University of West Florida to host Scholars Week

The University of West Florida will host its first Scholars Week from Tuesday, April 23 to Friday, April 26. The week-long event, titled “A Celebration of Ideas,” will feature guest speakers Dr. Kelly Mack, executive director of Project Kaleidoscope, Association of American Colleges and Universities, and UWF President Judy Bense.

The ADVANCE keynote address will be presented by Dr. Mack on April 23 at 6 p.m. in the Building 4 Auditorium, Room 102, with a reception starting at 5:30 p.m. Her presentation, titled “That None Shall Perish,” will focus on the importance of a holistic approach to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and broader representation in STEM disciplines.

The UWF Faculty ADVANCE Annual Showcase will wrap up the week. Bense will present the final keynote address, titled “Unearthing Potential: A Journey from the Farmhouse to the Presidency.”  The showcase will take place on Friday, April 26 from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the UWF Conference Center, and Bense will present from 9 to 10 a.m.

The showcase will also highlight the contributions and accomplishments of the NSF UWF ADVANCE Program and Scholars. Please RSVP to advance@uwf.edu if you plan to attend either presentation.

Other featured events will include:

• Women’s Studies Conference: Wednesday, April 24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the UWF Conference Center.
• Women in STEM Symposium, ‘Discovering the Engineer Within’: Thursday, April 25, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Conference Center.
• Student Scholars Symposium: Thursday, April 25, 1 to 5 p.m. in the UWF Field House and Argo Athletic Club.

Scholars Week is organized by the Office of Undergraduate Research, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Graduate School, Honors Program, Society of Women Engineers, Women’s Studies Program and the UWF Faculty ADVANCE Program, which is supported by the National Science Foundation.

For additional information about Scholars Week, visit uwf.edu/advance/scholarsweek.