The eighth annual Festival of the Arts and Humanities at Nicholls State University Jubilee started March 15 and will continue through April 12.New to Jubilee this year is Research Week. Research week, where faculty from each department will speak on their ongoing research, will be March 27 through March 31.

Research Week will include John Doucet, associate professor and geneticist in the department of biological sciences and director of Nicholls’ honors program, who will be the keynote speaker for the fifth annual Herman J. Doucet Sr. Memorial Biochemical Lecture, a series named for Doucet’s father, on March 27.

Doucet has studied the genetic diseases among Cajuns and will present his findings in “Life in the Trenasses: Some Complex Genetic Cases in Acadiana” at 4 p.m. in 101 Gouaux Hall.

“Over the years as I’ve visited families along South Louisiana, I’ve discovered some interesting and unique genetic cases, and this is my chance to share those findings with the public,” Doucet said.

His research involves finding and cloning the genes that cause Acadian Usher Syndrome, a disease characterized by both deafness and blindness that occurs in a small group of Acadian descendents from southwest Louisiana.

On March 30, Nicholls undergraduate and graduate student researchers will display posters that illustrate their research projects from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. in the snack bar area of the Bollinger Memorial Student Union. The students will be there to talk about their research from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the judging process. Awards for the best research abstracts and poster presentations will be presented at 5:30 p.m. in the snack bar area.

“I’m looking forward to students interacting with professors outside of the classroom while discussing research as well,” Doucet said.

On March 31, there will be a Jubilee closing ceremony from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Plantation Suite of the Bollinger Memorial Student Union where certificates will be presented to the student winners and the Hall of Fame top 10 faculty researchers of the year will be announced.

This year’s theme for the Jubilee is “creating from real life,” and it is full of Cajun culture, art, stage and screen theater, literature, music, culinary arts, history and research.

“It is so exciting to see couples come from around the community and dance to the music, and it’s great to see students and little ones watch and even dance along with them,” Angela Hammerli, distinguished service professor of teacher education and Jubilee coordinator, said.

Jubilee opened with the Folk Life Festival on Ellendale Drive March 15 from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m., and it will close with a performance by the Nicholls Percussion Ensemble in Talbot Theater at 7:30 p.m. April 12.

In addition to the Nicholls Percussion Ensemble, Jubilee will also feature the Louis Armstrong Society Jazz Band’s “A Salute o Satchmo,” Bayou Saxophone Ensemble and the Bayou Community band, all of which are supported by a grant from the Houma Regional Arts Council.