The Colorado School of Mines Welcomes you to the

Summer 2021 UR Poster Session

All undergraduate student researchers currently participating in the Underground Infrastructure REU and the Materials REU are welcome to present at the Summer 2021 Undergraduate Research Poster Session. The Summer 2021 URPS will take place Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021. This event will include live poster presentations on Zoom from 9:45am-12pm MST and an open access Virtual Poster Gallery thereafter. Anyone is welcome to join us in celebrating the participating undergraduate researchers and their dedicated mentors!

 

We will be posting and advertising further information here, on Instagram (@mine_ugresearch) and through email. If you have registered as a presenter we will be in contact with you via email. Please contact ugresearch@mines.edu with any questions or concerns.

Virtual Gallery

Follow the link for the Virtual Gallery to view the posters presented at Summer 2021 URPS.

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Zoom Program

Follow the link for the Zoom Program to view the list of presenters at Summer 2021 URPS.

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More About the Poster Session

Timeline

All undergraduate student researchers currently participating in the Underground Infrastructure REU or the Materials REU are invited to present at the Summer 2021 Undergraduate Research Poster. Presenter Applications for the 2021 URPS are due Sunday, August 1st at 11:59pm MST.

The Summer 2021 URPS will take place Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021 with a live poster presentations on Zoom from 9:45am-12pm MST and a Virtual Poster Gallery accessible thereafter. Anyone is welcome to join us on Zoom to celebrate the participating undergraduate researchers and their dedicated mentors! Attendee Registration for the 2021 URPS is due no later than Tuesday, August 3rd at 9am MST. 

The schedule of events on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021 are as follows:

  • 9:45-10:00am MST: Opening Remarks and Introduction to Events
  • 10:00-10:30am MST: Group 1 Poster Session | This 30-minute poster session will feature five 6-minute poster presentations back-to-back in an individual break-out room. | Each 30-minute poster session will feature five 6-minute poster presentations back-to-back. Each student will have about 4 minutes to present their research visually and verbally and about 2 minutes to answer questions. If the audience has unanswered questions, they are invited to submit their question in the chat and all unanswered questions will be addressed at the end of individual presentations. The Group Poster Session will remain open until all students have had the chance to present and adequately discuss their research. After a 30-minute Group Poster Session is completed, students are encouraged to exit their break-out room and join a different break-out room.
  • 10:30-11:00am MST: Group 2 Poster Session | This 30-minute poster session will feature five 6-minute poster presentations back-to-back.
  • 11:00-11:30am MST: Group 3 Poster Session | This 30-minute poster session will feature five 6-minute poster presentations back-to-back.
  • 11:30-12:00pm MST: Group 4 Poster Session | This 30-minute poster session will feature five 6-minute poster presentations back-to-back.
Requirements to Present

All undergraduate presenters must: 1) Sign-up for a time to present on the Summer 2021 URPS Sign-up Genius schedule (sent via email), 2) Register for the Summer 2021 URPS Zoom Meeting, and 3) Submit their poster and abstract via the “Summer 2021 URPS Poster Gallery Form“.

Presenter information for the 2021 Undergraduate Research Poster Session is due Sunday, August 1st at 11:59pm MST. Students researchers planning to present should take note of the following information:

  • You must be a student researcher currently participating in the Underground Infrastructure REU or the Materials REU.
  • You should prepare all necessary application materials before submission. Including the title of your project; a complete list of all presenters, co-presenters, and mentors; a brief abstract of your work (that has been approved by your mentor); and a digital poster with a PDF file extension (that has been approved by your mentor).
  • Upon submitting a “Summer URPS Poster Gallery Form” students will be reminded to sign-up for a time slot to present via Sign-up Genius and register for the Zoom Meeting – links will be provided in the form confirmation message. Student presenters must present during their time slot in addition to attending the other four presentations in their 30 minute group session. Presenters should attempt to attend as many of the presenters before and/or after them as possible.

If students have questions, they are encouraged to reach out to our office at ugresearch@mines.edu.

Poster Presentation Tips

Creating your Poster

When making a poster, please make sure your file is saved with a .pdf file extension. Please view both the “Creating your Poster” and the “Creating your Presentation” toggles for guidance. To view an example of a digital poster presentation and a 2-3 minute video presentation, please click here.

Please note that much of the information below is for posters that are being printed and not necessarily 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. 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 (approximately 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 or Gimp.
  • Height & Width: Digital posters should be around 48 inches in width (left to right) and 36 inches in height (top to bottom) at 72 – 300 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.
Creating your Presentation

Poster presentations tend to be brief 3-4 minute presentation about an individual’s research. Each presenter in the Summer 2021 URPS will have 6 minutes to present – it is recommended they present for 3-4 minutes and answer questions for 2-3 minutes.

Please use the following information to help you prepare as needed:

  • Length: As mentioned above, your poster presentation should be no more than 6 minutes total. It is recommended your presentation is 3-4 minutes and you leave 2-3 minutes for questions.
  • Content: The content of your 3-4 minute presentation should be planned and practiced in advance of presenting at the live event. We recommend you prepare an elevator pitch about your research as if you were presenting at an in-person conference. Keep it concise and make sure to touch on the tacit points of your research. Be mindful of your audience and pacing. The best poster presentations invite questions while still breaking down your research for an audience that might know very little about your project. Try answering the question, “What is your research about?,” in a way that makes sense to researchers and non-researchers alike. Practice in front of friends, family, and your mentor as needed.
  • Using Zoom to Prepare for Your Live Presentation: When presenting, be mindful of lighting, the clothes you are wearing, and your background. It is important you appear professional just as you would at an in-person conference. There are a number of ways you can prepare for your presentation. But, please make sure you are familiar with Zoom and please make sure you are able to share your screen without issue ahead of time. You can find more information about screen sharing here, in the Zoom Help Center.
  • Recording your Zoom Poster Presentation: Because this is a live event, we do not require students to record their presentations ahead of time. More importantly, due to the nature of Zoom in general, it is difficult for us to record all poster presentations as they occur. If you would like your poster presentation to be recorded, please adequately prepare in advance.