Present at MURC

Presenter Applications

Applications to present at MURC 2020 are now closed. If you have any questions, please contact undergraduate.research@ubc.ca.

How to apply

Students have the option to present either via a 10-minute oral presentation or a poster presentation.

Talk to your research supervisor and get permission. As the nature of some research may be sensitive, this step is crucial and applications will not be accepted without supervisor approval.
Attend a Abstract Writing Workshop. Presented by the Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication, attendance at this workshop will strengthen your presentation proposal and abstract.
- Workshop Descrption: Conference abstracts play a vital role in the communication of scholarly research. But how do writers communicate the relevance and legitimacy of their research to members of their discipline, and to researchers in other disciplines? This workshop introduces undergraduate researchers to the typical structure of the scientific abstract, while accounting for disciplinary differences. During the workshop, participants will write or revise a draft of their MURC abstract, and receive feedback from the workshop facilitators and other participants.
- Facilitators: Dr. Patty Kelly, Program Manager; Liam Monaghan, Program Coordinator
- Abstract Writing Workshop Dates:
  - Friday, January 10, 2020: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM (Dodson Room, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Level 3)
  - Friday, January 17, 2020: 2 PM - 4 PM (Dodson Room, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Level 3)
- Alternatively, you can choose to attend a Peer Review session to get feedback on your abstract from peers. This is also a great opportunity to meet other students from different disciplines and fields
Submit your online registration and abstract by Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 11:59 PM (PST). In addition to your own information, you will also be required to supply your research supervisor's contact information (name and email) on the application. If you have a co-presenter, you do not have to submit two applications: there is a field on the application form for co-presenter information. Please ensure all registration steps are completed for consideration.
After the deadline, your application will be reviewed and your research supervisor will be contacted. Continue to work on your research presentation while your abstract is being reviewed. You will be contacted in late January with next steps and feedback on your research proposal. Please review the following timelines and ensure all deadlines are met:

Important dates

November 18, 2019	Presenter applications open
January 10 & 17, 2020	Abstract Writing Workshop (Note: You only need to attend one of the two session offerings.)
January 15, 2020	Peer Review Session (for abstracts)
January 19, 2020	Presenter application and abstract proposal deadline
February 3, 2020	Presenters receive feedback on application
February 5, 2020	Poster Presentation Workshop Register HERE
February 16, 2020	Poster submission deadline for free printing
February 23, 2020	Final abstract submission
February 26, 2020	Oral Presentation Workshop Register HERE

FAQ

Can I present on a research project that is incomplete?

Yes, you can submit your research project even if it is not completed.

Are the workshops mandatory in order to present at MURC?

No, it is optional for you to attend the workshops. They are offered to help you prepare for your presentation.

When are the workshops and where can I register to attend?

Details on the abstract writing and peer review workshops with date, time and venue can be found here under ‘How to apply’. A complete list of workshops can be found on this page under 'Important Dates'.

Can I present on a project where I’m part of the research team?

Yes, you can present at MURC provided permission has been granted by the faculty sponsor. Please note that we will contact the faculty sponsor to confirm their consent, in order for you to present at the conference.

Are there restrictions on the type of research that can be presented?

There's no restrictions provided you have a faculty sponsor for the project who is aware that you want to present at MURC. Also, you (and the co-presenters if any) will have to be undergraduate students. Please note that we will contact the faculty sponsor to confirm their consent, in order for you to present at the conference.

What are the dimensions for the poster?

Poster sizes are to be 36 inches by 48 inches (36” x 48”) or 3 feet by 4 feet.

Can I do both an oral and poster presentation on the day-of the conference?

For the same project, you can choose to present in one of the presentation formats – oral or poster. However, if you are presenting 2 different projects, you can apply to present in either formats, subject to availability of slots.

MURC Resources

Preparing your proposal and presentation can be challenging. Here are the tools you'll need to make it a success.

Prepare Your Abstract Proposal

Reviewers of conference proposals read a large number of submissions to determine whether the proposed paper or poster meets the requirements of the conference and how the submission might best be combined with other presentations in oral sessions or poster displays. They may or may not be experts in your area of study. Reviewers need to understand clearly:

the importance of the research project
the existing state of knowledge
the research question
the method or methods used
the main findings

Since MURC is not a specialized conference, reviewers will also be assessing whether an interested non-specialist audience will be able to follow the presentation. Including brief definitions or explanations and using concrete “real world” examples helps non-specialists understand what your study is addressing and why.

You can also prepare by attending one of our Abstract Writing Workshops and/or Peer Review Session.

Additional Resource for abstract writing (includes strategies and examples)

Making Your Presentation

In preparation for your oral and poster presentations, we are going to offer workshop sessions that will allow you to learn more about presenting your research in a multidisciplinary format and to get feedback on your preliminary work. We will be informing the presenters about the details of these workshops via email. You can also find the workshop dates on this page under "Important Dates".

Whether you are presenting a poster or doing an oral presentation, you are practicing a critically important skill in reserach: effectively communicating your findings/conclusions to an audience. Check out the Poster and Oral Presentation resource handout for considerations and tips to help you deliver an engaging presentation.

Nervous about your presentation?

Check out this helpful guide to hone your presentation skills.

Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference

Saturday, March 21, 2020 8:00 am to 6:30 pm