Washburn University’s student conference Apeiron which will be held on April 22, 2022 is a chance to see what Ichabods are researching and creating this year.

Courtney Sullivan, who is a chair and associate professor of French, encourages students to submit proposals, especially if they intend to go to graduate school.

“It’s a pre-professional experience,” said Sullivan. “I didn’t have this in undergrad. When I was in graduate school and had to start presenting my work at conferences, I had to learn quickly what an abstract is, and other aspects.”

Mentors, which Sullivan has served as for past students’ Apeiron projects, guide the students and help them shape their presentations to academia standards.

Another mentor, Chris Jones, assistant professor of religious studies and philosophy, also explained beneficial aspects of this platform for students presenting their work.

“It’s a chance to network with people who are working in your area,” said Jones. “It looks good on a resume. And your research is made public.”

The various locations will be across campus and everyone is welcome to attend, free of charge.

Aperion is more than just presentations about scientific research and findings. Washburn students can submit proposals for art exhibitions, readings from creative writing or a selected act from an original play live for the event.

“Apeiron doesn’t take away rights for future publishing, because you’re going to present orally and then it just goes out into the ether,” Jones said. “Then if you wanted to take that oral presentation and revise it into a publication, you certainly could do that.”

Jones, who focuses his work on the Hebrew Bible, explains that presenting findings is the first step for a prolific academia career.

“Most of us who are scholars, we present orally at a conference where we get feedback,” said Jones. “Then we revise it, publish it in a journal and potentially write a book on it.”

So much of the work that students do is only ever seen by one professor. Apeiron is a chance to let other people see the work students are doing and give it some air.

The proposal deadline is March 23. Details about requirements can be found at www.washburn.edu/academics/apeiron.

It is also worthy to note that the evening banquet returns this year, for students and attendees, in the Washburn Ballroom at Memorial Union.

Edited By: Justin Shepard, Simran Shrestha