2020 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

2020 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

Undergraduate Research Scholars and Phillips 66 presents

The 2020 Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium

Due to measures taken around COVID-19, the 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium was virtual. This platform went live for comment on Thursday, April 23rd and was archived on Thursday, April 30th with a poster session being held through Zoom on Wednesday, April 29th 1-3pm MDT. Everyone was encouraged to join us in celebrating our hardworking undergraduate researchers and their dedicated mentors!

Please note that the Zoom poster session was optional and not all undergraduate researchers represented in the Virtual Project Gallery presented live on Zoom.

i
2020 booklet of abstracts
w
2020 virtual project gallery
2020 zoom poster session

format and timeline

about

This unique opportunity gives undergraduate researchers the chance to create an internet archive of their research, share their hard work with a larger audience, and build their portfolio despite current limitations surrounding travel and large gatherings. Due to the abrupt nature of this announcement, we will also be extending registration for the Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium through 11:59pm MST Wednesday, April 1st.

Students from all disciplines are invited to participate as presenters. All faculty, staff, and graduate students are encouraged to interact with the presenters and explore the breadth of interdisciplinary research conducted by undergraduate students at Mines.

Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. These awards will be announced on April 30th.

For further information, please contact the office of Undergraduate Research Scholars at ugresearch@mines.edu

Timeline

Registration for the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium is due by 11:59pm MST April 1st.*

On April 6th – April 19th a second form will open for all registered applicants. On this form, students can 1) upload a digital copy of a poster 2) attach a slide presentation outlining their research or 3) attach a 2-5 minute voice-over video presentation. Students may choose ONE of these options OR a combination of TWO.  For more information on how to present please view the “Guidelines, Tips, and Resources” listed below. All digital posters, presentations, or videos will be due by 11:59pm MST April 19th.

On April 23rd all projects will go live and remain live until April 29th. If you chose to include a comments section on your project page, you will be able to answer comments at your leisure during this time.

An (optional) Zoom poster session will be held on April 29th 1pm-3pm. 

All projects will be archived on April 30th, 2020. Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. These awards will also be announced on April 30th.

* Please note, there should be one registration application per PROJECT. If another undergraduate student researcher worked in your research group and they are also planning on presenting at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, you must collaborate with them and submit ONE application.

Once you submit your application, an email containing your abstract will be sent to your faculty mentor and any accompanying undergraduate student researchers you also listed in the form. Before applying, please revise your abstract thoroughly and get approval from your mentor and any accompanying undergraduate student researchers before submitting.

Please revise your work thoroughly.

the Format for the Virtual Symposium

There will be three primary components to the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium:

  1. Abstract Booklet: The abstract booklet will list all students participating in the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium. This booklet will be similar to the booklet we had last year, seen here.
  2. Virtual Project Gallery: The Virtual Project Gallery, will be formatted similar to the MURF 2019-2020 Projects Page or, moreover, to the Distance Library Instruction Virtual Poster Session 2019. The landing page for this gallery will have a search option at the top and all the projects listed below. Each project listed will link to an individual project page where: 
    1. Presenters visually represent their work via 1) a digital (pdf or jpg) copy of a poster, 2) a slide presentation ( uploaded to Google Slides) detailing their research, AND/OR 3) a 2-5 minute voiced-over video poster or slides presentation (uploaded to Google Drive). Presenters can choose to display ONE of these options OR a combination of TWO. Please look below for more information on creating a poster, slide presentation, or video presentation.
    2. Presenters share a short bio about themselves. Presenter’s bios should be 3-6 sentences in third person. This should include their class standing, their department, their research department, and a bit about the research they’ve done and would like to do.
    3. Presenters will have the option of enabling comments on their individual project page. However, enabling comments is not a requirement of participating in the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium. If a student chooses this option, they will be able to comment and respond from April 23rd through April 29th. On April 30th all comments will be archived. An example of a comments section can be seen on the individual project pages of the Distance Library Instruction Virtual Poster Session 2019.
  3. Optional Zoom Poster Session on April 29th, 2020 from 1pm-3pm: Participating in the Zoom poster session is not a requirement of participating in the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium. The optional Zoom poster session will be hosted by the office of Undergraduate Research Scholars and will be open to the public until the Zoom meeting meets its capacity (250 people). The Zoom poster session will have several groups (Breakout Sessions) of three-six students every thirty minutes. Registered undergraduate students will be invited to sign up for a time slot.

 

On April 6th – April 19th a second form will open for all registered applicants. The above information will be addressed in this form. Please stay posted.

about

This unique opportunity gives undergraduate researchers the chance to create an internet archive of their research, share their hard work with a larger audience, and build their portfolio despite current limitations surrounding travel and large gatherings. Due to the abrupt nature of this announcement, we will also be extending registration for the Virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium through 11:59pm MST Wednesday, April 1st.

Students from all disciplines are invited to participate as presenters. All faculty, staff, and graduate students are encouraged to interact with the presenters and explore the breadth of interdisciplinary research conducted by undergraduate students at Mines.

Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. These awards will be announced on April 30th.

For further information, please contact the office of Undergraduate Research Scholars at ugresearch@mines.edu

Timeline

Registration for the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium is due by 11:59pm MST April 1st.*

On April 6th – April 19th a second form will open for all registered applicants. On this form, students can 1) upload a digital copy of a poster 2) attach a slide presentation outlining their research or 3) attach a 2-5 minute voice-over video presentation. Students may choose ONE of these options OR a combination of TWO.  For more information on how to present please view the “Guidelines, Tips, and Resources” listed below. All digital posters, presentations, or videos will be due by 11:59pm MST April 19th.

On April 23rd all projects will go live and remain live until April 29th. If you chose to include a comments section on your project page, you will be able to answer comments at your leisure during this time.

An (optional) Zoom poster session will be held on April 29th 1pm-3pm. 

All projects will be archived on April 30th, 2020. Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. These awards will also be announced on April 30th.

* Please note, there should be one registration application per PROJECT. If another undergraduate student researcher worked in your research group and they are also planning on presenting at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, you must collaborate with them and submit ONE application.

Once you submit your application, an email containing your abstract will be sent to your faculty mentor and any accompanying undergraduate student researchers you also listed in the form. Before applying, please revise your abstract thoroughly and get approval from your mentor and any accompanying undergraduate student researchers before submitting.

Please revise your work thoroughly.

the Format for the Virtual Symposium

There will be three primary components to the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium:

  1. Abstract Booklet: The abstract booklet will list all students participating in the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium. This booklet will be similar to the booklet we had last year, seen here.
  2. Virtual Project Gallery: The Virtual Project Gallery, will be formatted similar to the MURF 2019-2020 Projects Page or, moreover, to the Distance Library Instruction Virtual Poster Session 2019. The landing page for this gallery will have a search option at the top and all the projects listed below. Each project listed will link to an individual project page where:

     

    1. Presenters visually represent their work via 1) a digital (pdf or jpg) copy of a poster, 2) a slide presentation ( uploaded to Google Slides) detailing their research, AND/OR 3) a 2-5 minute voiced-over video poster or slides presentation (uploaded to Google Drive). Presenters can choose to display ONE of these options OR a combination of TWO. Please look below for more information on creating a poster, slide presentation, or video presentation.
    2. Presenters share a short bio about themselves. Presenter’s bios should be 3-6 sentences in third person. This should include their class standing, their department, their research department, and a bit about the research they’ve done and would like to do.
    3. Presenters will have the option of enabling comments on their individual project page. However, enabling comments is not a requirement of participating in the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium. If a student chooses this option, they will be able to comment and respond from April 23rd through April 29th. On April 30th all comments will be archived. An example of a comments section can be seen on the individual project pages of the Distance Library Instruction Virtual Poster Session 2019.
  3. Optional Zoom Poster Session on April 29th, 2020 from 1pm-3pm: Participating in the Zoom poster session is not a requirement of participating in the virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium. The optional Zoom poster session will be hosted by the office of Undergraduate Research Scholars and will be open to the public until the Zoom meeting meets its capacity (250 people). The Zoom poster session will have several groups (Breakout Sessions) of three-six students every thirty minutes. Registered undergraduate students will be invited to sign up for a time slot.

 

On April 6th – April 19th a second form will open for all registered applicants. The above information will be addressed in this form. Please stay posted.

guidelines, tips, & resources

posters

If you are making a digital poster, please make sure your file is saved with a .pdf or .jpg file extension.

Please note that much of the information below is for posters that are being printed and not digital posters that are being presented online. Use this as a guide for visual readability, clarity, and design:

  • Creating Your Content: When you distill your research into a poster ready format, first and foremost, please speak to your mentor. For additional help, you should consider scheduling an appointment at the Writing Center through their online scheduler. A general rule when preparing a poster is to make sure that the:
    • Title effectively communicates subject matter
    • Purpose/objectives clearly stated
    • Applicability or relevance of work identified
    • Concise explanation of methods/analysis used
    • Methods used clearly conveyed
    • Conclusions supported by data
    • Funding sources acknowledged
  • Choosing a Program (to Create Your Poster): There are many programs you can use to create a poster ranging in costs and discoverability. Regardless, make sure the program you’re using allows you to create a custom document size (not to exceed 48 inches wide by 36 inches tall). Many researchers use Microsoft PowerPoint or Publisher because these are inexpensive and easy to use. You can also use more advance programs like Adobe Illustrator or InDesign; but, these can have a steep learning curve and tend to be very expensive. Some free, open source options include LibreOffice, Gimp, or Inkscape. Gimp and Inkscape also have a steep learning curve.
  • Height & Width: Digital posters should not exceed 48 inches in width (left to right) and 36 inches in height (top to bottom) at 72 DPI. Digital posters should be legible when they are zoomed out or zoomed in.
  • Color: It is recommended you choose a lighter color for the poster background, preferably white. There are no other color restrictions for the text and images.
  • Font: Make sure the poster title and the author names are clearly identified. Choose a font size such that text on your poster is legible when you’re zoomed out from your digital poster. Here is a recommendation for font sizes:
    • 85 pt for the title
    • 56 pt for the authors
    • 36 pt for the subtitles
    • 24 pt for the main text
    • 18 pt for image captions
  • General Principles of Design: Avoid using excessive text as it makes it difficult to follow the poster. Use appropriate graphics wherever possible as they can convey information effectively and make the poster look appealing.
 
slide presentation

If you would like to share a presentation, please make sure your file is uploaded onto Google Slides.

Overall, presentation slides can contain the same (or similar) information as a poster:

  • Creating Your Content: First and foremost, please speak to your mentor regarding content. For additional help, you should consider scheduling an appointment at the Writing Center through their online scheduler. Some general guidelines when preparing your presentation is to make sure:
    • The title effectively communicates subject matter.
    • Purpose/objectives are clearly stated.
    • Applicability or relevance of work is identified.
    • Concise explanation of methods/analysis are used.
    • Methods used are clearly conveyed.
    • Conclusions are supported by data.
    • Funding sources are acknowledged.
  • Choosing a Program (to Create Your Presentation): Some common programs include Google Slides or PowerPoint. So long as you are able to upload the presentation to Google Slides, it doesn’t matter what you choose. Please note, if you start with PowerPoint and upload your slides to Google Slides, some features may change. Google Slides does not have all the features of PowerPoint.
  • Length of Presentation: Rather than giving a limit on file size or slide number, we recommend that presentation be about  five-ten minutes if you were delivering the information aloud.
  • General Principles of Design: Similar to creating a poster, be mindful that an audience may lose interest in long presentations that are text heavy. Use appropriate graphics wherever possible as they can convey information effectively and make the presentation look appealing. Be mindful of color, font size, and image resolution. Sometimes, it can be helpful to find a presentation you like and try to emulate that style.

External Resources:

For an introduction to Google Slides, please follow this link.

For more information about Microsoft PowerPoint, please follow this link. Please note, if you start with PowerPoint and upload your slides to Google Slides, some features may change. Google Slides does not have all the features of PowerPoint.

In this video, you can find more information about creating an effective slide presentation for scientific research.

Here is an example of a voiced-over/video presentations (featuring slides).

Please follow these instructions carefully in order to share your file.

  1. Login to your Google account and navigate to your Google Drive.
  2. Find the file you would like to share. Without opening the file, right click the file and select “Share”.
  3. The “Share with others” pop-up should appear. Click “Advanced” in the bottom right corner.
  4. Under “Owner Settings” make sure “Anyone who has the link can edit” is selected. (If this is not selected, select “Change…” and click the button beside “On – Anyone with the link”. Click “Save”).
  5. Lastly, copy the link under “Link to share” and paste it here.

 

video

Please note, that instructions initially stated you should upload your video to YouTube. This is no longer the case; instead, you must upload your video to Google Drive. We apologize for the inconvenience.

If you are creating a 2-5 minute voiced-over video presentation, please make sure your file is uploaded to Google Drive.

Generally, presenters who choose to visually represent their work with a voiced-over video presentation, start with a poster or slide presentation. As seen here, here or here. If you choose to visually represent your research this way, please use the following information to help you as needed:

  • Length and File Size: The video should be between 2-5 minutes in length. Because you will be uploading the video directly to Google Drive, be mindful of your network’s bandwidth. Before creating or uploading your video, make sure your file extension is a readable video extension (you can view a list of acceptable extensions here).
  • Using Zoom to Record Your Presentation: There are a number of ways you can create a voiced-over video presentation. But, a simple method to record yourself presenting you poster or slides is by using Zoom’s screen sharing and recording features. To learn how to use these features, please follow this link provided by the University of Denver. This video details some things that are not pertinent to the Mines 2020 virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium; however, it gives the clearest instructions. Pertinent information is from 7:44-18:22. You can also find more information about screen sharing here, in the Zoom Help Center.
  • Uploading Your Video to Google Drive: Due to constraints around file size and in order to ensure your video remains on your project page archive (even after you are no longer a student at Colorado School of Mines), Google Drive will be the easiest way for our office to receive and embed your video. For instructions on uploading a video to Google Drive, please visit this link.

Please follow these instructions carefully in order to share your file.

  1. Login to your Google account and navigate to your Google Drive.
  2. Find the file you would like to share. Without opening the file, right click the file and select “Share”.
  3. The “Share with others” pop-up should appear. Click “Advanced” in the bottom right corner.
  4. Under “Owner Settings” make sure “Anyone who has the link can edit” is selected. (If this is not selected, select “Change…” and click the button beside “On – Anyone with the link”. Click “Save”).
  5. Lastly, copy the link under “Link to share” and paste it here.
posters

If you are making a digital poster, please make sure your file is saved with a .pdf or .jpg file extension.

Please note that much of the information below is for posters that are being printed and not digital posters that are being presented online. Use this as a guide for visual readability, clarity, and design:

  • Creating Your Content: When you distill your research into a poster ready format, first and foremost, please speak to your mentor. For additional help, you should consider scheduling an appointment at the Writing Center through their online scheduler. A general rule when preparing a poster is to make sure that the:
    • Title effectively communicates subject matter
    • Purpose/objectives clearly stated
    • Applicability or relevance of work identified
    • Concise explanation of methods/analysis used
    • Methods used clearly conveyed
    • Conclusions supported by data
    • Funding sources acknowledged
  • Choosing a Program (to Create Your Poster): There are many programs you can use to create a poster ranging in costs and discoverability. Regardless, make sure the program you’re using allows you to create a custom document size (not to exceed 48 inches wide by 36 inches tall). Many researchers use Microsoft PowerPoint or Publisher because these are inexpensive and easy to use. You can also use more advance programs like Adobe Illustrator or InDesign; but, these can have a steep learning curve and tend to be very expensive. Some free, open source options include LibreOffice, Gimp, or Inkscape. Gimp and Inkscape also have a steep learning curve.
  • Height & Width: Digital posters should not exceed 48 inches in width (left to right) and 36 inches in height (top to bottom) at 72 DPI. Digital posters should be legible when they are zoomed out or zoomed in.
  • Color: It is recommended you choose a lighter color for the poster background, preferably white. There are no other color restrictions for the text and images.
  • Font: Make sure the poster title and the author names are clearly identified. Choose a font size such that text on your poster is legible when you’re zoomed out from your digital poster. Here is a recommendation for font sizes:
    • 85 pt for the title
    • 56 pt for the authors
    • 36 pt for the subtitles
    • 24 pt for the main text
    • 18 pt for image captions
  • General Principles of Design: Avoid using excessive text as it makes it difficult to follow the poster. Use appropriate graphics wherever possible as they can convey information effectively and make the poster look appealing.
 
slide presentation

If you would like to share a presentation, please make sure your file is uploaded onto Google Slides.

Overall, presentation slides can contain the same (or similar) information as a poster:

  • Creating Your Content: First and foremost, please speak to your mentor regarding content. For additional help, you should consider scheduling an appointment at the Writing Center through their online scheduler. Some general guidelines when preparing your presentation is to make sure:
    • The title effectively communicates subject matter.
    • Purpose/objectives are clearly stated.
    • Applicability or relevance of work is identified.
    • Concise explanation of methods/analysis are used.
    • Methods used are clearly conveyed.
    • Conclusions are supported by data.
    • Funding sources are acknowledged.
  • Choosing a Program (to Create Your Presentation): Some common programs include Google Slides or PowerPoint. So long as you are able to upload the presentation to Google Slides, it doesn’t matter what you choose. Please note, if you start with PowerPoint and upload your slides to Google Slides, some features may change. Google Slides does not have all the features of PowerPoint.
  • Length of Presentation: Rather than giving a limit on file size or slide number, we recommend that presentation be about  five-ten minutes if you were delivering the information aloud.
  • General Principles of Design: Similar to creating a poster, be mindful that an audience may lose interest in long presentations that are text heavy. Use appropriate graphics wherever possible as they can convey information effectively and make the presentation look appealing. Be mindful of color, font size, and image resolution. Sometimes, it can be helpful to find a presentation you like and try to emulate that style.

External Resources:

For an introduction to Google Slides, please follow this link.

For more information about Microsoft PowerPoint, please follow this link. Please note, if you start with PowerPoint and upload your slides to Google Slides, some features may change. Google Slides does not have all the features of PowerPoint.

In this video, you can find more information about creating an effective slide presentation for scientific research.

Here is an example of a voiced-over/video presentations (featuring slides).

Please follow these instructions carefully in order to share your file.

  1. Login to your Google account and navigate to your Google Drive.
  2. Find the file you would like to share. Without opening the file, right click the file and select “Share”.
  3. The “Share with others” pop-up should appear. Click “Advanced” in the bottom right corner.
  4. Under “Owner Settings” make sure “Anyone who has the link can edit” is selected. (If this is not selected, select “Change…” and click the button beside “On – Anyone with the link”. Click “Save”).
  5. Lastly, copy the link under “Link to share” and paste it here.

 

video

Please note, that instructions initially stated you should upload your video to YouTube. This is no longer the case; instead, you must upload your video to Google Drive. We apologize for the inconvenience.

If you are creating a 2-5 minute voiced-over video presentation, please make sure your file is uploaded to Google Drive.

Generally, presenters who choose to visually represent their work with a voiced-over video presentation, start with a poster or slide presentation. As seen here, here or here. If you choose to visually represent your research this way, please use the following information to help you as needed:

  • Length and File Size: The video should be between 2-5 minutes in length. Because you will be uploading the video directly to Google Drive, be mindful of your network’s bandwidth. Before creating or uploading your video, make sure your file extension is a readable video extension (you can view a list of acceptable extensions here).
  • Using Zoom to Record Your Presentation: There are a number of ways you can create a voiced-over video presentation. But, a simple method to record yourself presenting you poster or slides is by using Zoom’s screen sharing and recording features. To learn how to use these features, please follow this link provided by the University of Denver. This video details some things that are not pertinent to the Mines 2020 virtual Undergraduate Research Symposium; however, it gives the clearest instructions. Pertinent information is from 7:44-18:22. You can also find more information about screen sharing here, in the Zoom Help Center.
  • Uploading Your Video to Google Drive: Due to constraints around file size and in order to ensure your video remains on your project page archive (even after you are no longer a student at Colorado School of Mines), Google Drive will be the easiest way for our office to receive and embed your video. For instructions on uploading a video to Google Drive, please visit this link.

Please follow these instructions carefully in order to share your file.

  1. Login to your Google account and navigate to your Google Drive.
  2. Find the file you would like to share. Without opening the file, right click the file and select “Share”.
  3. The “Share with others” pop-up should appear. Click “Advanced” in the bottom right corner.
  4. Under “Owner Settings” make sure “Anyone who has the link can edit” is selected. (If this is not selected, select “Change…” and click the button beside “On – Anyone with the link”. Click “Save”).
  5. Lastly, copy the link under “Link to share” and paste it here.