The 3rd Annual Simpson Student Research Symposium will be held Saturday, March 2, 2013 on the campus of Simpson University. The organizing committee encourages students from the traditional undergraduate program, the adult degree-completion program (ASPIRE), and graduate programs to submit proposals for presentations at the event.

The theme for the 2013 symposium is “Marriage.” By selecting this theme, the organizing committee encourages proposals that explore the complex ways in which the concept of marriage appears within the arts and sciences. Topics are not limited to the institution of marriage, but could include research projects that examine the marriage of cultures, histories, principles, methodologies, worldviews, or ideas. Indeed, the committee hopes students will work with faculty mentors to think creatively about this theme as it applies to the subject matter of all academic disciplines in the university. While priority will be given to projects that incorporate this theme, proposals on any topic will be granted full consideration.

The committee welcomes presentations in three different formats: individual talk, poster, or panel discussion.  Abstracts must be submitted by February 1, 2013 to receive full consideration.

Student speakers are asked to prepare a talk that takes about 10 to 15 (but no more than 20) minutes to deliver and to be prepared to answer questions from the audience. These talks will preferably explore ideas outside of the standard undergraduate curriculum and may be based upon anything ranging from a summative class project to an independent research project. Visual aids (e.g., use of a whiteboard or an electronic slideshow) are especially encouraged. Be sure to talk to your faculty mentor. She or he can help you plan your talk to fit within these designated parameters.

Student poster presenters are asked to prepare a large-format poster (no larger than three feet tall by four feet wide) and to be prepared to explain the poster's contents in a group poster session setting. If prepared electronically, posters can be printed at a local print shop. (Printing options will be supplied upon successful submission of a poster presentations proposal.) As with talks, posters may be based upon anything ranging from a summative class project to an independent research project. Again, your faculty mentor can provide advice and guidance in designing a poster suitable to your project.

The goal of a good academic talk or poster presentation is to provide an interesting, self-contained overview of an academic topic. This includes being able to answer questions from the audience and to provide references so that interested audience members can learn more about the topic on their own. For more information, you are encouraged to perform a Google search for a phrase like “academic talk” or “academic poster.”