Please note that MURC 2021 will take place online. Applications to present at MURC 2021 is now open until January 25, 2021, 11:59 PM (PST). Apply HERE.
The full conference schedule can be found here.
If you have any questions, please contact undergraduate.research@ubc.ca.
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 Description: 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:
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
Tuesday, January 19, 2021: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM PST via Zoom. (RSVP here).
Sign up for Office Hours
This year, the MURC Planning Committee will be hosting office hours to provide you with extra support in writing and editing your abstracts. You can book a one-hour timeslot between January 8-22 with the Workshops & Presentations Co-Directors to receive feedback on your abstract or ask them questions. Please note that office hour slots have been fully booked. To receive feedback, please consider attending our Peer Review Workshop.
Submit your online registration and abstract by Monday, January 25, 2021 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 early February with next steps and feedback on your abstract. Please review the following timelines and ensure all deadlines are met:
|
November 23, 2020 |
Presenter applications open |
|---|---|
|
January 13 & 18, 2021 |
Abstract Writing Workshop (Note: You only need to attend one of the two session offerings.) |
| January 19, 2021 | Peer Review Session (for abstracts) |
|
January 25, 2021 |
Presenter application and abstract proposal deadline |
|
February 8, 2021 |
Presenters receive feedback on application |
| February 24, 2021 |
Poster Presentation Workshop |
| February 28, 2021 | Final abstract submission |
| March 3, 2021 |
Oral Presentation Workshop |
Yes, you can submit your research project even if it is not completed.
No, it is optional for you to attend the workshops. They are offered to help you prepare for your presentation.
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'.
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.
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.
Due to the conference shifting to an online format, we will not be printing posters for MURC 2021.
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.
Preparing your proposal and presentation can be challenging. Here are the tools you'll need to make it a success.
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:
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.
MURC 2021 Abstract Resource Guide (includes strategies and examples)
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 Presentation Guidelines and 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.
