Faculty Research Day highlights academic scholarship of 38 faculty

Faculty Research Day highlights academic scholarship of 38 faculty

From authors to chemists, faculty cultivated collaboration and student involvement at annual research day.

Janel Shoun-Smith | 615-335-6273 | 09/26/2025

Lipscomb's Faculty Research Day 2025, held on Sept. 25 in the Ezell and Shinn centers, included more participating faculty and staff than ever before, featuring scholarship in areas ranging from theater to biology, from mechanical engineering to music.

Throughout the day, faculty presented posters and oral presentations for interested students, faculty and others from the Lipscomb community.

The event is designed to foster collaboration between faculty and increase student engagement with research, serving as a catalyst for faculty-mentored student research that culminates at the Student Scholars Symposium in the spring semester.

"Faculty Research Day is a celebration of intellectual curiosity, innovation and the relentless pursuit of knowledge within our academic community," said Lipscomb Provost Jennifer Shewmaker. "It is a special day when our faculty come together to showcase the results of their intellectual work, engage in stimulating discussions and foster collaborations that drive our institutional research endeavors forward."

Six professors were selected to make oral presentations on their research:

• Scott Baker, instructor in the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts, on his efforts to improve the effectiveness of religious sermons by using screenwriting techniques;
• Wlamir Xavier, professor in accounting, on his development of an assessment model for achievement of faith-based goals at Christian higher education institutions;
• Amanda Williams, assistant professor in biomedical science, on her work to find a better way to diagnose Crohn's colitis verses Ulcerative colitis;
• Rhonda DePriest, director of athletic bands and instrumental music education, on her development and implementation of a collaborative music education program with Tocar y Luchar (Play and Strive) in Colombia;
• Kirsten Dodson, associate professor and chair of mechanical engineering, on her study of the impact of engineering students' involvement in humanitarian engineering projects and a framework for educators on how to design similar projects; and
• Donita Brown, vice chair of management, entrepreneurship and marketing, on her study of the relationship between self-care and stress and burnout among college graduate students.

The 32 poster presentations included topics such as:

• A model for designing effective sabbaticals at faith-based institutions;
• A project to verify the accuracy of pharmacogenomic information provided by an AI platform;
• Descriptions of the work at three archaeological sites;|
• A remediation program for physician assistant studies students; a survey measuring students' perception of their thriving in college;
• Developing set design for a Nashville Shakespeare Festival production;
• Measuring pre-service teacher stress, coping and resilience; and
• The effectiveness of mentoring on new nurses' readiness for practice, among many other topics.
  

Various faculty who have authored books were on-hand to give a preview of their forthcoming books, including Emily Mofield, whose latest book explores how digital screen use is impacting learning and ways to overcome those impacts in teaching; Tim Johnson, whose latest book describes the life of Gen. Robert Neyland; and Scott Bledsoe, whose book looks at the role of social and religious belonging in the increase in polarization of American society.