Overview
The Undergraduate Research Symposium and Showcase provide a forum for students to present faculty-guided student research and creative activity across disciplines. The URS is consistently growing, and this event provides an avenue for students not yet engaged in research to learn more about getting involved. We hope that you encourage your students to participate in either our spring symposium or summer showcase this year.
The faculty mentor listed by a student in the abstract submission form will be notified of the student’s entry for the Undergraduate Research Symposium or Showcase via email. The students are aware that all submitted abstracts should be vetted by a faculty research mentor prior to submission. Please ensure that students are aware of any funding sources involved in the research project and that the names and/or acronyms of those sponsors are accurately reflected in the abstract submission.
All students who complete a submission form will be published in the Abstract Booklet. Research mentors and sponsors will be listed along with their students’ abstracts. During presentations which are being judged, faculty mentors are not to intervene while a student is being questioned by a judge.
Further information about the URS can be found in the URS Presenter Handbook.
Special Area Competitions
In addition to showcasing research in the symposium, students also have the option to enter their project into Special Area Competitions hosted by various departments and colleges across campus. Special Area Competitions from past symposia have included:
• Community Engagement Research – Sponsored by The Center for Community Engaged Learning
• Public Health Research – Sponsored by the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, & Health Promotion
• 3-Minute Research Pitch – Sponsored by the MSU Graduate School
• Tomorrow Builder Award – Sponsored by Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity
The Spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium welcomes the addition of new Special Area Competitions! All departments and organizations interested in hosting a Special Area Competition should review Creating a Special Area Competition and the Special Area Competition Fact Sheet.
Call for Evaluators for the Spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium
We are looking for faculty, staff, and graduate students to serve as evaluators for the upcoming Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 13-14th. Evaluators will visit assigned projects and provide constructive feedback to the undergraduate researchers. We want to ensure that each student presenter has an opportunity to discuss their research with someone!
If you are interested in serving as an evaluator, please fill out this survey. We will contact you with further instructions as the event approaches.
If you have any questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or contact the Director of Undergraduate Research and Associate Dean of Shackouls Honors College, Dr. Anastasia Elder (ace24@msstate.edu).
