The Saint Louis University University Research Innovation Center (UnRIC) hosted a conference entitled Repackaging of the Undergraduate Research Outputs that gathered 83 faculty members who actively produced research outputs for publication, which is an imperative as part of the University’s agenda. Spearheaded and organized by Dr. Laarni Natividad, UnRIC Research Services Officer, the conference held on 16 November 2023 at the Fr. Francis Gevers Hall significantly benefited the institution and contributed to advancing academic research. The sessions were devoted to choosing the right journal for their topic, repackaging their research outputs, and writing in the required template of the selected journal.
Mr. Andrew G. Ducas, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Officer of UnRIC, commenced the morning session by welcoming the faculty members from each school. Dr. Roberto M. Arguelles, the Quality Management Head and the Vice President for Finance of SLU, then gave his welcome remarks and shared important background information on the origins of the SLU-UnRIC and the history of SLU research publications. Dr. Arguelles also acknowledged the facilitators in terms of contributing research materials for their publication that will benefit the future of the Louisian community, including the students and faculty, especially as an institution for higher education.
Guest speaker Mr. Mark Bedoya Ulla, the Assistant Professor at Walailak University, shared his valuable insights on research publication. Through a virtual presentation via Zoom, he discussed the three main research topics, including how to effectively prepare a manuscript and how to navigate journal selection. He also shared his insights on the reasons behind why journals would reject research submission Towards the end, Mr. Ulla and the faculty members had a Q&A session that included discussions on editing and publishing research.
To conclude the event, Dr. Richel L. Lamadrid, Ph.D., Director of UnRIC, gave her closing remarks, marking the end on a high note. It was further adorned by the awarding of certificates to give recognition and achievement handed out by Mr. Andrew Ducas.
The engaging afternoon program was dedicated to the submission of articles by the facilitators, showcasing their expertise and contribution to the intellectual discourse. As SLU gears for international and local accreditation, one major category addressed during the forum was research productivity.