Scholars Showcase

Held annually every April, EKU’s Scholars Showcase celebrates, showcases, and promotes the rich culture of faculty, student, faculty-student scholarship, research, and creative endeavors. Through a diverse series of experiences, Scholars Showcase increases opportunities for faculty scholarship, research and creative endeavors, and faculty-student collaborations while recognizing research, creative, and academic endeavors at all levels. Scholars Showcase will take place in April 2025.

Scholars Showcase recognizes the rich culture of student and faculty scholarly activity, creative endeavors, and high-impact practice across all areas of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). It is an opportunity to engage in productive and inspiring dialogues, develop cross-disciplinary collaborations that lead to innovation, immerse in highly effective learning experiences, and advance academic practices related to the scholarship of teaching and learning and discovery.

Scholars Tank

Scholars Tank is an entrepreneurial-themed addition to Scholars Showcase, where students and faculty can present an idea to improve some aspect of campus, that has the potential to be turned into an entrepreneurial venture. Our campus entrepreneurs will pitch their idea to a panel of “sharks” who will decide which idea gets funded.

The winner will be awarded $5,000 to seed that idea from concept to concrete–watching your idea grow into something that has a positive impact on the university. These can be individual projects or group projects (up to 5 people per group).

Your Presentation Must Address:

The Problem: Innovations break constraints. Your innovation that solves a problem can be something you’ve personally faced, something that you have seen on campus, or something much bigger. Or, is there an opportunity that the university is not taking advantage of that you are uniquely suited to execute?
The Addressable Market: So, you have identified a problem, but is it really a problem? Or an opportunity? Provide evidence to support your argument. Who does this problem affect? How much money is in the market, and where is the market headed?
The Current Solutions: Often, someone else will also be trying to solve the problem you are addressing or has already tried. Tell us what those solutions leave out and why that is a problem.
Your Solution: You’ve made the case, now tell us how you solve it? Is it a product or service? Something that you have already prototyped? What’s next? What do you see for the future, based on available information today? A cool name for your solution never hurts.
120 Seconds!! The time restriction forces you to think through the entire problem & solution. It’s easy to ramble, but to fit everything in that time frame, you must know your stuff! That said, don’t let the time limit be the thing keeping you from pitching. The best way to beat the clock is by practicing. The Scholar Tank Team will also give you feedback as to what went well and what needs to be improved so you can fine tune your idea.

Proposals are due Monday, April 8 at 8:00 AM. All individuals on the proposal must be EKU students currently enrolled in courses.

In your proposal, please include the following information:

Names of participants
One paragraph explaining how your business will solve a problem in the marketplace (maximum of 100 words).

Email your proposal to Dr. Blair at james.blair@eku.edu. He will confirm with you receipt of your submission if you are selected for the Final Round.

Submissions selected to the Final Round will have a 2-minute presentation with a panel of judges followed by approximately 10-minutes of Q&A with the judges. This will occur on Thursday, April 18 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Three Minute Thesis -3MT@EKU

The Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition is a mainstay for many international and national graduate programs. The competition showcases public speaking and presentation skills as well as a graduate student’s ability to communicate research in a condensed time frame to a non-specialist audience. With only 180 seconds (three minutes), a single slide and no additional props or media, the competition will showcase some of the best and brightest graduate research projects at EKU. The 3MT@EKU is a collaborative effort between the EKU Graduate School, the EKU Graduate and Online Council, and the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity.

The 3MT@EKU represents an exciting opportunity for graduate students and faculty. This is an excellent event to showcase on resumes and job applications. This event easily fits into Extra-Curricular or Professional Skills and highlights several skill sets of the student:

Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
3MT enables this skill through the development of a clear, concise, jargon-free three-minute presentation.
Research Communication with a Non-Specialist Audience
The ability to communicate technical or specific details to a non-specialist audience is a key premise of the 3MT. The competition will feature a broad range of judges and observers.
Communicate Research (breadth and significance) in a Condensed Time Frame
In today’s fast paced world, the ability to succinctly and effectively summarize key ideas is a valuable skill. The 3MT gives participants the opportunity to do this in 180 seconds!
Expand Portfolio with Technology
If the pandemic has taught us anything, technology is a critical tool in communication and job performance. The 3MT will allow students to expand their professional network through a juried presentation that will provide more exposure to research and build their professional portfolio and resume.

A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description are allowed.
No additional embedded electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum. Competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
Presentations are to be spoken.
Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
The decision of the judges is final.

Master’s Student Research

Eligibility: Graduate student currently enrolled (in good academic standing) in an EKU Master’s program
Research Requirements: Thesis research that is complete or nearly complete at a stage where findings, preliminary conclusions, and broader impact can be discussed.

Doctoral Student Research

Eligibility: Doctoral student currently enrolled (in good academic standing) in an EKU Doctoral program (Psy.D., Ed.D., DNP, OTD)
Research Requirements: Dissertation/capstone/case study that is complete or nearly complete at a stage where findings, preliminary conclusions, and broader impact can be discussed.

A 200–250-word abstract highlighting the significance of the research
Required registration/demographic information

Category One: Comprehension & Content

Did the presenter clearly establish the nature and purpose of the research?
Did the organization make sense? Was the content easy to follow?
Did the presentation clearly describe the key outcomes, results, and conclusions of the research?
Did the presenter clearly indicate why this research is important/significant?
Did the speaker explain/define important terminology, avoid jargon, and provide adequate background information to illustrate key points?
Did the presentation include an effective introduction and conclusion?

Category Two: Clarity & Engagement

Was the presentation engaging? Did it make you want to know more?
Would this talk help a general/non-specialist audience be able to understand he research?
Did the slide enhance, rather than detract from, the talk – was it clear, legible, and concise?
Was the presenter enthusiastic, conversational, personable, and professional?
Did the presenter’s pacing and style capture and maintain your attention?
Did the presenter effectively and appropriately utilize non-verbal communication skills (i.e. eye contact, vocal variety, body movement, etc.)?

Not only will graduate students gain valuable skills and experience for their resumes/professional portfolios, there will also be awards for each category:

Master’s Student Research Category
1st Place: $400 and a plaque
2nd Place: $150 and a certificate
Doctoral Student Research Category
1st Place: $400 and a plaque
2nd Place: $150 and a certificate

University Presentation Showcase

Abstract Criteria

Purpose of project
Process/methods
Findings/results
Conclusions/discussion

Novel Aspect Criteria

What is the importance/implications of the presented project?
What are the practical and/or theoretical applications?

Abstract Submission Instructions:

Visit the submission portal in Encompass
Create an account and login
Read the Encompass Copyright statement and click the box if you agree to the terms and conditions. Proceed to the next page.
Fill out the submission form, including all information about the presenters, mentor, the type of presentation, and whether the student is an undergraduate or graduate student
When the entire form is complete, please click submit

Submissions will then be reviewed by the UP Showcase Committee, who will inform the student whether it was accepted or not. They will also receive further instructions for uploading the presentation into Encompass, and participating in the showcase.

Templates for EKU Branded Academic Research Posters available through CBM.

Questions?
Undergraduate Coordinator: mike.lane@eku.edu
Graduate Coordinator: charles.elliott@eku.edu
Noel Studio: noelstudio@eku.edu

Faculty Writer’s Retreat

The Office of the Provost, the College of Business, EKU Libraries, and the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity have partnered to offer an EKU Faculty Writer’s Retreat, May 21, 22, and 23 in Perkins.

Think of this retreat as an “academic incarceration”! We provide you with a private space in the Main Library – away from the distractions of your office – to focus only on your writing.

For three days, this “academic incarceration” will provide private space in the Main Library to focus on your writing project, grant application, or the finishing touches of your latest draft. In return, you agree to write – and leave the grading, email, meetings, and social media at home, or in your office.

Arriving at the retreat with very specific writing tasks, whether conceptualizing and drafting a new manuscript or completing final revisions to a long-standing work, will allow you to maximize this opportunity.

All instructional faculty are welcome to apply – preference will be given to faculty preparing for a major review and to new faculty establishing a writing program.

Access the application

Applications are due by April 18, 2025. Please contact fctl@eku.edu with questions.