Last Updated on September 17, 2026 8:31 am
Appalachian State University's 2026 Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian event (RECAPP) celebrates a growing research enterprise at App State that links numerous disciplines, partnerships and initiatives for community impact. The event, to be held Sept. 18 at App State's Broyhill Music Center on the Boone campus, will feature keynote speaker Dr. Martie Thompson and presentations and posters spanning a wide range of topics.
“Our faculty are the foundation and engine of the university's research enterprise,” said Dr. Christine Ogilvie Hendren, App State's vice chancellor of research and innovation. “Their commitment to student engagement, creative inquiry and meaningful partnerships anchor App State as a driver of important progress in our region and beyond. RECAPP is a special event that allows us to celebrate this impact with our campus and our community.”
A record number of project proposals were submitted this year, reflecting an invigorated atmosphere around research and creative innovation at the university. They include “The Short-Term and Long-Term Impacts of the Pandemic on Rural High School Students' Academic Outcomes,” by Dr. Jui-Teng Li, associate director of research and evaluation in the Office of Rural Promise, which aims to understand which Western North Carolina students were impacted the most by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide schools with guidance on effectively supporting these students.
Other projects include “Development of a Human Model for In-Water Dermal Chemical Absorption,” by Dr. Caroline Smith, professor in the Department of Kinesiology, on research to inform evidence-based guidelines for diving in contaminated waters; “Admissions,” an 18-minute short narrative film by Dr. Kelly Davis, associate professor in the Department of Communication; and “Fishing for data: exploring the role of ice-contact lakes in accelerating global glacier change,” by Dr. William Armstrong, associate professor in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, describing a National Science Foundation-funded research project investigating how the rapid expansion of Alaskan lakes formed by glacial retreat could exacerbate future ice loss on their upstream glaciers.
Keynote speaker to address opioid recovery
Headlining the research celebration is keynote speaker Dr. Martie Thompson, recipient of the 2026 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. Her recent work examines the impacts of social determinants of health and COVID-19 pandemic factors on youth suicide risk, opioid remediation efforts in Western North Carolina, and the long-term effects of civic engagement during emerging adulthood.
Thompson is the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Endowed Professor in Public Health in App State's Department of Public Health and director of community research for the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness. Her research output includes more than 150 publications, many co-authored with App State students and faculty.
RECAPP is designed and hosted by App State's Office of Research and Innovation, which supports the research, creative and scholarly endeavors of App State faculty, staff and students. The event runs from 3 to 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public, with research presentations, keynote speakers and light refreshments.
