FAQs
How do I apply to present?
The application process is completed online. If you have problems, email UGResearch@purdue.edu.
Can I still apply if I am still in the early stages of my research?
Yes. Your research project does not have to be completed to be considered. Many students present ongoing research with preliminary results or anticipated findings. Students also submit to present knowing that by the time of the Fall Expo, more results will be obtained.
Can I submit applications for more than one research project?
No, only one proposal per student as the first/presenting author. Multiple students may appear on multiple projects, but a student may only be the first author for one submission.
Can I deliver a research talk and a poster at this year's Purdue Fall Undergraduate Research Expo?
No. If you are selected to deliver a research talk, you will not present a poster for the same abstract submission. However, you may submit a virtual presentation if you are presenting in person.
What format will the Fall Expo be?
The Fall Expo will be hybrid. Therefore, students could deliver PowerPoint slides for research talks, print out their posters for a poster session, or record their presentations and upload them to be shared with the Purdue community. Also, instead of the event only being one day, it spans multiple days for additional time to learn about other research projects on your own time for the virtual conference while also having in-person presentations.
What are the differences between a research talk and a poster presentation in-person and virtual?
In-Person: Oral presentations/research talks have 15 minutes for their presentation and Q&A and are delivered via PowerPoint slides. Poster presenters should prepare a 3-5-minute poster pitch and bring their printed poster to the session.
Virtual: All virtual presentations should be no longer than 7 minutes and can include up to 7 slides of information. Virtual presentations are not separated into research talks or posters.
How long should my abstract be?
Abstracts should be no more than 250 words.
How should I decide which college/school should have the final judging determination of my project?
Each abstract submission is reviewed by a college or school to determine if it can be presented and then determine who should make the final award determination for a presentation. Therefore, it is important that each presentation has a "primary" college or school for making these decisions. For your application, consider the primary/first student author's college/school, the department of the primary/first research mentor, and the area of the research project.
Note: Colleges and schools make the final decision on where an abstract submission is located for judging purposes.
Can someone show me how to write an abstract?
Yes. The Office of Undergraduate Research is available to help you write your abstract and you can utilize the resources in the Purdue Writing Lab and at the top of the Apply website. There will also be a seminar session via Zoom to discuss how to write an abstract and apply to the Fall Expo.
Can I update an abstract submission after I initially submit it?
Primary authors and primary mentors (listed first) can update abstracts after they have been submitted. This is to prevent back-and-forth updates through the OUR (usually requiring the student to copy the mentor or the OUR asking the mentor if they approve). This way, hopefully, authors are communicating with mentors to agree upon the changes. Primary mentors should work with the students to make the updates instead of denying them unless it is not to be presented. This way, the student can make the updates directly before the mentor goes in and approves the final version.
However, this means that each update submitted by the primary student author, even after being approved, requires additional approval by the primary mentor. This ensures changes are approved and nothing is accidentally presented incorrectly.
All submissions will have a final cut-off for any changes to titles, abstracts, and authors and will be communicated after the deadline.
Is the Fall Expo judged and provides awards for the top presenters?
Yes. The Fall Expo is formally judged and various academic units and programs provide awards to the top presenters for research talks/oral presentations and posters.
It is best to review the rubrics before finalizing your presentation and research talk.
Fall 2023 Rubrics below. Updated rubrics will be posted soon:
How are awards distributed?
The award will be distributed to all undergraduates who are indicated as "Undergraduate Presenting Authors." Undergraduate students who are listed as contributors or acknowledged do not receive a portion of the award.
What is the difference between the Fall Expo, the Spring Conference, and the Summer Symposium?
The Fall Expo and the Spring Conference are similar. The Summer Symposium is not formally judged and does not provide awards to the top presenters.
I am a faculty member and I received an email stating that a student indicated I was their research mentor. Why did I receive this email?
Students must indicate a research mentor on their application for presenting their project. You were included in the application for a student who has submitted a proposal for a research conference or symposium. Please contact the student and the Office of Undergraduate Research as soon as possible if you were unaware of this submission or select "Not approved" for the abstract submission.
What is the dress code for presenting during the in-person Fall Expo?
We recommend dressing in business casual for the presentations, but it is not required. You will see individuals in business professional clothing, too. If you need assistance with obtaining business casual or business professional clothes, consider the Center for Career Opportunities' Career Closet.
For in-person research talks: What format should I submit for my research talk?
You will not submit your research talk ahead of time. You will bring your presentation on a thumbdrive/flashdrive or you can bring you laptop if you have an HDMI port. If you bring it on a mobile storage device, it is recommended that you use Microsoft PowerPoint or PDF files and not use special fonts as these may not show up well on the computers in the rooms. If you use special fonts, please consider a PDF of your presentation to maintain these. (Note: PDFs do not have animation.)
For in-person poster presenters: What size should my poster be?
Posters should not be wider than 4' (48") nor taller than 3' (36"). This is standard poster size and is due to the limitations of the wide-format printing option in WALC and HIKS (see next question).
For in-person poster presenters: How can I print my poster?
Check with your research mentor to see if there are printing options within your department, program, or college/school. Purdue IT offers a wide format printing option on the 2nd floor of WALC Library and the Purdue IT desk in Hicks Library. The cost is $4/linear foot with 3'-wide paper.
The Discovery Park District has a wide-format printer that Engineering projects and Discovery Park projects can utilize. Please submit the poster PDF (48"x36" or 36"x24") to ewridgley@purdue.edu, and remember that they need at least two business days' notice with 10+ posters needing a week's notice. Additional information for using this poster printer, visit the Discovery Park District Poster Lab website.
Reminder: Right before poster sessions are an especially busy time for printers. Plan accordingly.
Faculty, Departments, or Programs: If you want to cover students' poster printing costs, but the students must print on one of the Purdue IT poster printers, complete this Request for Departmental Paid Print Quota Supplement document and email it to itlabs@purdue.edu. More information about this process can be found on the Wide Format Printing Purdue IT webpage.
If you are interested in a more permanent poster, there are alternatives to paper such as cloth posters that can be printed.
Are there poster templates I should use for the Conference?
Beyond staying within the 4'x3' size limitation, the content of the poster is up to you and your research team. However, there are templates and recommendations through Purdue Marketing & Communications and Purdue Libraries & School of Information Studies.
As someone who wants to watch the presentations, how do I access the links?
You will need a Purdue login to watch the presentations. If you do not, reach out to the Purdue OUR or the author to request permission to view the presentation.
What is the "Authorship Standard" and how do I know who is included as an author on my abstract submission?
Many organizations, journals, and conferences publish guidelines for author identification. In the absence of such a guideline, include authors based on the following from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors:- Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
- Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published; AND
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Acknowledgments may be used to denote contributions to the work that do not meet the criteria of authorship, such as supporting the study, general mentoring, acting as study coordinator or research technician, and other related auxiliary activities. Authors should verify that all individuals noted in an acknowledgments section have granted their permission to be listed.
- Undergraduate presenting authors: Undergraduate student who deserves authorship credit for this presentation and will be presenting this work at the conference.
- Undergraduate contributing authors: Undergraduate student who deserves authorship credit for this presentation but will not be presenting this work at the conference.
- Undergraduate researcher acknowledgments: Undergraduate student with substantial contribution to the research project but does not deserve authorship credit for this presentation.
For Purdue OUR conferences, mentors (non-undergraduate students who participate in the work) are listed separately to indicate their role with the project.
I saw photographers at the event. Can I get a copy of the photos they took of me?
Yes! We will upload all photos taken at the event to our photo gallery. Once these are uploaded, we will inform the presenters they are ready.
Is there a certificate I can receive for presenting during the Fall Expo?
Yes! There are individualized certificates that are available after awards are decided. This is because we include the awards on those presenters' certificates. This will be available in December and presenters will be told when they are available. A newsletter announcement will let you know when the certificate is available.
Is there a certificate I can receive for judging during the Fall Expo?
Yes! There are individualized certificates available in December after student awards are decided. A newsletter announcement will let you know when the certificate is available.
When will I hear if I won an award? When will I get the feedback from the judges?
Awards are determined following the conclusion of the event and are announced in December. After awards are decided, certificates are generated and photos are uploaded. We will notify presenters when these are decided and available.
What is the research study referenced in the automatic emails I received?
Any data collected for this event – including the application, presentation feedback evaluations (if they exist), event evaluations, and additional data obtained from the Office of the Registrar – may be used for research purposes by the Office of Undergraduate Research and study investigators for an IRB-approved study titled “Undergraduate Research Conferences” (IRB-2023-1142). To learn more about this study, please review the study information sheet. Data for this study will be deidentified prior to any analyses and reporting. Data will be excluded as follows:
- Abstracts are automatically excluded for presentations when the abstract is not approved to be published within the event information.
- Cases are automatically excluded for any presenter who is a minor at the time of the event.
- Additional cases are excluded for any presenter/mentor who opts out of their data use for research purposes.
Any exclusions or inclusions for research purposes do not impact any presenter’s selection to participate in the event.
Are there opportunities to volunteer during the Conference?
Yes! With hosting so many in-person presentations and presenters over two days, we appreciate volunteers helping guide and provide support during the event. You can sign up on the volunteer webpage.