Research Festival: Exploring New Horizons

Welcome to Ashesi University’s inaugural Research Festival, a celebration of scholarship and innovation! Organized under the auspices of the Office of the Provost, the Research Festival aims to ignite all students, undergraduate and graduate passion for discovery and inquiry, paving the way for new ideas and advancements. Collaborators for the inaugural research festival include the Prof. Adei Studio for Research Excellence, the Ashesi Research Club and the Automation, Robotics and Controls Research Lab.

The objectives of the Ashesi Research Festival are:

1. To Explore and Create: Provide a platform for students to engage in intellectually stimulating activities and delve into the myriad of opportunities, prospectsand outcomesthat research at Ashesi presents.
2. To Engage and Participate: Encourage students to collaborate together in research and share means through which said finfincs can be disseminated effectively to the wider community.
3. To Prepare for the Inaugural Ashesi Undergraduate Research Conference: Serve as a preparatory event for Ashesi’s Undergraduate Research Conference where students will showcase research output.

Summary of Events
The 2024 Ashesi Research Festival will include:

1. Research Trivias where participants will test their knowledge on questions related to research and academic while challenging themselves in a fun but competitive environment.
2. Gallery Walk where researchers will showcase projects, prototypes worked on, and engage colleagues and other researchers to learn and share more about their discoveries and methodologies.
3. Experiments and Prototypes where participants will witness researchers demo live experiments including but not limited to Making Elephant Toothpaste, Vinegar Pile Experiment, Spider Race, Bath Bomb Creations, etc.
4. Research Café will also present itself as an opportunity for students and faculty to network, share ideas, and explore the endless possibilities in research.

Other intellectually stimulating activities include:

1. Debate: Participate in a thought-provoking debate on the ethical implications of AI in academic research themed “Should universities permit the use of generative AI in research?”
   Interested students should sign up for the debate here to engage in lively discussions and explore diverse perspectives. Sign-up deadline: On or before 11:59PM on July 4, 2024.
2. Poster Presentations: Researchers should sign up here to share their research projects with the Ashesi community, through a poster. Interested students should sign up for the poster presentations on or before 11:59PM on July 4, 2024.
3. Panel Discussion themed Trans-Disciplinary Research: AI as a Bridge Between Diverse Fields: Expert panelists including researchers, industry leaders and seasoned academics will engage in a moderated discussion to unpack the role of AI in fostering trans-disciplinary research collaborations, reference examples of success stories of AI projects combining expertise from multiple disciplines as well as challenges and strategies for integrating AI across varied research domains. Panellists will also touch on some case studies related to AI misuse, and the importance of responsible AI.
4. Workshop on Creating Interactive Poster Presentation: where participants will be engaged by a seasoned facilitator to learn and practice techniques to enhance the impact and creativity of a research poster presentation.

The Ashesi Research Festival is not just about sharing knowledge but also building a community of scholars dedicated to making a meaningful impact on society and celebrating scholarly excellence that inspire new horizons. Do not miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in a culture of discovery and innovation. Let’s come together to celebrate and explore the horizons of research and innovation at Ashesi, whether you are half-way or fully done with an experiment, looking to attend workshops and/or present your own research, participate in debates, or explore research projects your colleagues are working on.

Whether you are a seasoned researcher or just beginning your academic journey, you are encouraged to participate!