Submission Guidelines and FAQs
How to take part in the conference:
Step 1: Decide how you want to participate
The first thing you need to do is figure out how you want to participate. You could present a research paper. You could present a scientific poster. You could do a musical performance. There are many, many ways one can participate in the Undergraduate Research Conference. You can search the various Faculty Unit home pages at the URC homepage for some ideas.
Step 2: Choose a mentor
Once you decide how you want to participate, you need to select a mentor with that area of expertise. If you are presenting a work of creative writing, then you should find a mentor in the Faculty of Arts and Letters. If you are presenting a research paper on the history of the Church in Mongolia, then you should find a mentor from the Faculty of Religious Education, etc. You need to find a mentor that can guide you through the process of participating in the Undergraduate Research Conference.
Step 3: Meet with your mentor and apply for the conference
Once you have selected a mentor, you need to meet with them, and make sure that they can work with you. Faculty are busy, and some may already be mentoring other students, so pick a mentor early. Once you have found a mentor, your Mentor will provide you with the link to the form to apply for the URC. Your mentor will also help you figure out how to fill out the abstract for your project. Every Faculty Unit has a different set of requirements for their abstract. They can be found here at the URC homepage. Work with your mentor to fill out the application form and complete your abstract.
Step 4: Work and wait
Once you have applied for the conference, a review committee will meet to review your abstract and determine if you meet the necessary criteria to participate in the conference. There is not much you can do at this point but wait to be notified. You can continue to work on your project, preparing for the possibility that your proposal will be accepted.
Step 5: Work with your mentor
Once you have been selected to be part of the URC, you must continue to work with your mentor to make sure your project meets the high academic standards of the conference. Whether you are doing a vocal performance, a mathematical proof, or a research paper, you need to work with your mentor to make sure that you are ready to present your project.
Step 6: Decide if you want to compete for an award
The various faculty units have various awards that participants can compete for. You have to “opt-in” to compete for an award. You can check the URC homepage for your specific faculty unit under the “awards” tab to see how to be considered for an award. Talk to your mentor if you have any questions about how to be considered for an award.
Step 7: Present
Congratulations, your work is done. Time to present your project. You will be contacted with how and when you will present.
Important Dates
TBA:
Proposal Submission Portal Opens
February 19:
Proposal Submission Deadline
February 26:
Acceptance Emails Sent
March 19:
Project Submission Deadline (optional; for awards consideration)
April 3:
Conference
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do we have to have a faculty mentor and how do we get a faculty mentor?
A: Every student must have a mentor committed to working with them on their project and whom they will list on their proposal for the conference. They will not be accepted to the conference without listing a mentor who has agreed to work them on their project. Many programs have upper-level research projects that are led by a member of that faculty and so would be their mentor in this case. Otherwise, students need to talk to their professors, or a faculty member who has expertise in their topic to mentor them. Mentors can help students with their research, but primarily need to review the abstracts before submission and the student’s presentation before the day of the conference. Your mentor will also give you the link to submit your conference application.
Q: Who are the faculty mentors for each unit and/or who can be a mentor?
A: Any adjunct or full-time faculty can be a mentor as long as he or she is willing to support students as they propose their abstract and to review their presentation before the day of the conference. Some students might require more help preparing for the conference than others so faculty should be mindful of this as they agree to mentor students.
Q: Do the proposals (abstracts) have to be about the conference theme?
A: No. While we are especially interested in projects that engage with the conference theme, we welcome proposals on all topics for the conference.
Q: What are project types?
A: Depending on your discipline, conventions for presenting academic work can look very different. Please consult with your faculty mentor and consult the URC.byuh.edu website for more details based on your Faculty Unit.
Q: What are keywords?
A: Academic keywords are words and concepts related to the topic of your project. They are usually nouns and can be single words or short phrases. When you submit your application for the conference, you will be required to submit some keywords along with the abstract. The reason for this is that the conference will be using an app to organize the event, the keywords will be a searchable feature in the app to help people find your presentation.
Q: What is the process that I can expect as a conference participant?
A: The general process for participating in the conference includes the following steps:
- Students decide on a project and secure a faculty mentor.
- Students develop and submit proposals before the February 19 deadline with help from their faculty mentor.
- The conference committee reviews all submitted abstracts and sends an acceptance email to students with high-quality proposals on February 26.
- Students whose proposals are accepted are added to the URC Canvas course and work on completing their projects throughout the rest of February and March. Students should plan on reviewing their project with their mentor at least once before presenting.
- In early March, the conference committee publishes the conference schedule so that students know when and where they will be presenting their projects.
- Optional: for students who would like their project to be considered for an award, the completed project should be submitted through the URC Canvas course by March 19.
- In the days before the conference on April 3, students submit their projects and/or presentation aids through the URC Canvas course.
- On April 3, students attend their designated sessions to present their projects.
Q: What is meant by “current student”? Can recent alumni also participate? What about ITEP participants?
A: We allow submissions/participation from current students, current ITEP participants, and recent graduates (up to one year past graduation). However, only current students are eligible for awards.
Q: Is work done in previous semesters allowed?
A: Students can submit projects that they have also submitted to other classes in previous semesters; however, work submitted to past Undergraduate Research Conferences is not allowed.