How do conferences operate? How can I get involved as an undergraduate?
Academic conferences are an important component of research! They serve as intentional opportunities for researchers to share and disseminate
their work with other experts, scholars, and students within their field. Typically,
academic conferences are discipline specific (chemists might attend the American Chemical
Society Annual Conference, while educators might attend the American Educational Research
Association Annual Meeting). However, some conferences can be interdisciplinary or
include multiple areas of research like the Georgia Academy of Sciences which includes
nine disciplines biological sciences, psychological sciences, and science education,
amongst others.
Talk to your faculty mentor about what professional organizations they belong to and what conferences they attend.
All conferences are organized through the following process:
- A call for proposals/abstracts
- Submission of proposals/abstracts
- Acceptance/rejection of proposals/abstracts
- Registration for the conference
- Head to the conference !
- November 8th & 9th, 2024
- Oxford College of Emory University, Atlanta, GA
The Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (GURC) is a regional, multidisciplinary
conference open to Georgia undergraduate students.
Website
- April 7-9, 2025
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
NCUR engages students and faculty/mentors from all disciplines beyond an average conference
and provides them with networking opportunities with the undergraduate research community
throughout the conference.
Abstracts due:Dec 6, 2024
Website
The national Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) keeps a list of upcoming conferences
that welcome undergraduates. Browse their listings for opportunities in your discipline.
Website
Professional conferences are academic-orientated conferences that are hosted and organized by professional
organizations. They will have presenters and attendees ranging from tenured faculty
to graduate and undergraduate students.
Undergraduate conferences are academic-oriented conferences that are hosted by undergraduate research offices
(like CURS!), the Council on Undergraduate Research, or National Collegiate Honors
Council. They will have undergraduate student presenters.
Preparing for an academic conference takes time! It is rare that you can purpose and present a research presentation in the same semester.
Please take the time to talk to your faculty mentor and research important deadlines
and deliverables for conferences you are interested in participating in.
Presentation Opportunities
Annual Conferences at Augusta University
Undergraduate Research and Fine Arts (URFA) Conference
- Hosted by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship, Phi Kappa Phi Honors
Society, and Summerville Interdisciplinary Research Office
- Population: Undergraduate
- Call for Proposals: Early Spring Semester
- Conference Date: Late March/early April
- Interdisciplinary Conference
- Location: Augusta University
URFA Conference Website
Summer Scholars Program Symposium
- Hosted by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship
- Population: Undergraduate (invitation only through participation in the Summer Scholars
Program)
- Application for program: February
- Symposium Date: Late July
- Interdisciplinary Conference
- Location: Augusta University
Summer Scholars Program Website
Annual Conferences in the State of Georgia
Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (GURC)
- Hosted by rotating Undergraduate Research Offices
- 2024: Oxford College at Emory University
- Population: Undergraduate
- Call for Proposals: Early Fall Semester
- Conference Date: November
- Interdisciplinary Conference
- Location: Host institution
2024 GURC Website
Georgia Academy of Science Annual Meeting
- Hosted by the Georgia Academy of Science
- Population: Professional conference
- Application for program: Fall semester
- Conference date: March
- Interdisciplinary Science Conference: biological sciences, chemistry, earth & atmospheric
sciences, physics/math/computer science/engineering/technology, biomedical sciences,
philosophy & history of science, science education, anthropology, and psychological
sciences
- Location: Host institution
- 2024: Kennesaw State University
Georgia academy of science website
Posters at the Georgia State Capital
- Hosted by the Georgia Undergraduate Research Council
- Population: Undergraduate (invitation only through CURS Office)
- Invitation to participate: Early Spring semester
- Presentation date: February
- Interdisciplinary presentation
- Location: Georgia State Capital, Atlanta
Annual Undergraduate Conferences Across the Country
The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)
- Hosted by the Council on Undergraduate Research
- Population: Undergraduate
- Call for Proposals: September
- Conference Date: March/April
- Interdisciplinary Conference
- Location: Varies
- 2024: California State University, Long Beach
NCUR Conference Website
Natinoal Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Conference
- Hosted by the National Collegiate Honors Concil
- Population: Undergraduate (must be an honor's student)
- Call for proposals: February
- Conference Date: October/November
- Interdisciplinary Honors Conference
- Location: Varies
NCHC Conference Website
Templates & Guidance
Augusta Univ Center for Writing Excellence
Writing an Abstract
AU Power Point Slide Template
AU Poster Template
AU Better Poster Template
Poster Formatting Guidelines (Students, you should READ THESE!)
1. Create your Poster in Power Point
2. Select the "Design" Tab. Go to "Slide Size", choose "Custom". Choose 36" x 42"
or another similar size. Decide whether you want your poster to hang Portrait or Landscape
orientation.
3. Font and Text Features
- Arial or Verdana
- No more than 3 fonts per page
- No print smaller than 14pt; most print should be 20-34pts.
- All figures should have captions or text alternatives (describe any image)
- Do not use directional language (e.g., read below, see the menu to the left). Instead
label and or number all figures and tables.
- Use clear headings to break up content
- Avoid blank cells in tables
- SAVE AS PDF
Use the SAVE AS Feature to save your power point poster as a PDF. Do not save your
document as a PDF from the Print menu since this will eliminate the accessibility
built into the document.
Anthropology sample poster
Art/Design Poster
Biology poster
