Sacred Heart University's Presidential Inaugural Lecture Series has featured academic lectures from several prominent scholars, will continue with four Academic Research Showcases in the Schine Auditorium. 

Each of the four colleges at Sacred Heart will be represented in the Academic Research Showcase. According to the Sacred Heart University website, the four lecturers are Anne M. Barker, Ed. D.; Jacqueline Kelleher, Ph.D.; Peter Maresco, Ph.D.; and Jennifer McLaughlin. Each lecture is free of charge and open to the public. 

The showcases give the university a chance to display the talents of its faculty members. "I think it's a great idea," said senior Kelly Rogers. "We always have people coming in from other colleges to speak. This gives people a chance to see how capable our own professors are."

Proposals from Sacred Heart faculty needed to be in the professor's academic field. They also needed to pertain to the university's yearlong inaugural theme, "A Time for New Beginnings."

The first lecture is tonight at 7 p.m. and will represent the College of Arts and Sciences. Prof. Jennifer McLaughlin will present "Reflecting on the Bicentennial of the War of 1812." McLaughlin's talk will focus on the Treaty of Ghent in 1814 and the "new beginnings" that it led to in the U.S. 

"Prof. McLaughlin's lecture should be very interesting," said senior Felicia Hernandez. "It's great that someone will be commemorating the War of 1812, which was an important part of U.S. history. Plus, as a history major I'm excited that we'll be representing the College of Arts and Sciences."

The second lecture will exhibit the College of Health Professions. On Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m., Barker will speak on "Complexity Science: A Theoretical Model to Inform New Beginnings." Her lecture will discuss complexity science as it relates to Sacred Heart, and also suggest approaches for working and teaching in a complex adaptive system.

Rogers looks forward to the lecture and the effects it will have for the College of Health Professions. 

"It shows what the school is all about," she said. "A lot of people hear ‘health professions' and think it's all about healing sick and injured people. But the professors here are concerned with a lot of different subjects and areas of study."

Kelleher will address "Film and Perspective-Taking: Educating Educators on Youth with Autism" on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Representing the Isabelle Farrington College of Education, Kelleher will talk about the role that multi-media can play in equipping teachers with the tools and understanding to manage autism spectrum disorders. Her undertaking was partially inspired by her autistic twin 14-year-old boys.

Dr. Peter Maresco of the John F. Welch College of Business will deliver a lecture on "The Expanding Christian Marketplace: If You Can Name It, Or Make It, the Christian Marketplace Probably Sells It!" On Wednesday, March 14 at 7 p.m., Maresco will examine the considerable market for Christian-themed items. His lecture is also the introduction to a book he is writing about the Christian marketplace. 

The lectures display the wide range of academic study at Sacred Heart. 

"No two lectures are alike, which is impressive," said Hernandez. "These presentations will show how diverse the school is. There are great teachers in every department."

Rogers believes that the lectures will also demonstrate the faculty's passion. 

"Professors are interested in the subjects they teach on," she said. "I think we'll see how creative and enthusiastic they can be with these lectures."