Research Weeks
Research Weeks is a university-wide initiative that takes place during April, and celebrates knowledge and innovation in all disciplines at VCU.
We’re thrilled to welcome distinguished speakers from across the nation, who will share their expertise and insights on a range of research topics, as well as celebrate current scholarship from our faculty and students.
Join us as we explore cutting-edge discoveries, foster collaboration and highlight the impact our research has on our community and nation.
Visit researchweeks.vcu.edu for the full schedule. All events are free and open to the public.
CHS Research Weeks Events
The Blake Lecture in the History of Christianity: Constructing the Jewish Other
Thursday, April 9, 2026, 5-6:15 p.m.
Location: Virginia Museum of History and Culture
This lecture explores how early Christian literature and its readers contributed to the construction of “the Jew” as a meaningful figure within Christian thought. Focusing on the gospels and the letters of Paul, it examines how early Christian texts spoke about Jews and Judaism while working through questions of interpretation and identity. The lecture then turns to early non-canonical writings and patristic sources, tracing how these ways of imagining the Jewish other were repeated and adapted as the early Christian movement continued to take shape. By following these literary trajectories, the lecture invites reflection on how early Christian texts shaped inherited ways of thinking about Jews—and why attending to those constructions remains important today.
Undergraduate Research Pecha Kucha
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 2-3 p.m.
Location: STEM Building, Room 216
Looking for an undergrad research opportunity? Come to the College of Humanities and Sciences Research Pecha Kucha. (A Pecha Kucha is a FAST presentation that uses 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds each.
Kinesiology and Health Sciences Research Day
Thursday, April 16, 2026, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: STEM Building, 6th Floor
This annual event has become a KHS highlight, providing an opportunity for VCU stakeholders to learn of the scholarly and creative work our graduate and undergraduate students experience under faculty mentorship. Not only does the event foster a research community within the department, but it provides an opportunity for students to better understand how scientific evidence plays an instrumental role in critical-thinking and problem-solving.
Humanities Research Symposium
Thursday, April 23, 2026, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Cabell Library, Room 303
This event will showcase the vital research and creative work of our faculty and students across the humanities and humanistic social sciences. It celebrates interdisciplinary collaboration and highlights the diverse methodologies, perspectives, and innovations that emerge when scholars work across traditional disciplinary boundaries, bringing together insights from literature, history, philosophy, languages, the arts, cultural studies, and beyond.