About IUW

What is IUW?

The Inter-University Workshop (IUW) brings together researchers from the University of Waterloo, the State University of New York at Buffalo, and the University of Toronto for a one-day event to showcase current and proposed research projects in human factors and ergonomics. The student-organized event encourages participation from graduate and undergraduate researchers studying human factors engineering, biomechanics, ergonomics, psychology, cognitive engineering, user experience, and design to showcase their work conducted in academia or industry settings. Each year, one of the three universities hosts a one-day event at their campus.

The mission of IUW is to provide student researchers with the opportunity to present their research and engage in academic discussions in a friendly atmosphere. In addition to student presentations, the one-day event often includes keynote speakers, poster sessions, and networking opportunities during breaks or while enjoying refreshments and the local cuisines at the breakfast, lunch or dinner buffets. We invite students to attend the event and gain professional experience by presenting their research while growing their professional networks. IUW continues to be at no cost to attendees.

Registration for IUW is open to everyone regardless of their university affiliation, student status, or National Human Factors and Ergonomics Society membership. Community members and industry professionals interested in hearing about the latest research in human factors from the next generation of researchers are also welcome to attend.

Presentation Formats

Oral Presentation

This format is designed for completed projects as well as works in progress. Presenters are encouraged to follow a standard research presentation structure, such as background, objectives, methods, results, future work, and expected contributions. Oral presentations provide an opportunity to share initial findings, engage with the audience, and receive feedback on your work.

Elevator Pitch

This format is your opportunity to deliver a concise, high-impact elevator pitch. Share an early-stage idea, a key insight, or a two-minute thesis within a three-minute presentation, supported by one content slide (in addition to the required title slide).

There’s no Q&A during the talk, but attendees can discuss your idea with you during breaks. Your goal is to capture attention, clearly convey your main point, and spark curiosity, just as you would in a quick pitch to a colleague, mentor, or potential collaborator.

Poster

This format is open to works at any stage of progress: completed work, works in progress, and proposed research plans. While there is no explicit format for posters, please ensure you include typical content for an academic poster (title, authors, background, objective, methods, results, future work, expected contributions, references, acknowledgements, and any additional resources).