The third annual Women's Studies Research Symposium will be held Friday, March 11, from 10:00 a.m. to  4:30 p.m. in Bacon Hall 215.

The symposium is sponsored by Buffalo State's Women’s Studies program as part of its Women’s History Month programming.

The conference will feature presentations from Buffalo State faculty, staff, and students on topics including gender in advertising, representations of women in art and literature, and the effects of gendered images on girls and boys.

A complete conference schedule is available on the Women's Studies program website. The event is free and open to the public.

“There is a lot of scholarship about women, gender, and sexuality occurring throughout Buffalo State,” said Jennifer Hunt, associate professor of psychology and coordinator of the program. “The Women’s Studies Research Symposium provides an opportunity for people to hear about this work and expand their understanding of gender and sexuality as forms of diversity. In addition, it enables people from different departments and schools to network with individuals with similar interests and form new collaborations.”

Buffalo State’s women’s studies minor is an individualized, interdisciplinary course of study that enriches students’ understanding of women, gender, and sexuality across many disciplines. Along with its sole required course, Women in Society, students complete the 18-credit-hour minor by choosing courses from several areas, including English, history, health and wellness, and the humanities as well as sociology and psychology.

“The number of students involved in the minor has grown considerably in the past few years, reflecting students’ interest in developing a fuller understanding of gender and sexuality,” said Hunt.

The women’s studies program also plays a key role in celebrating Women’s History Month every March. This year’s keynote speaker, Andi Zeisler, will speak on Monday, March 21, at 4:00 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210.

Zeisler will speak about “Feminism and Pop Culture,” addressing the ways in which the media depicts women and men and informs our views about gender equality. Zeisler is a prominent third-wave feminist, author, and co-founder of the influential magazine, Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture. As part of Zeisler’s visit, she will meet with members of the Women and Gender Book Club, who are reading one of her books in preparation for her campus visit.

As another part of Women’s History Month, E. H. Butler Library and the Women’s Studies program are presenting the Women's History Month 2011 exhibit. Showcasing the artistic and creative works of Buffalo State women faculty, staff, students, and alumnae, the exhibit remains on view through the month of March. An opening reception will be held Wednesday, March 9, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the library’s main lobby.

The symposium and other Women’s History Month programs at Buffalo State are sponsored by the Women’s Studies Interdisciplinary Unit, the School of Natural and Social Sciences, the School of Arts and Humanities, the School of Education, the Graduate School, Intellectual Foundations/University College, the Faculty-Student Association, the Auxiliary Services Committee, and the Research Foundation.

For more information about the Women's Studies Research Symposium, please contact Jennifer Hunt at (716) 878-3421.