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Graduate research symposium on campus

Students display findings about interesting and original topics

Heather Hines, Reporter

Graduate students belonging to the Federation of North Texas Area Universities filled Hubbard Hall on April 8 for the chance to present research on topics relating to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math program and the humanities, and compete for the best poster at the Graduate Student Research Symposium.

The Federation of North Texas Area Universities consists of TWU, UNT and Texas A&M University-Commerce. Established in 1968, the federation promotes cooperation between the universities and allows graduate students to cross register for classes at other universities. The Graduate Student Research Symposium has existed for the past seven years and has always been hosted by TWU.

Dean of the TWU Graduate School Dr. Larry LeFlore stated: “The focus and purpose of the symposium is to gives our graduate students the opportunity to network and showcase their research. It give our students the opportunity to gain confidence in what they’re doing and to be involved with other students.”

Graduate students were excited about presenting their research and were very passionate about the topics they presented over. Graduate Psychology Julia Besser, a graduate psychology student with a Masters of Arts presented her group’s work over the differing state laws regarding psychologist’s legal obligations about their duty to warn. Besser and her group hope to see technology such as Skype and Facetime become available to psychologists so they can administer care to isolated patients, or patients whose change in geographic location could sever the patient-psychologist relationship. However, the differing laws in U.S. states complicates such a practices, and because of that,  many psychologists are restricted from practicing across state lines.

Besser explained: “There are a lot of barriers for psychologist to work with people, a lot of barriers for treatment, and psychologists are ethically obligated to reduce barriers for treatment. The goal of this is to address populations that are marginalized and don’t have the money or access to treatment and try to figure out how we can create that.”

LeFlore added: “A lot of students would not have the opportunity to present their research otherwise. The federation uses this to enhance the educational experience of the students.”

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