2018 Description and Call for Submissions

The 2018 symposium will take place at UCSC in Fall 2018. Come join us!

Do you have a project you are working on for a lab or class? Have you completed a project or have interesting preliminary findings? Want to learn about scholarly discourse and sharing scientific findings with your peers? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the 2018 Symposium for Undergraduate Research at UCSC may serve as an awesome opportunity for you!

We welcome students who have completed or are working on research projects in a wide variety of topics and fields to apply. The symposium will feature both oral and poster presentations by students across different departments.

What is a symposium?

A symposium is an event where "experts" come together to speak about a particular topic. In this case, the undergraduate research symposium is an event where undergraduates will come together to talk about the research they are interested in while in a formal academic setting.

When/where will the symposium take place?

Saturday, December 1, 2018

12pm (noon) to 4:30pm

Namaste Lounge at UCSC (College Nine Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95064).

Coming from off-campus? Free parking will be available - more information HERE.

What will happen during the symposium?

The event will take place in a welcoming, supportive space meant to encourage discussion and engagement with a variety of research topics. Undergraduate oral presentations and poster presentations will be selected through a blind review process. Audience members will have the opportunity to hear each of the presentations at the event. A panel of experienced researchers will provide feedback on all presentations, and decide the top oral and poster presentations to receive recognitions. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. The symposium will take place in a single one-day event.

How do I enter my presentation?

The submission deadline was November 8 at 11:59 pm (end of day).

What should my presentation be like?

We have compiled guidelines for creating a successful application and a successful presentation on the Project Guidelines page. To learn more about putting together a talk or poster presentation, visit the Presentation Formats subpage

What are the criteria for a strong presentation?

Projects will be assessed based on the following criteria:

1. Clarity of presentation.
2. Soundness of research.
3. Potential to contribute to knowledge.
4. Potential for applied impacts.
5. (Optional) Credibility of research— do you have a faculty member supporting or sponsoring your project?

This year's event is made possible by several organizations at UCSC, including: Colleges Nine and Ten, Cowell College, Stevenson College, Alpha Epsilon Pi, the Social Sciences division, and the PBSci division.