Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium

To the extent possible, all students will be grouped thematically and present alongside others in their broad discipline or area of inquiry. Below is an overview of each available presentation format, its intended purpose and content, and its logistical details. Visit the Spring 2024 URS online program to view example materials across disciplines.

75-Minute Poster Presentations

• Purpose: To provide extensive conversation, questions, and constructive feedback from audience members with varying levels of disciplinary expertise. This presentation format is the most interactive, offering a great opportunity for students to solicit input on projects at any stage (e.g., design, work-in-progress, or completed).
• Content: Individual or group presenters should leverage their poster as a visual aid for brief verbal presentations. Best practice is to prepare a short (1 minute) “elevator pitch” describing the work for a diverse audience, plus a longer (3-5 minute) walk-through for those interested in more detail. Audience members can interject questions at any point.
• Materials: A poster provides a large-format summary of your project utilizing any combination of text and/or imagery. Visit the Making a Poster page for help with the poster design process.

5-Minute Lightning Talks (Plus 2-Minute Q&A)

• Purpose: Ideal for presenting works in progress. Lightning talks provide the opportunity to practice succinct and clear communication with a diverse audience in a low-pressure environment. They allow presenters to take stock of their project progress and receive brief feedback.
• Content: Presenters should consider where they are in the progression of their project (e.g., literature review, design, troubleshooting methods, evidence collection, creative production, synthesis) and choose the most relevant phase to highlight. This focal point for the talk should follow a brief introduction of the motivating research question or creative objective. Audience members can raise questions following the talk.
• Materials: A good rule of thumb is to utilize no more than 1 slide per minute. Presenters utilizing slides as an optional visual aid should therefore prepare no more than 5 slides total, with fewer slides likely working better, given the time constraints.

8-minute deeper dive talks (plus 2 minutes Q&A)

• Purpose: Ideal for more developed work. Deeper dive talks provide the opportunity to practice more in-depth communication about a project with a diverse audience in a low-pressure environment. They allow presenters to share their developing disciplinary expertise and seek brief feedback on their project as a whole.
• Content: Presenters should consider what new knowledge is being generated, or what new understanding is being developed, through their project. After establishing the motivating research question or creative objective, the talk can delve into the process and/or outcomes of discovery.
• Materials: A good rule of thumb is to utilize no more than 1 slide per minute. Presenters utilizing slides as an optional visual aid should therefore prepare no more than 8 slides total, with fewer slides likely working better, given the time constraints.

Creative Exhibits and Performances

• Purpose: Ideal for undergraduate inquiry involving the arts and/or creative practice. Whether through static or dynamic modalities, presenters can share the process and/or outputs of discovery in their discipline.
• Content: During symposium registration, students can describe the nature of their desired presentation and identify the resources, space, and time required. Opportunities will be made available as interest and capacity allow.