BEMIDJI, Minn. — The 10th annual Student Scholarship and Creative Achievement Conference at Bemidji State University will showcase the varied works of more than 120 students during presentations, performances, exhibits and poster sessions on Wednesday, April 8.

The conference begins with an 8:15 a.m. continental breakfast in room 100 of Memorial Hall, leading into an 8:40 a.m. opening ceremony featuring a keynote address by public artist Andrew Leicester entitled “What is public art – it’s not about saying ‘have a nice day!’”

Leicester’s recent work addresses the issues of sustainability, most specifically, wind and solar power, and reclamation. Followiing the keynote address, he will present “Working Drawings to Public Art” from 10:30-11:50 a.m. in Hagg-Sauer 113.

Following the address, student presentations and performances will be held from 10:30-11:50 a.m. and 1-2:20 p.m. in Bridgeman Hall and Hagg-Sauer Hall. These will see more than 70 students make more than 60 presentations on a vast array of topics, including: an examination of the increasingly offensive capabilities of Japan’s Self Defense Force; human activities and their impact on urban bird species; an ethnographic study of the impact of professional wrestling on children; and the catalytic activities of heteropoly acids.

Poster sessions, which enable participants to explain their work in a display setting, will be held in Bridgeman Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with students at the posters from 11:55 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. A total of 21 displays will represent the work of 50 students on a diversity of topics ranging from an electomagnetic conductivity survey of the Eighty Acres Landfill to a display of original puppets.

A variety of activities will be open from from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., including a video presentation entitled “BSUTube: It’s Our Mission” in Bridgeman 139; the 2009 Scholarship Show for the Department of Visual Arts in BSU’s Talley Gallery, located in the Education Arts Building; and an exhibition and sale by the BSU Ceramics Club in the Scandanavian Room of the Hobson Memorial Union.

Additionally, the annual Beaver Film Festival will be held in the Hobson Memorial Union’s Beaux Arts Ballroom beginning at 7 p.m.

The conference’s closing celebration will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the American Indian Resource Center on the BSU campus.

All components of the Student Scholarship and Creative Achievement Conference are open to the public at no charge.

More information on the conference is available by contacting the Academic Affairs Office, located in Deputy Hall on the Bemidji State University campus, at (218) 755-2015.