NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin State University's Department of History will host Phi Alpha Theta's regional conference for Northeast Texas from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 1, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center. The conference is part of Phi Alpha Theta's national drive to provide venues for graduate and undergraduate students to present their research in a professional environment.

Conference participants include 44 students and 12 faculty members representing 10 institutions. Throughout the 12 conference sessions, students will present their original research. The conference sessions will be held in the student center's Regents' Suite A and the Ladyjack, Pine Log, Stone Fort and Tejas conference rooms.

"Undergraduate research is a staple of high-impact practices and leads to transformative learning experiences," said Dr. Mark Barringer, chair and associate professor in SFA's Department of History. "But the key to engineering such learning experiences is providing a professional venue for students to present their work to other historians."

The SFA chapter of Phi Alpha Theta's regional conference is part of the honor society's 34 other regional conferences being held around the nation.

"We're glad to host this year's conference at SFA," Barringer said. "We hope the experience enriches the students presenting at the conference and that it helps them refine their research for publication. We also look forward to showcasing the craft of historical research."

This event is free and open to the public.