By Clark Bellar
(April 23, 2015) — University of Kentucky's Department of Psychology is hosting the Fifth Annual Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Conference for Research on Children at Risk 3:30-5 p.m. today, in Kastle Hall Room 213 and 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Friday, April 24, in the King Alumni House Ballroom. All members of the UK and Lexington community are encouraged to attend.
The theme of the conference is risk and resilience during adolescence and childhood. Research presented will address factors that shape current and future outcomes of youth, in order to better understand children at risk.
The event is designed to reach out to individuals from all areas of campus, both professionals and graduate students, to present research about children at risk, as well as undergraduate students and other members of the UK and Lexington communities to learn more about the topic. The concept of "risk" has a broad definition, and there are researchers on the subject in many UK departments who utilize different methodologies for their research.
"To get a grant these days you almost have to collaborate with people outside your area," said Richard Milich, one of the event's organizers and professor in the Department of Psychology in the UK College of Arts and Sciences. The event is designed to highlight different methodologies and promote collaboration, he said.
Today in Kastle Hall, professor Gustavo Carlo will give a keynote address discussing "Latino/a Parents' Socializing Their Youth: Practices, Values, and Prosocial Behaviors." Carlo is director for the Center for Family Policy and Research and professor of human development and family studies at the University of Missouri. His research examines youth development and the role of culture in shaping adjustment in children and families. He will speak at 3:30 p.m. today in 213 Kastle Hall on UK’s campus.
On Friday in the King Alumni House, 18 graduate student poster presentations are scheduled, with session one running from 9:30-10:15 a.m. and session two from 10:15-11:15 a.m. Seven graduate student research presentations will be split into two sessions. The first runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with lunch from 12:30-1 p.m. The second set of presentations will take place from 1-2 p.m. Concluding remarks and awards will be given from 2-2:30 p.m.
"Graduate students are the next wave of instructors," said Milich. "Several faculty have made really good connections at this conference."
Graduate student research presentations will be given in IGNITE format, with 20 PowerPoint slides each, timed to advance slides every 30 seconds. There will be five minutes after each presentation for questions.
This conference is funded by the Mixon Fund, the Children at Risk Cluster (CAR), Department of Psychology and the Center for Drug Abuse Research Translation (CDART).