Q: I see the event is divided into two poster sessions. If I present, should I be there for both sessions?

Yes! During one session, you will present your poster; during the other, you will have the opportunity to speak with other undergraduates about their projects, and, in so doing, to deepen your knowledge of research being conducted at UMD and elsewhere. Speaking with other students about their work will also enable you to observe and learn from how they approach presenting while honing your capacity to ask thoughtful, probing questions about research in a range of fields. These opportunities for growth are among the key benefits of participating in SURC, as noted above.

Question 1

What are the specific benefits of presenting at SURC?

Accepted Answer

SURC enables you to meet other members of the campus community who are excited about research and to share your research with them. If you present at the event, you’ll further develop your capacity to communicate about your research orally, visually, and in writing. Equally important, SURC provides an opportunity to learn more about the research projects of other undergraduates, hone your capacity to ask useful and probing questions of other researchers, and learn from the experience of observing other students present. SURC attracts presenters and audience members from a wide range of fields, which means that it offers a particularly good chance to practice communicating about research with people outside your area of study and to learn about research being conducted beyond your field.

Question 2

Who is eligible to apply to present at SURC?

Accepted Answer

SURC is an opportunity for undergraduates at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) to share research and learn more about research being conducted by other undergraduates. Presenters must be either current UMD undergraduates or undergraduates from other institutions participating in summer research programs on the UMD campus. Most presenters at the event share research conducted at UMD, but current UMD undergraduates can propose to share research projects that they have undertaken at other institutions.Faculty, staff, graduate students, and researchers at other institutions may be listed on SURC posters as research collaborators and advisors. However, the presenter(s) discussing a given project at the event should be undergraduates. Undergraduates should also take the lead in authoring abstracts and designing posters for the event.

Question 3

What type of work can be presented at SURC?

Accepted Answer

Undergraduates are welcome to present scholarly and creative work in all fields. This work may have been conducted as part of a campus course, research program, or internship, or it may have been undertaken at another institution during the presenter’s undergraduate years.

Question 4

Is it acceptable to propose to present a research project on which I am still working?

Accepted Answer

We welcome the presentation of ongoing projects. At a minimum, we would ask that you have a well-developed research design or plan for the project in place to share with the SURC audience. Please ask the senior researcher advising your project whether they feel it would be a good idea for you to present at SURC. If they think it would be, please submit a proposal.

Question 5

​​  I worked on my project with other UMD undergraduates. Can we still share our work at the event if only some of us can be there?

Accepted Answer

Ideally, all of the undergraduates who worked on your project would have the opportunity to present the project at the event. (In the case of large groups, you might need to divide your session into shifts to enable everyone to present given the limited space that will be available in front of your poster.) At the same time, we understand that some group members may not be based in the College Park area this summer or may not be able to present for other reasons, and we do not require all group members to be presenters.

Question 6

I see the event is divided into two poster sessions. If I present, should I be there for both sessions?

Accepted Answer

Yes! ​During one session, you will present your poster; during the other, you will have the opportunity to speak with other undergraduates about their projects, and, in so doing, to deepen your knowledge of research being conducted at UMD and elsewhere. Speaking with other students about their work will also enable you to observe and learn from how they approach presenting while honing your capacity to ask thoughtful, probing questions about research in a range of fields. These opportunities for growth are among the key benefits of participating in SURC, as noted above.

Question 7

SURC consists of two sessions, and presenters are generally expected to attend both sessions. I have a time conflict with one session that involves a summer class or other important commitment that cannot be rescheduled. Can I still submit a proposal to present?

Accepted Answer

We do not expect presenters to miss critical commitments that cannot be rescheduled (e.g., classes) to attend the entire event. You can still apply to present if you have a time conflict involving this type of commitment. You will have an opportunity to tell us more about your time conflict on the proposal submission form and to indicate the session in which you would be available to present. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to place you in the session that you identify, but we will be attentive to time conflicts when assigning students to sessions.

Question 8

SURC consists of two sessions, and presenters are generally expected to attend both sessions. I am part of a group of undergraduate researchers who would like to present a project at the event, but some of our group members have time conflicts with parts of the event. These conflicts involve summer classes or other important commitments that cannot be rescheduled. Can we still submit a proposal to present?

Accepted Answer

We do not expect presenters to miss critical commitments that cannot be rescheduled (e.g., classes) to attend the entire event. Your group can still apply to present if members have time conflicts involving this type of commitment. You will have an opportunity to tell us more about your group's time conflicts on the proposal submission form and to indicate the session in which your group prefers to present. If you face a situation in which some group members have conflicts with one session and other group members have conflicts with the other, you should discuss the issue as a group and come to a shared decision about which session will be listed as your preference on the form. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to place you in the session that you identify, but we will be attentive to time conflicts when assigning students to sessions. (Given that we cannot guarantee placement in a particular session, any group member interested in presenting should be listed on the proposal form, even if they have a conflict with the session that your group lists as its preference.)

Question 9

Am I guaranteed a space at the event if I submit a proposal?

Accepted Answer

Submitting a proposal does not mean you are guaranteed a space in the event. After you submit your proposal, it will be reviewed by your faculty research advisor. They will be asked to consider whether your project is sufficiently developed and whether the results can be publicly shared.​Please bear in mind too that space at the event venue is limited. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Question 10

A team of researchers undertook the project I would like to present at Undergraduate Research Day. Who should be listed as a presenter in the proposal?

Accepted Answer

Undergraduate team members who will be present for all or part of the time to discuss the project should be listed in the proposal form as presenters.Undergraduate team members who will not be present and faculty, staff, and graduate student team members should not be listed on the form as presenters. However, you should identify them in response to the question on the proposal form about contributors who will not be presenting. You should also discuss with your faculty research advisor how to acknowledge the work of these contributors on your poster.

Question 11

I am part of a group of undergraduates interested in presenting a project on which we all worked together. Should each of us submit a separate proposal form, or should we submit one form for the entire group?

Accepted Answer

Your group should submit one proposal form. The group members should review the form and prepare an abstract together, then designate one person to input information into the form on behalf of the group.If any of your group members have unresolvable time conflicts with portions of the event, you should also discuss these conflicts as a group and decide collectively if you wish to express a preference to present during a particular session on the proposal form. (If your group does indicate a preference for one session on the form, we will take that preference into consideration, but we cannot guarantee that you will be placed in your preferred session.)​The person who fills out the form will also be expected to serve as the group's point of contact with OUR, although other group members listed on the form will also receive email updates about the status of the group's proposal.

Question 12

Who should be listed in the proposal form as the faculty research advisor for my project?

Accepted Answer

Your faculty research advisor is the faculty member who supervised the project that you wish to present. Even if you worked on your project in the context of a research group in which you had more day-to-day contact with a graduate student or postdoctoral associate, the faculty member who led the research group should be listed on the form. Regarding research projects conducted at other universities or research institutes, please provide the name of the senior researcher with whom you worked at the external organization.

Question 13

How will my faculty research advisor receive a copy of my proposal form to review?

Accepted Answer

You will be asked to enter your advisor's name and email address in the form. Once the form has been submitted, they will receive an email with the information they need to review it.

Question 14

The faculty member who advised my project is not contactable or cannot review the form. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

Please ask another faculty member in the field in which your project was conducted if they can review your form.

Question 15

What should I discuss in my project abstract?

Accepted Answer

In your abstract, please do the following:Succinctly explain the question or problem that your project addresses.Highlight how your project relates to the broader literature in your field.Discuss the methods used in your project.Summarize key results from your project.Briefly comment on the implications of your results for our understanding of the question or problem. SURC welcomes the presentation of works-in-progress. If you do not have results ready to share, please focus on the first three items on this list.

Question 16

Should I write my project abstract for a general audience?

Accepted Answer

We ask that you prepare an abstract appropriate for a disciplinary audience, but also that you avoid creating unnecessary barriers to non-specialists' understanding when writing your abstract.​​​​​We recommend that you begin by drafting an abstract that you feel would be appropriate to submit to a conference in your field. In other words, it should be written for an audience that knows your discipline or area of study well, but may not know much about your specific research question. ​​​​Once you have drafted your abstract with a disciplinary audience in mind, please review it critically. Does it include inessential jargon, unnecessary references to discipline-specific concepts, etc. that would be obstacles to non-specialists' understanding? If so, please excise them. ​​​​Reflecting on the perspective of non-specialists as you write your abstract will be useful preparation for the SURC poster session. SURC attendees will come from a wide range of fields; as you prepare to answer questions about your work at the event, you should consider how to explain your project to people from a wide range of perspectives, ranging from an expert in your field to someone with little knowledge of it.

Question 17

How long should my project abstract be?

Accepted Answer

Your abstract should be no longer than 1700 characters, including spaces. The project title should be no longer than 80 characters, including spaces.

Question 18

What does presenting at SURC entail?

Accepted Answer

SURC will feature two "poster sessions"; you will be a presenter during one session and an audience member in the other. During a poster session, presenters stand by posters highlighting their work, while audience members circulate around the room, view the posters, and engage the presenters in dialogue.​You do not need to prepare a formal talk for the session in which you'll be presenting, but we recommend you think in advance about the types of questions you might receive about your project and potential responses to those questions. Think through a brief (1-2 minute) summary of the project in advance, as it is common for attendees at poster sessions to begin a conversation with a presenter by requesting an overview of the presenter’s project.

Question 19

What topics should be covered by my poster?

Accepted Answer

Your poster should do the following:Identify the core question or problem that your project engages.Make clear how the project relates to the broader literature in your field.Describe the methods used.Share key results from your project. Comment on the implications of your results for our understanding.SURC welcomes the presentation of works-in-progress. If you do not have results ready to share, please focus on the first three items on this list.

Question 20

When I prepare my poster and think about answering questions from attendees, what type of audience(s) should I have in mind?

Accepted Answer

Like your abstract for the event, your poster should be prepared with an audience of specialists in your academic field in mind, but you should be particularly careful to avoid extraneous references to discipline-specific jargon, concepts, etc. that would be barriers to non-specialists' understanding. The goal is for you to have the experience of developing a poster that would be appropriate for presentation at an academic conference in your field, while also reflecting on how to make your work as accessible as possible given that constraint. ​Attendees at the SURC poster session will come from a wide range of fields. As you prepare for the event, you should consider how to explain your project to people from a wide range of perspectives, ranging from an expert in your field to someone with little knowledge of it.

Question 21

Who should I ask for feedback on my poster before I finalize it?

Accepted Answer

Please ask your research advisor to comment on your poster. At the time you request feedback, please also ask your advisor whether they would support its publication in our online repository of SURC posters. If they do not support the poster's publication online, you should not upload it to the repository. You can still participate in the event regardless of whether you share your poster in the repository. (You can find more information about uploading materials to the repository in the "Participating in SURC" section of this site.)​If you also worked with a graduate student or other senior researcher on your project, we strongly recommend that you ask them for feedback, too. Bear in mind that all requests for feedback should be sent well in advance of the date that you plan to finalize your poster.

Question 22

The event is divided into two sessions. How do I find out the session during which I will present my poster?

Accepted Answer

Please refer to your acceptance email for the event, which identifies the session in which you will be presenting. Please bear in mind as well that participating in SURC entails presenting in one session and engaging with other students' work as an audience member in the other; unless you have an unresolvable conflict, you should plan to be present for the entire event, not just the session during which you present your own poster.

Question 23

How can I get my poster printed?

Accepted Answer

You are responsible for printing your poster and paying for the printing costs.You can print your poster at the McKeldin Library; please see the section of this website labeled "Specialized Printing/Publishing Services and Costs" for more information. If you wish to print at McKeldin, we advise placing your order a week in advance. Another option for poster printing on campus is the Engineering Copy Center. If you wish to print at the Engineering Copy Center, we advise placing your order a week in advance. Off-campus retailers (e.g., FedEx Office) may also offer printing options.Whether you plan to print your poster on- or off-campus, we recommend printing it well before the event.

Question 24

What time should I arrive?

Accepted Answer

We ask presenters to arrive half an hour before the event begins. Arriving at this time will provide presenters with sufficient time to pick up their name tags and then hang their posters (in the case of presenters in the first session) or store their posters (in the case of presenters in the second session).

Question 25

What can I do with my poster during the session when I am not presenting it?

Accepted Answer

We have reserved a room near the event venue for poster storage, and you are welcome to store your poster there. This room should not be used to store valuables or other personal items. More details about the poster storage room will be provided to presenters over email.

Question 26

Do I need to bring push pins?

Accepted Answer

Push pins will be provided; you do not need to bring your own.

Question 27

Is there an online collection of SURC posters? If so, how do I upload my poster, and are there circumstances in which I should not add my poster to the collection?

Accepted Answer

Copies of posters from SURC will be shared via the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM), a site managed by the UMD libraries that many researchers at the university use to make their work available online. ​​Uploading your poster to DRUM is optional.If you are interested in uploading your poster, please ask your faculty research advisor if they support publishing the poster online; if they do not, you should not upload your poster to DRUM.​​We will provide DRUM upload instructions to interested presenters as the event draws closer.​​If you or your faculty research advisor have questions related to the online repository, please contact OUR.

Question 28

Should I wear business clothing to SURC?

Accepted Answer

We encourage you to wear business clothing, but it is not required.

Question 29

Can I invite people to come to SURC?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we urge you to do so! Please invite your research advisor, other students interested in research, friends, and family members.

Question 30

I would like to bring in an object related to my research to display alongside my poster. Can you provide me with a table on which I can place this item?

Accepted Answer

No, we cannot provide a display table. Please bear in mind that space at the venue is limited.

Question 31

I have a condition that would make it difficult to stand for a prolonged period at the event. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

Please contact OUR.

Question 32

What should I do with my poster once the event is over?

Accepted Answer

If you wish to keep your poster, please take it with you. OUR will recycle posters left behind after the event.

Hundreds of UMD undergraduates share posters about their scholarly and creative work at Undergraduate Research Day each Summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the specific benefits of presenting at SURC?

Who is eligible to apply to present at SURC?

What type of work can be presented at SURC?

Is it acceptable to propose to present a research project on which I am still working?

I worked on my project with other UMD undergraduates. Can we still share our work at the event if only some of us can be there?

I see the event is divided into two poster sessions. If I present, should I be there for both sessions?

SURC consists of two sessions, and presenters are generally expected to attend both sessions. I have a time conflict with one session that involves a summer class or other important commitment that cannot be rescheduled. Can I still submit a proposal to present?

Am I guaranteed a space at the event if I submit a proposal?

A team of researchers undertook the project I would like to present at Undergraduate Research Day. Who should be listed as a presenter in the proposal?

I am part of a group of undergraduates interested in presenting a project on which we all worked together. Should each of us submit a separate proposal form, or should we submit one form for the entire group?

Who should be listed in the proposal form as the faculty research advisor for my project?

How will my faculty research advisor receive a copy of my proposal form to review?

The faculty member who advised my project is not contactable or cannot review the form. What should I do?

What should I discuss in my project abstract?

Should I write my project abstract for a general audience?

How long should my project abstract be?

What does presenting at SURC entail?

What topics should be covered by my poster?

When I prepare my poster and think about answering questions from attendees, what type of audience(s) should I have in mind?

Who should I ask for feedback on my poster before I finalize it?

The event is divided into two sessions. How do I find out the session during which I will present my poster?

How can I get my poster printed?

What time should I arrive?

What can I do with my poster during the session when I am not presenting it?

Do I need to bring push pins?

Is there an online collection of SURC posters? If so, how do I upload my poster, and are there circumstances in which I should not add my poster to the collection?

Should I wear business clothing to SURC?

Can I invite people to come to SURC?

I would like to bring in an object related to my research to display alongside my poster. Can you provide me with a table on which I can place this item?

I have a condition that would make it difficult to stand for a prolonged period at the event. What should I do?

What should I do with my poster once the event is over?

Hundreds of UMD undergraduates share posters about their scholarly and creative work at Undergraduate Research Day each Summer.

What are the specific benefits of presenting at SURC?

Who is eligible to apply to present at SURC?

What type of work can be presented at SURC?

Is it acceptable to propose to present a research project on which I am still working?

​​ I worked on my project with other UMD undergraduates. Can we still share our work at the event if only some of us can be there?

I see the event is divided into two poster sessions. If I present, should I be there for both sessions?

SURC consists of two sessions, and presenters are generally expected to attend both sessions. I have a time conflict with one session that involves a summer class or other important commitment that cannot be rescheduled. Can I still submit a proposal to present?

Am I guaranteed a space at the event if I submit a proposal?

A team of researchers undertook the project I would like to present at Undergraduate Research Day. Who should be listed as a presenter in the proposal?

I am part of a group of undergraduates interested in presenting a project on which we all worked together. Should each of us submit a separate proposal form, or should we submit one form for the entire group?

Who should be listed in the proposal form as the faculty research advisor for my project?

How will my faculty research advisor receive a copy of my proposal form to review?

The faculty member who advised my project is not contactable or cannot review the form. What should I do?

What should I discuss in my project abstract?

Should I write my project abstract for a general audience?

How long should my project abstract be?

What does presenting at SURC entail?

What topics should be covered by my poster?

When I prepare my poster and think about answering questions from attendees, what type of audience(s) should I have in mind?

Who should I ask for feedback on my poster before I finalize it?

The event is divided into two sessions. How do I find out the session during which I will present my poster?

How can I get my poster printed?

What time should I arrive?

What can I do with my poster during the session when I am not presenting it?

Do I need to bring push pins?

Is there an online collection of SURC posters? If so, how do I upload my poster, and are there circumstances in which I should not add my poster to the collection?

Should I wear business clothing to SURC?

Can I invite people to come to SURC?

I would like to bring in an object related to my research to display alongside my poster. Can you provide me with a table on which I can place this item?

I have a condition that would make it difficult to stand for a prolonged period at the event. What should I do?

What should I do with my poster once the event is over?

I worked on my project with other UMD undergraduates. Can we still share our work at the event if only some of us can be there?