exercise Science but returned to campus this week to showcase his team’s research on the effects of various models of running shoes on the human body.

“(Research Week) gave us a great opportunity to find out more about what we are interested in, and that just gives us a unique understanding and knowledge for our futures,” he said.

Senior nursing student Hannah Keeter is passionate about finding solutions to postpartum hemorrhage issues that are plaguing women throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Her research included lists of methods, both prevention and management, which will potentially help reduce this medical issue.

“Research Week means you’re sharing your findings with others which ultimately allows for better interventions for patients,” she said. “Everything about what I do and what I research is about patient care and improving patient outcomes.”