Innovation and Inclusivity: The 27th Annual Graduate Research Symposium

For 27 years, proud and hopeful students have hung posters and answered questions about their research at the Graduate School’s Research Symposium. Held every spring since 1997, this annual event seeks to highlight the innovative research projects conducted by VCU students and provides an opportunity to showcase their hard work. 

This year brought a change to the Symposium’s judging process by awarding prizes for three categories of research methods: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed. Dr. Erin Brown, the director of the Professional Development Office at the Graduate School, said, “This year we gave more guidance for judges to consider having more meaningful conversations with our student participants. Additionally, we specifically asked that judges discuss the type of research students completed: experiment, quantitative, qualitative/mixed methods/other.” This adjustment has encouraged students from a wider range of disciplines to participate in the Symposium and resulted in a strong showcase of diverse research methods.

This year, the Graduate Research Symposium received 107 abstracts, demonstrating the passion VCU’s students have for research and complex problem-solving through innovation. "This broad inclusion in judging criteria ensures that the Symposium remains an inclusive platform, celebrating the richness of research at VCU,” said Dr. Manu Gupta, interim dean for the Graduate School. Embracing diverse research methods is one of the many ways VCU is affirming its commitment to promoting excellence across all disciplines. In the last five years, VCU’s efforts towards research excellence have intensified, acquiring $464.6 million in combined awards for sponsored research programs and ranking 47th in the Research and Development expenditures among public institutions. Additionally, VCU was ranked 1 of the top 20 most innovative public universities by the U.S. News & World Reports in 2024. 

Kade Goldin, a Ph.D. student in Social Work, was awarded second place at this year’s Symposium for their research, “Community Connectedness of Non-Binary People.” Kade’s research was inspired by the negative outcomes for queer people in their communities. “I wanted to highlight factors that contribute to well-being for non-binary people and focus on more positive outcomes. I hope the impact is that researchers and practitioners take opportunities to highlight what is helpful and amplify strengths of communities,” explains Kade.

This year, the Graduate School supported this growing initiative by covering the costs for students’ poster printing for students who identified themselves as having financial contraints, which can range from $40 to $60. “While this is a relatively small amount of funding, the fact that it could prevent some students from participating is disheartening and we are glad that we could alleviate some financial pressure for students. We have had a marked increase in students submitting applications for our travel grants this year as well, another initiative that allows graduate students to disseminate their research with the public,” said Dr. Brown. The goal is to continue expanding such opportunities to support students in sharing their research at VCU and beyond.  

As we look into the future, the Annual Graduate Research Symposium continues to be a driver of transformational change and a testament to collaboration among faculty, staff, and students. “I am thankful to VCU for giving me and my fellow graduates the opportunity to share our research. Our success is due, in part, to the unwavering support and recognition we receive through these events,” said Rebecca Jarell, a Ph.D. student in Chemical and Life Science Engineering who was awarded first place in the Symposium. This annual event has become a vital platform to celebrate diversity in research methods at VCU, and the Graduate School looks forward to hosting many more to come!