Presentations on across-the-university exploration and leadership building are on the agenda of today’s Interdisciplinary Research Symposium.

The College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) and the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) invites the WSU community to Ensminger Pavilion at 5 p.m. to learn about the opportunities offered regarding collaborative research within various departments.

“CAHNRS is huge, and sometimes I have no idea what other departments are doing,” said Gnel Gabrielyan, event organizer and PhD candidate in the School of Economic Sciences.

Gabrielyan, also the GPSA CAHNRS District Rep., recognized that he is likely not the only one oblivious to what other forms of research might be brewing at WSU. Interdisciplinary research is a progressing concept, and he said it is vital students know about the importance of collective studies. 

“It’s evolving right now and getting more drowned in the type of research people are doing because of globalization,” Gabrielyan said. “The goal is for people to work with other departments to build your own research.”

Gabrielyan said he believes the more prominent interdisciplinary research becomes the more students and scholars and around the world will be able to enhance their ability to come up with innovative solutions to world problems.

Dr. Michael Kahn, associate director of the agricultural research center, will speak at the symposium tonight.

Much of Kahn’s research involves a microscope. Kahn studies the symbiosis between nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacteria and legumes at metabolic and molecular states. He also examines the relationship between variants of nitrogen fixing and host plant nutrition.

Kahn recommended students who wish to advance their research to simply begin a conversation. 

“It’s a matter of talking to people and seeing if they’re interested,” Kahn said.  “You need to be persistent.”

Kahn said it is vital for those who pursue cooperative research with other departments to already have a sufficient knowledge in a specific field of study. 

“You have to really understand the elements behind disciplinary research,” he said.

In addition to learning about interdisciplinary research, there will be a presentation on how graduate and professional students can be a part of GPSA.

Changes to travel and registration grant changes are on the list of discussion.     

“We have a new process, which should lead to providing much more financial support than we have in the past. We need students to understand the new requirements and how this benefits them,” said GPSA President Nathan Neale in an email.

Many of the colleges at WSU are in the process of or will soon hold senator elections for the 2014-2015 school year.

“We also want to get more students involved in leadership positions in the GPSA,” he said. “We would like to see more students become leaders within our organization.”