On behalf of the University of Regina Graduate Students' Association executive I would like to welcome you to the sixth annual Student Research Conference, titled Creating Community Consciousness: Students Expanding Knowledge & Creativity.

The aim of the conference has remained the same as in previous years ~ to provide a platform for students to share their academic knowledge and creative works with the academic and local community. In helping organize this annual event I have had the unique perspective of witnessing first-hand the excitement of students in all disciplines ~ eager to come together and share their knowledge and creative works. It truly is something great.

I wish to thank the university community and all of the sponsors for supporting this year's conference. I also wish to thank the many volunteers who have helped in organizing the event. I specifically wish to thank Richard Dosselmann, Elizabeth Starks, and Bahman Ahmadi for their ongoing help and support. I also wish to thank all of the members of the GSA executive: Adam Belton, Jane Rose, Emenike Ezechikwelu, Adewale Babatunde Aderoju, and Dorothea Wojtowicz, all of whom have helped make this conference possible.

I wish to provide a special thanks to Bill Brown and the executive members of the GNU/Linux Open Source Users of Regina, Saskatchewan (LOSURS). With their participation in this year's event, it is my hope that it is the beginning of more collaborative efforts between university students and local community groups. I also wish to thank our two keynote speakers: Robert J Sawyer and Dr. Richard Stallman for their participation. Both of these speakers are people I admire very much and I am grateful I was given the opportunity to bring them to Regina to speak at this event ~ helping expose their work to the academic and local community.

I hope that you take this opportunity to explore the research and creative works throughout the 2 day event and engage the presenters with questions and comments.