Collaborative research is a big emphasis among Mountaineers. That's why App State has revived the Research and Creative Activity Connections (ReCon) event.
"It's fun and you get to meet a lot of people, which is really important, especially since the pandemic," said Dr. Andy Heckert, professor in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, who spearheaded the pre-pandemic Post-Lab gatherings on which the new event series is based.
"Faculty and staff camaraderie and curiosity were at the core of Post-Lab events, and it is our strong intention to honor that legacy in ReCon," he said.
More gatherings will be held in the months ahead, on the third Thursday of the month, during the late afternoon, rotating locations with a goal of creating informal networking opportunities and showcasing different aspects of the university's research enterprise and creative activities. The first ReCon of the semester was hosted by the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences.
"ReCon provides an opportunity to gather socially and meet people from different units that you might not otherwise encounter in your regular work—as well as the opportunity to see parts of campus that you wouldn't normally visit," said Dr. Brett Taubman, chemistry professor and director of fermentation sciences. "These informal gatherings inevitably lead to collaborations among faculty as they learn of others' expertise that may benefit their own research. Research these days is inherently interdisciplinary, and ReCon presents a real opportunity to bring people from all areas of the university together to socialize, collaborate, and in general learn what others are up to around campus."
Departments, divisions, units, and programs are welcome to contact grs@appstate.edu for more information or to inquire about hosting.