Undergraduate Research Symposium
ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM
SCSU’s Undergraduate Research Symposium serves as an annual research competition highlighting the contributions of our undergraduate community to the field of research. It offers students a platform to exhibit their work, and further develop their communication skills.
This symposium provides a distinctive opportunity for students to showcase their research endeavors and hone their presentation abilities within a setting that is both rigorous and competitive, yet supportive and familiar. This environment fosters a spirit of innovation, encouraging students to explore novel ideas and contribute to forward-thinking problem-solving and scholarship.
Moreover, the URS is a student-led initiative, organized and executed by students for students, which enhances the sense of community on campus. This aspect adds a unique bonding dimension to the symposium experience.
This academic year, the URS does not have a specific overarching theme, welcoming participation from students across various disciplines and years of study. This inclusive approach ensures a diverse range of research topics and perspectives are represented, enriching the symposium's intellectual landscape.
Research will be divided across 4 categories
Natural and Physical Science
Social Science and Humanities
Computer Math Science
Management
Winners will be selected in each category and receive a prize of $1000
2024 Competition and Event Format
The URS will be held over the course of two days at the end of March. Tentative dates are March 26 & 27 / March 27 & 28. The symposium will take place from morning to late afternoon.
This year the research competition will take place in a poster and oral presentation format. Poster dimensions must be 48 inches x 36 inches landscape. Accompanying oral presentation must be 5 minutes in length. Additional presentation details will be provided to students whose submissions have been selected to advance to the final round.
URS DAY 1
Each research category will be allocated a time slot: students must arrange their posters and be present at the designated time to deliver the oral portion of their showcase.
Evaluation will occur continuously throughout the day, and outcomes will be disclosed once the assessment period concludes.
Evaluations will be conducted by UTSC faculty.
Posters are expected to be clear and effectively communicate concepts, ideas and information in a manner that is thorough and captivating.
URS DAY 2
Winning research presentations will be given an opportunity to further showcase their work again.
An awards ceremony will take place for the winning research presentation in each category followed by a lunch.
The symposium will culminate with a networking reception, providing an opportunity for students who register to interact with professionals in the research field.
A full itinerary will be released closer to the URS dates.
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Participants will submit a research abstract following the guidelines found above. (This can also be found in the description of the abstract submission form). Based on abstract submissions, select finalists will be chosen.
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Participants who are selected as finalists will convert their full research into poster format and prepare a short presentation alongside it. Guidelines and rubric will be provided to confirmed finalists.
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Finalists will present their research alongside other finalists within their respective research categories to a panel of judges. One winner will be selected from each research category.
For inquiries, contact academics@scsu.ca