Graduate Student Council Research Symposium
Information for Participants
If you are a graduate student interested in presenting your research at the Graduate Student Council Research Symposium, please review the information below.
Participant Registration Opens Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
Participant Registration closes at Noon (12pm) on Friday, March 15, 2024.
Guidelines and Expectations
All communications regarding this event will be made through the official NDSU email system (using your ndsu.edu email address).
By completing the registration process for Student Research Days, you authorize the publication of your first and last name with your abstract.
The Student Research Days event will be open to the public. Please ensure that any materials presented can be released publicly.
If you have questions, please contact matthew.b.warner@ndsu.edu.
Eligibility
Any part time / full time graduate students enrolled at NDSU are eligible to participate.
Projects or papers utilizing human or animal research subjects must have approval from the appropriate compliance committees.
Note: each student can only participate in one of the Student Research Day events.
If you have questions regarding eligibility, please contac matthew.b.warner@ndsu.edu.
Schedule
Tuesday, April 9, 2024:
Undergraduate student poster session and oral presentations.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024:
Graduate student poster session and oral presentations.
Project Types
The event has two presentation options, poster presentation or oral presentation. You may submit an abstract to participate in one presentation option.
Poster Presentations:
- Poster size should not exceed 3' x 4' (36 inches x 48 inches).
- Presenters are expected to stand at their poster during the assigned poster presentation time to answer questions about their research. Please be prepared for a judging time of approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Display equipment in the form of flex screens and pins will be provided. If your project has other set-up needs, please contactmatthew.b.warner@ndsu.edu.
- Resources for developing effective posters >>
Oral Presentations:
- Create a presentation in PowerPoint using the 16:9 aspect ratio and make sure to check if the animations or the videos you plan to include work properly.
- Presentations will be limited to 8 minutes in length, followed by approximately 2 minutes for questions.
- Timecards will be shown to you during your presentation to remind you of the remaining time.
- The audience will not all be subject matter experts, so prepare your presentation in layman's terms to ensure understanding by a general audience.
- Bring your presentation with you to your session on a USB drive.
- Resources for developing effective presentations >>
Abstract
An abstract is required for each project.
The abstract must be 350 words or fewer, and the abstract should provide the following:
Topic/Background: Establish the broad topic for the research
Methods: Briefly describe the methods used to conduct the research
Results: Identify the key findings of the project
Conclusion/Significance: Explain the importance of the findings for a non-technical, non-specialist audience
Student Research Day invites a diverse attendance from across campus and from off-campus communities to engage and learn about the research happening at NDSU. Therefore, the abstract should be comprehensible to a broader audience than specialists within the field. Communication of technical information to non-specialists is an important skill to acquire and refine, and Student Research Day is a perfect opportunity to gain experience communicating about your research to audiences beyond the lab, the disciplinary conferences, or seminar.
Abstracts are due by Noon on March 15, 2024. They can be submitted as an upload during the registration process, or separately as instructed in your registration confirmation email.
Awards
Poster Session Awards
- First Place - $300
- Second Place - $200
- Third Place - $150
Oral Presentation Awards
- First Place - $300
- Second Place - $200
- Third Place - $150
Evaluation
Projects will be evaluated based on content, presentation, and any supporting documentation or visual aids (i.e., posters or a slide deck). Criteria that will be considered when judging presentations can be viewed here.
If you have questions, contact matthew.b.warner@ndsu.edu.
Ready to Register?
Note: each student can only participate in one of the Student Research Day events.
Make sure you have the following information before registering:
Choice – Poster Presentation or Oral Presentation (you may only choose one)
Your name and NDSU email
Your advisor’s name and NDSU email
Your degree and graduate program (For example, Doctorate, Biological Sciences)
Confirm that you have permission to share results of your research project (no patents pending, sensitive information about research participants, publication embargos, etc.)
Title of Research
Abstract – 350 words or fewer (References included in word count)
Disability Accommodations – List any assistance that you might require on event day
Dietary Restrictions
IMPORTANT: Student Research Day aims to provide as many graduate students as possible an opportunity to join the event. Consequently, you may only submit one application. You cannot submit an application for a poster presentation and an oral presentation.