Culver-Stockton College Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Jeffrey Johnson will present “ReSEARCH QUESTions” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 in Meaders Lounge in the Gladys Crown Student Center. The presentation is open free to faculty, staff, students, and the public.
Johnson’s presentation will explore the evolution of his illustration and design career and detail how he uses targeted research questions to establish authority over his artistic voice. Challenging the popular myth that artists rely solely on spontaneous genius, Johnson will highlight “research as play,” demonstrating how curiosity and structured inquiry allow creators to nurture and develop ideas.
“We’re confronted on a daily basis through media with the myth of the artist as a singular genius who pulls imagery directly from their head and deposits it on the canvas,” Johnson said. “I’m endlessly fascinated by the process of research as play, and the ways that allows us to nurture an idea through questions and the paths that exploration presents.”
The presentation marks the first event in Culver-Stockton’s Fall 2026 Faculty Research Series, a monthly forum designed to highlight faculty scholarship, creative work, and pedagogical concepts. Held throughout the academic year, the series gives faculty a venue to introduce new research, launch published books, or present innovative teaching methods.
For students, the series offers a window into academic presentation formats, research methodologies, and diverse professional topics beyond standard classroom learning.
Fall ’26 Faculty Research Series Schedule
All events take place in Meaders Lounge in the Crown Center:
- Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.
- Speaker: Jeffrey Johnson, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
- Topic: ReSEARCH QUESTions
- Thursday, Oct. 22 at 11:45 a.m.
- Speaker: Dr. Lacy Chapel, C-SC Assistant Professor of Health Science and Athletic Training
- Topic: How Should We Manage Concussions? Aerobic Exercise and Sport-Related Concussion Recovery
- Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m.
- Speaker: Dr. Emily Mayne, Assistant Professor of English
- Topic: Book launch for “Locating Hercules: Mythology and the Dynamics of Allusion in Sixteenth-Century Writing”
- Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.
- Speakers: Prof. C-SC Professor Emeritus of History Patrick Hotle and Terrell Dempsey, historian, Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County
- Topic: Breaking America: The Radical Abolitionists of Quincy, IL
Contact the Marketing & Public Relations Office, at pr@culver.edu or 573-288-6000 ext. 6728 for more information.
NOTE: A number that appears immediately after a person’s name (i.e. Jane Doe ’18) is a reference to the year that person earned their bachelor’s degree from Culver-Stockton.