Utah State University’s Allies on Campus group will host the university’s first-ever event focusing on research that explores issues relevant to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues. The research fair will be held Tuesday, April 10, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., in the International/Sunburst Lounge on the 2nd floor of the Taggart Student Center. The event will feature poster presentations of research conducted by USU faculty, staff, and both graduate and undergraduate students. Dr. Steven Camicia, Assistant Professor in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership, will give a keynote address at 3:00 p.m. titled “An Ethics of Recognition in Qualitative Educational Research.” The event is free and open to members of the public. The Allies group decided to organize the fair for the first time this year because of the growth in LGBT-related research being conducted on campus. “We were all aware of great research efforts taking place all across campus,” said Allies Steering Committee Chair Renee Galliher, associate professor of psychology. “It seemed like a wonderful opportunity to really showcase some of this work, and encourage other members of the campus community to explore issues relevant to the LGBT community.” Research topics that will be presented next week include work on ballot referendum on LGBT civil rights, people from LDS backgrounds who experience same-sex attraction, and strategies employed by gay rights organizations in different U.S. states. Allies on Campus was initiated at USU in April 2004. It is a network of faculty, staff, and students who: 1) Are committed to providing a “safe zone” for anyone dealing with sexual or gender orientation issues; 2) Respect all people regardless of age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation; and 3) Believe that diversity enriches our lives. Allies strive to reduce homophobia and heterosexism through education, advocacy, awareness, and by creating a visible network of support. The program strives to develop a welcoming and nurturing campus environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) students, faculty, and staff.