2024 Annual Research Conference Recap

Two hundred and thirty students presented on Exploring Climate and Social Justice theme

Inver Hills Community College held the 2024 Annual Research Conference (ARC) Wednesday, April 17, 2024, and Thursday, April 18, 2024, in the Fine Arts building on the college’s campus in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

ARC gave Inver Hills students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to showcase their work and projects. This year’s ARC theme was Exploring Climate and Social Justice, which aligns with the campus-wide goal to raise awareness through action while highlighting two new certificates, the Climate Change certificate and Social Justice certificate.

Lisa Tracy, Inver Hills biology faculty, served as this year’s ARC coordinator. Lisa was impressed by how many students were already doing projects and coursework in their classes connected to the conference’s theme.

“Rob Kolomyski’s art students created beautiful pieces for a gallery show called Imaging Justice,” she said. “I had so much fun talking to the artists about their work.”

Lisa reported that Joan Carter’s engineering students presented their capstone work from her course, Engineering Climate Solutions; Sadie Pendaz-Foster’s sociology students completed projects linked to the conference theme in her course, Social Justice in Action; Erica Wood, geology faculty, advanced the theme via her course, Introduction to Climate Change.

“We had many faculty hold special sessions during the conference,” Lisa said. “Zack Sullivan, political science, and Marika Reese, social justice, presented together on the topic, Advancing Social Justice and Climate Action as a Policy Entrepreneur. Gordy Kokx, EMS director, presented on the topic, Toward Equitable Emergency Care.”

Lisa added that one of her favorite parts of the conference was watching Dr. Samuel Grant, the ARC DAY ONE keynote speaker, network with Inver students. “It was so empowering to see how Dr. Grant connected with our students and helped them find meaningful work that matched up with their individual passions.”