STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
The Student Research Symposium is an annual event where accomplished undergraduates who engaged in summer research—either on-campus or at other institutions—have the opportunity to share their work with the University community. A CRF-sponsored event since 2009, the Symposium is both a showcase of the students’ work and a vital professional development experience.
The 2023 Student Research Symposium will take place on Friday, November 10, 2023 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. We invite all community members to save the date!
A Formative Learning Experience
The Student Research Symposium challenges students to distill and communicate complex ideas and findings in a succinct and accessible way. Such presentation skills are vitally important for researchers, and this experience creates a robust foundation upon which our students can build.
Numerous symposium participants have gone on to continue their research beyond Villanova, winning prestigious national fellowships and awards and earning admission to some of the most prestigious graduate and doctoral programs in the U.S.
Getting Started
To register for a poster presentation OR 10-minute oral presentation, submit your abstract here by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 16.
If a student does not submit their abstract by this deadline, then their abstract will not be included in the official Symposium book. Presentations do not need to be from individual researchers; they may represent a group of researchers that worked on the same project. When registering via the link above, you will be asked whether your presentation will be a poster or oral presentation.
Presentation Options
Oral Presentations
For students whose research does not lend itself to a scientific poster presentation, CRF offers the option of delivering a 10-minute presentation. When registering for the Symposium, please select the “oral presentation” option. CRF will be in contact with you about logistics shortly after the registration deadline. You are also welcome to contact CRF directly with any questions.
Poster Presentations
For the 2023 Symposium, the Center for Research and Fellowships will pay for poster printing for undergraduate participants through Villanova iPRINT. To qualify for CRF support for poster printing, students must submit their poster file to Villanova iPRINT by November 1, 2023. CRF will not reimburse students who have posters printed by other vendors or who do not submit their files to iPRINT by the deadline.
Students should coordinate with faculty mentors on their preferred vendor for printing posters; some departments or mentors prefer specific vendors or have in-house printing capabilities. Students are not required to go through CRF for poster printing. CRF will provide specific printing instructions for registrants following the registration deadline.
- Posters should be in PDF format set to the size at which the poster is to print; the standard size is 36” tall x 48” wide.
- Posters should include a title, authors, faculty mentors, and institution at which the research was conducted. Acknowledge any funding support you have received for your work, including CRF.
- Once posters are printed, students are responsible for picking up their posters. Please follow instructions from iPRINT.
Poster Ninja is an affordable outside vendor if you are not able to meet CRF deadlines. Please see the vendor's website for pricing information.
Additional Information
Students are welcome to set their posters up beginning at noon on the day of the Symposium. If students are unable to set up their posters before 1 p.m., please make alternate arrangements. Villanova will provide poster stands and each student will have an assigned row and number. Students are responsible for removing their posters from the Villanova Room at 4 p.m.
- Poster should be in PDF format
- Poster should be set to the standard size (standard size: 36" x 48") and should include:
- Title of project
- Authors
- Faculty mentors
- Abstract of project
- Acknowledge any funding support you have received for your work. The Villanova University logo can be found here.
- Title of project
- Submit your poster to iPRINT at least one week prior to the Symposium. To qualify for CRF poster printing support, submit by the designated deadline.
University of Washington
Brown University
Texas Tech University
Cornell University
iPRINT at least one week prior to the Symposium. To qualify for CRF poster printing support, submit by the designated deadline.