Building A Tradition Of Stand-Out Research At IU Northwest

From the Indiana University Northwest:

March 25, 2021

Research is a vital part of any major university’s mission. And, nowhere is this truer than at IU Northwest.

The faculty at IU Northwest are incredibly active in their fields, collectively publishing over 150 journal articles, completing over 100,000 hours of service, and receiving $900,000 in external funding annually. “Consistently across multiple years, they’re publishing around 10 books on average each year,” Associate Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Cynthia O’Dell said.

These faculty members are committed to their research, as well as their teaching obligations. O’Dell describes IU Northwest faculty as “Teacher-Scholars” to emphasize just how much high-quality research can influence teaching.

“[Faculty members are] always exploring new ideas and creative ways to do things,” O’Dell said. “They naturally bring that [research] into the classroom.”

Every student benefits from an instructor deeply engaged with research. But that isn’t the only way undergraduates can build their skills. O’Dell said there are plenty of opportunities for students across campus to participate in research alongside professors.

“In really almost any discipline that you’re interested in there’s a faculty member doing research who would love to have students work alongside them,” she said. “This type of hands-on learning helps the students to problem solve and find solutions, important skills that will help them succeed personally and professionally.”

Because of this commitment to outstanding research and teaching, the Celebration of Faculty Research event was born. This event invited select faculty to present their research in easy-to-understand, 8-minute lectures.

The virtual event is an opportunity for faculty to share their research with the campus and greater Northwest Indiana community. “I think that’s what people were so excited about the first time we had [this event],” O’Dell said. “It was an opportunity to hear your colleagues present what they’re doing.”

The Event: Putting the Research Out There

This year’s event premiered virtually on March 19. It featured 10 faculty members presenting their work in bite-sized doses. There was something for everyone in the lineup—marketing, international studies, healthcare, education, art, history, and so much more.

For example, David Parnell, associate professor of history, presented on historical smear campaigns against prominent women. He focused on towering female figures in Roman history, including Theodora and Antonina. While history is his area of expertise, Parnell connected Ancient Roman history to modern-day attempts to harass powerful women—Hillary Clinton and “Pizzagate” was given as a notable example.

Assistant Professor of Psychology Maureen Rutherford presented her research on treatments for anxiety disorders. She and her lab focus specifically on pharmacotherapy and managing anxiety disorders using the appropriate medication. Rutherford went on to discuss the process of collecting psychological research and pointed out the important role students play in her lab.

A presentation of less than 10 minutes can only scratch the surface of a faculty member’s research. But these quick lectures go a long way to getting students and community members interested in delving deeper into fascinating topics.

This press release was produced by the Indiana University Northwest. The views expressed are the author's own.