Fall 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium

The Fall 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium is here!

This fall's symposium will coincide with Parent & Family Weekend, taking place from 10AM - 2PM on Friday, October 27. 

The event will showcase the diverse range of research, creative and experiential learning projects conducted by WashU undergraduate students and mentored by WashU faculty. It provides an important opportunity for undergraduate students to share their research, engage in peer networking and cross-disciplinary conversations, and develop presentation skills. Whether you are already involved with undergraduate research, curious about getting started, or just want to cheer on the presenters... 

All WashU community members are encouraged to attend!

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Location and Time

Frick Forum (posters), Emerson Auditorium (faculty panel), classrooms BH160 and BH130 (oral presentations) in Bauer Hall
Friday, October 27, 2023, multiple concurrent sessions from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Directions

From Danforth campus: Enter through Bauer Hall and turn left to access the central staircase. Proceed to the bottom floor. The information table will be on your right.

Parking: The closest visitor parking to the Symposium venue is Millbrook Garage. Cross Throop Drive after exiting Millbrook and proceed to Knight Hall (not to be confused with the Knight Center). The information table will be on the right as you enter Knight Hall.

Symposium Agenda

The Fall 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium agenda includes 2 parallel sequences of events. The poster sequence offers 3 poster sessions lasting 60 minutes each. The presentation sequence offers multiple sessions of brief student oral presentations (i.e., 5 mins + 2 min Q & A), interleaved with a faculty panel on getting started in research across disciplines. 

For more details, view the presenter list, which provides an alphabetical listing of all presenters and a roster of participants and titles for each session, or the online program, which includes presenters' abstracts, presentation materials, and more.

Poster Sequence

All sessions in Frick Forum

Time	Session
10:00 - 11:00 AM	Poster session A
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM	Poster session B
1:00 - 2:00 PM	Poster session C

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation Sequence

See below for locations

Time	Session	Location
10:30 - 11:15 AM	Oral session 1a	BH160
	Oral session 1b	BH130
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM	Faculty panel on getting started in research	Emerson Auditorium
1:15 - 2:00 PM	Oral session 2a	BH160
	Oral session 2b	BH130

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                           

Faculty Panel Participants

• Manel Errando, Assistant Professor of Physics, Arts & Sciences
• Yao Chen, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, School of Medicine
• David Cunningham, Professor and Chair of Sociology, Arts & Sciences
• B. Duygu Özpolat, Assistant Professor of Biology, Arts & Science
• Zachariah Reagh, Assistant Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Arts & Sciences
• Ila Sheren, Associate Professor of Art History and Archaeology, Arts & Sciences

Presentation Tips

• Check in upon arrival. Please find the registration table when you arrive, so we can confirm your presence and share information. All presenters are also entitled to a raffle entry (see below), which you can pick up from the registration table.  
• Please be timely! As a general rule, in-person presenters should arrive 15 minutes prior to your assigned session, if possible, and stay for the duration of your session. This will allow oral presenters to test your slides, and poster presenters to find your assigned location and set up.  
  • Poster presenters are responsible for bringing, setting up, and taking down your own posters, or having a friend do so instead. If the OUR printed your poster, you must pick it up in advance; we will not transport posters to the event. 
• Practice makes perfect. All presenters should practice communicating the key questions, methods, and findings of your research. Whether you are giving a talk, presenting an in-person poster, or sharing your work virtually, all participants should take this opportunity to practice a brief “elevator pitch” describing your research to diverse audiences (also see these materials). 
• Dress for confidence and comfort. Business casual attire is recommended (i.e., no jeans, t-shirts, or flip flops). The goal is for you to look professional but also feel comfortable standing and interacting with your fellow researchers. 
• Spread the word. Encourage your faculty mentor, lab mates, advisors, and friends to stop by!

Registration Tips

• Registration is required for all symposium participants, including Summer 2023 OUR awardees, because the OUR needs to collect student availability and presentation preferences in order to make session assignments.
• Symposium registration requires students to provide faculty mentor contact information, a tentative title, and a draft abstract or creative statement (max: 250 words), due Wednesday, September 20, at 11:59 PM. The tentative title and abstract can be revised prior to final submission. After the September 20th registration deadline, students interested in presenting should contact the OUR (undergradresearch@wustl.edu) to inquire whether space remains available. 
• The majority of symposium participants will give poster presentations. Poster sessions will be 60 minutes in duration, and presenters should allow at least 15 minutes before and after their session for poster setup and breakdown. Poster presenters are expected to participate in the entirety of their assigned 60-minute session; late arrivals and early departures will not be allowed. Detailed instructions are included on the registration form.
• The OUR will also select a limited number of submissions for data-blitz-style oral presentations, which will last approximately 5 minutes followed by a brief Q&A session. Students may choose whether or not to be considered for an oral presentation.
• If none of the available sessions fits into your schedule, please inform us via the registration form. Virtual presentations will be accommodated as needed. 
• For group presentations, only one participant needs to submit the registration form, where they will be asked to supply the names and emails of additional group members.
• Free poster printing through the OUR will be available to Symposium participants who submit their poster file by the October 18th submission deadline. More information about printing will be forthcoming.