Innovation on Display at Loyola’s 17th Annual Faculty Scholarship Celebration
Innovation took center stage at Loyola’s 17th Annual Celebration of Faculty Scholarship on April 22. Featuring 100+ works—including research in cybersecurity and data science—the event highlighted interdisciplinary collaboration and academic excellence across the university.
Innovation and discovery were on full display as Loyola University Chicago hosted its 17th annual Celebration of Faculty Scholarship, highlighting the impactful work being produced across the university—including contributions that resonate strongly within the field of computer science.
On April 22 at the Lake Shore Campus, the event brought together faculty, administrators, and guests to recognize scholarly and creative work completed in 2025. Faculty showcased research and projects spanning areas such as cybersecurity, data science, software systems, and interdisciplinary digital innovation.
The University Libraries organized this showcase to feature over 100 submissions spanning peer-reviewed research, technical publications, digital projects, and creative works—reflecting the growing role of interdisciplinary thinking and technological innovation in advancing academic excellence.
Hear are a handful of works within the mix of disciplines and formats.
- Betsy Odom, faculty member in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts, exhibited a small sculpture—a twisted tennis racket, roughly 16 by 9 inches—that was recently featured in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s large-scale exhibition which explored the intersection of sports and contemporary art.
- Ayesha Abouelazm, faculty member in the School of Communication, submitted “The Forgotten Victim,” a short film she wrote, directed, and co-produced. The film is a social commentary on how media coverage of mass shootings tends to spotlight perpetrators rather than victims.
- Emily Yuko Hallett, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, was among the authors of a study published in Nature in June, reporting that a major expansion in the range of human behavior and diet preceded the dispersal of early humans out of Africa.
- Mike West, faculty member in the School of Communication, produced and wrote a one-hour documentary broadcast on WTTW, Chicago’s PBS station, exploring the history, hidden corners, and public life of Chicago’s lakefront. The film aired in April and features host Geoffrey Baer.
- Lavar Pope, clinical professor in Arrupe College, traced how geography and culture shape rap music in his book, American Rap Scenes: An Analysis of 25 Locations.