EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Roxanne Reinhardt, a senior history major at Eastern Michigan University, recently presented her research findings at a conference at Harvard University. 

Reinhardt attended the National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC), an event where students share the research they’ve worked on. Reinhardt presented her work on evangelical women’s views of the American Revolution.

“I am currently working on completing my senior thesis, which looks at evangelical thought and the American Revolution, and more specifically how evangelical women back then viewed the American Revolution,” Reinhardt said. “I have always been eager to share my work with others, as I think it is a great experience and the feedback I have received from sharing my work in the past has always been incredibly rewarding.”

Students are chosen for the conference through a selective application process in which they’re allowed to apply with one research project. 

The conference aims to be a haven for young professionals advancing their field through research. 

“The conference was incredibly educational,” Reinhardt said. “I got to hear from professors in multiple fields and listen to lectures I might not have heard otherwise – one example being a lecture from (emeritus Harvard professor) Martin Karplus, the winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in chemistry, which was fascinating.”

The conference also included workshops that helped prepare students for graduate study and encouraged them to continue their research pursuits. The conference lasted three days, the first two days involving workshops and lectures while the final included the presentations of the conference participants.

The conference, from Jan. 18-20, had five keynote speakers, all of whom had done significant research work and had advanced their field. 

“History is a great passion of mine and I enjoy conducting research,” Reinhardt said. “I would like to continue to pursue different academic opportunities … Moving forward, I would also like to finish my research, as what I presented was simply a section of my larger end goal. I graduate in the fall of 2018, and I am planning on attending graduate school. 

“Overall I am incredibly grateful for the experience and I hope that in the future other students from Eastern apply to present and share their research at conferences such as this.”

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 20,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.