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Inquiry, creativity and collaboration were on full display at Mount Saint Mary’s University’s 13th Annual Academic Symposium, an event organized by the Center for Academic Innovation and Creativity (CAIC) that continues to shape the University’s culture of research and academic exchange.

Under the direction of Andrée Leighton, PhD, assistant professor of history and political science and academic director of CAIC, the symposium has grown into a defining academic tradition. Each year, she works closely with faculty, staff and students to bring the event to life, creating space for ideas to be shared, challenged and expanded across disciplines.

“The Academic Symposium brings our community together around shared intellectual inquiry,” Leighton said. “It creates space for dialogue, deepens our understanding and challenges us to move forward in ways that serve and strengthen our communities.”

Held at the Chalon Campus, this year’s symposium brought together 171 members of the Mount community. Participants included 100 student presenters, 35 moderators (seven of them students serving in the role for the first time), 32 faculty presenters and mentors, and four staff presenters. The program featured 55 academic presentations, 18 poster sessions and seven Honors Thesis presentations, reflecting the depth and breadth of scholarship across the University.

“The Academic Symposium is a reflection of the rigor and curiosity that define the Mount’s academic life,” said Provost Adam Weyhaupt, PhD. “By sharing our work, we extend its reach and contribute to ongoing conversations that shape knowledge and understanding.”

Throughout the day, attendees moved between sessions that highlighted both scientific inquiry and human-centered research. Presentations ranged from “Analyzing the Effects of Natural Remedies on Women’s Health” to “Homage and Celebration of Flute Virtuosity Through the Centuries” and “The Versatile Properties of Ozonated Oils,” illustrating the wide range of questions being explored across campus.

For many students, the symposium was as inspiring as it was informative.

“Seeing the range of topics has been really interesting,” said Jordan Johnson, a senior nursing major. “It shows how many different ideas people here are passionate about, and it makes you want to explore your own.”

“It is inspiring to hear students present work they have been developing for so long, and to see professors share their research too,” added Atziri Vargas, a senior nursing major. “It gives you a better sense of what is possible and what you can be part of.”

Behind each presentation were months, and often years, of research and dedication. Elizabeth Arroyo, a senior psychology major, presented “An Empirical Assessment of Gentle Parenting: Exploring Intergenerational Patterns in Parenting Approaches,” a project she has developed over more than 18 months alongside her professor and mentor, Dolly Rojo, PhD.

“It was a very valuable experience for me. I was able to develop research skills like data analysis and interviewing participants,” Elizabeth said. “More than anything, it solidified what I want to do next. After graduation, I want to pursue a PhD in psychology.”

Presenting for the second time at the symposium, Elizabeth values the opportunity to engage with a broader audience. “The questions you get really push you to think about your research in different ways,” she said.

Her project required careful planning, from designing research questions to navigating ethics approvals and recruiting participants. “We had to get creative about recruiting participants,” she added. “When one approach didn’t work, we had to keep trying new ways.”

That hands-on process, supported by close faculty mentorship, is a hallmark of the Mount experience. Students take an active role in research while building confidence and sharpening their critical thinking skills.

For Jennifer Gonzalez, a junior mathematics major, the symposium marked her first time presenting research on quantum dots after beginning her work in the lab last summer.

“It was a really fun experience to present the work we have been doing all year,” she said. “We have dedicated a lot of time to it, so having the opportunity to share it means a lot.”

Beyond individual projects, the symposium underscores the collaborative nature of research at the Mount.

“Research is not something we do alone; it is fundamentally collaborative,” Weyhaupt said. “We need mentors, colleagues and even critics to challenge us, support us and help us see our work in new ways. This symposium is a celebration of those conversations and the partnerships that move discovery forward.”