Academic Excellence Conference - FAQ for Faculty

1. What is the Academic Excellence Conference (AEC)?
The annual Academic Excellence Conference showcases original research, scholarship, and creative work by KSC graduate and undergraduate students. It gives students an opportunity to present their best academic work to a broad audience of their peers, faculty, and the public.

2. Who Sponsors the AEC?
The AEC is sponsored through the Academic Enrichment Program, The Student Center Office of Programs and Leadership Development, Keene State College Student Assembly, and The President's Office.

3. Why should faculty encourage students to present at the AEC?
AEC motivates students to further perfect projects they have done for a class or to work on entirely new projects that are not formally linked to any specific course. It encourages students to think about how to make their research accessible to an audience of non-specialists and gives them an opportunity to take part in an intellectual conversation on a topic of their research.

4. Who can present at AEC?
Any registered undergraduate or graduate student is eligible to present at AEC. Presentations can be done individually or in small groups.

5. Who attends AEC?
KSC students, faculty, parents and other family, friends, alumni, the general public, and visitors from local and regional business communities and government offices.

6. When and where does the conference take place?
The AEC takes place on the KSC campus in the L.P. Young Student Center, the David F. Putnam Science Center, and the Zorn Dining Commons. This year's conference is on Saturday, March 27, 2010.

7. What is my role as a project mentor?
As a mentor, you are expected to work with your mentee to ensure the best possible quality of both research and its presentation at the AEC. This may include fine-tuning the argument, reading drafts, conducting oral rehearsals, practicing Q&A part of the presentation.

As a mentor you should be aware that the submission process involves 2 steps:

1. Your mentee submits the proposal online.
2. Your mentee then prints out the online proposal for your signature. The signed proposal is then brought to Donna Hinz's office in Hale Building no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2009.

As a mentor, you are expected to work with your mentee to ensure the best possible quality of both research and its presentation at the AEC. This may include fine-tuning the argument, reading drafts, conducting oral rehearsals, practicing Q&A part of the presentation. Please note that the expectation is for faculty mentors to be present at the conference to introduce his/her student(s).

8. My students have conducted a group project. Can they present as a group?
Yes. AEC has a group presentation format. There is no formal limit on a number of students that may comprise a presenting group, but it should be reasonable as each student is expected to actively participate in the presentation and discussion of the project.

9. How soon can I and my mentee expect to hear from the AEC selection committee?
You and your mentee will hear from the selection committee the week of December 14, 2009.

1. Your mentee's proposal was accepted and will be published in the Conference program in its present form.
2. Your mentee's proposal requires further work or revisions. In this case, the selection committee will indicate specific issues that will need to be addressed in the final draft of your mentee's abstract.
3. Your mentee's proposal was denied. The committee will offer a brief explanation of its decision.

11. I have received a letter from the selection committee that my mentee's abstract needs further work. When is the revised abstract due?
Revised abstracts are due Friday, February 5, 2010. You and your mentee will be notified by Friday, February 12, 2010 as to whether the revised proposal has been accepted.

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