The third volume of AACC’s research journal, the Journal of Emerging Scholarship, was released on April 26.

The Journal of Emerging Scholarship is a research publication that showcases AACC student-authored papers done individually or in groups with the help of a faculty mentor. This year’s edition will feature 8 manuscripts from 12 students covering varying topics, according to the editorial board.

“I think a lot of students … and even faculty have the idea that this is solely STEM which is absolutely not the case,” STEM coordinator Matt Bem said. “We encourage submissions from all disciplines and we’re really excited to make the journal as diverse of an academic experience as possible.”

Biology professor Mickey Dehn agreed, saying the journal has “a nice mix of different fields.”

“This specific volume … got four [manuscripts] from biology, one from English, one meteorology, one from psychology, and one from anthropology,” Dehn said.

The Journal of Emerging Scholarship began releasing annually in 2022.

Biology professor Sandra Fox-Moon, who is involved with the journal as a faculty mentor, said mentors support students throughout the research and publication process.

“Faculty mentors, like myself, can support students in many ways from teaching them valuable lab skills and soft skills,” Fox-Moon said. “As a faculty mentor, we want students to know that research is a viable option for them as a career opportunity regardless of where they are from or what someone may have told them.”

First-year nursing student Kellie Biesecker’s research on the long-term psychological effects of cannabis originally began as an honors project. With encouragement from her psychology professor, Biesecker turned her research idea into a published paper.

“All of this started because I’m in the honors program and had to take a psychology class,” Biesecker said. “[My professor] was there from the time that I thought about my project until I crossed the finish line and got my final draft done.”

Fourth-year earth sciences student Bryant Pepe is proud to be published for the first time.

“It feels gratifying. It feels like I am … adding to the ongoing conversation,” said Pepe.

The journal was released during AACC’s first Research Day event on April 26. The winner of the journal’s cover art contest for the third volume will also be announced the same day, according to Dean of the School of Science, Technology and Education Lance Bowen.

“We provide the art department and anybody on campus with a competition … the theme is ‘emergence’ and [contestants] can do … whatever format of art,” said Bowen. “We are going to invite them [the winner] up on stage to talk about their art.”