Faculty Discoveries

Photo by Janet Rogers, Division of Strategic Marketing and Communications

First Annual UMKC Research Symposium and Open House

From detecting temporal variations in the social networks of Kansas rodents, to the growth of galaxies over cosmic time, University of Missouri-Kansas City faculty research certainly covers a lot of territory.

More than 80 faculty members presented posters with their discoveries at the First Annual UMKC Research Symposium and Open House at the Student Union. They are faculty members from 11 academic units, and nine departments from within the College of Arts and Sciences.

The event was conceived to provide a venue for faculty to share their research with the university community, said Lawrence Dreyfus, UMKC Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development. One of the purposes is to promote interaction among faculty members. Many UMKC researchers are already collaborating. Big time.

One of the most visual examples of interdisciplinary research was displayed in the back of the rows of posters: the efforts of Virginia Blanton, professor of English and department co-chair; Reza Derakhshani; associate professor of computer and engineering; Nathan Oyler, associate professor of chemistry; and Jeff Rydberg-Cox, director of classics and ancient studies.

The UMKC team has been analyzing a 1486-7 edition of “Summa theologica,” written by the archbishop of Florence to guide priests in instructing parishioners. At the research symposium, the medieval linen-page book with hand-drawn gold-detailed illustrations sat juxtaposed near a large screen with 21st century-computer images.

Because machines that perform spectroscopy on paper in books are expensive, the UMKC researchers have built their own apparatus from cameras, filters and lenses scavenged across campus. Eventually they hope to post do-it-yourself instructions for their spectrometer online, as well as tutorials on how to conduct multispectral imaging of old books. The goal is to make the process so affordable and understandable that even small libraries and student researchers can participate and contribute.

“Creating this mini lab has brought together researchers in art, science and the humanities,” Blanton says. “It’s been a remarkable collaboration.”

 

 


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