Research & Idea Symposium

The Newcomb-Tulane College (NTC) Research & Idea Symposium is the undergraduate showcase providing students the opportunity to present research projects, internship outcomes and grant-funded experiences, practice communication and presentation skills, connect with faculty and fellow researchers, fulfill funding requirements and generate a resume-building publication.

All NTC undergraduate students from any major are invited to share their findings and experiences with faculty and peers through a poster presentation at either the fall or spring symposium. Your poster and presentation must represent your specific role in the project. 

Important Dates, Deadlines and Forms

To present your poster in either the fall or spring symposium, you must submit the registration form indicating your intent to present and provide details about your project, your abstract for inclusion in the digital event program and your final poster for printing along with photos from your project.

Date: Nov. 10 from 4-5:30 p.m.
Location: LBC, Kendall Cram Lecture Hall & Qatar Ballroom
 

Registration deadline: Oct. 2

Fill out the form to participate
 

Abstract submission deadline: Oct. 19
Your submitted abstract must be final. If you would like your abstract reviewed by URAF staff before submitting, email it as a Word doc to uraf@tulane.edu no later than noon on Oct. 9.

Submit your FInal abstract
 

Poster and photo file submission deadline: Oct. 26

Submit your Final poster

Date: April 2027; check back for final date
Location: LBC, Kendall Cram Lecture Hall & Qatar Ballroom

Registration deadline: TBA
Abstract submission deadline: TBA

Poster and photo file submission deadline: TBA

Abstract Requirements

An abstract is a short summary of your presentation, usually about a paragraph (75-150 words) long. A well-written abstract lets readers get the gist or essence of your presentation quickly, prepares readers to follow the detailed information, analyses, and arguments of your presentation and helps readers remember key points about your presentation.

  1. The context or background information for your research/internship/experiential learning, the general topic under study and/or the specific topic of your research/internship/experiential learning.
  2. The central questions or statement of the problem your research/internship/experiential learning addresses.
  3. What’s already known about this question/what previous research has done or shown.
  4. The main reason(s), the exigency, the rationale and/or the goals for your research/internship/experiential learning: Why is it important to address these questions? Are you, for example, examining a new topic? Why is that topic worth examining? Are you filling a gap in previous research, applying new methods to take a fresh look at existing ideas or data or resolving a dispute within the literature in your field?
  5. Your research and/or analytical methods.
  6. Your main findings, results or arguments.
  7. The significance or implications of your findings or arguments. 

Poster Requirements

If your file does not meet these requirements, it will be rejected. You will need to correct all errors and resubmit.

The PDF of the poster you submit must be “flattened” before printing and sized at 42x36 inches in landscape orientation. We recommend the method outlined on this webpage.

Templates, presentation guidelines, and printing resources can be found here for sciences and here for social sciences and humanities.  

  1. Begin with a core question or problem that your research or experience addresses along with a clear response to this question, which forms a central thesis.
  2. Highlight the methodology, i.e., the data collection and/or observations that allowed you to draw your main conclusions.
  3. Use a mixture of text and graphics to illustrate your findings.
  4. Don't be exhaustive; present the highlights of the project.
  1. Use at least 150 dpi but no more than 300 dpi for all pictures and graphs.
  2. Web images usually have poor resolution, so be wary about using them on posters. Images may not look bad on your computer, but keep in mind the sheer size difference between your computer screen and your printed poster.  
  3. If you're using photos, save them as JPG or PNG for best results. For linear images, like charts and graphs, use PNG only. 
Diverse group of students and professionals at a poster session, many pointing at displays.

 

Poster Competition


All symposium participants have the option to enter their poster in the symposium poster competition during the submission process. Competition entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges before the symposium, and finalists will be selected in five categories: STEM lab research, STEM field research, non-STEM research, internships and other experiential learning projects.

Finalists will be assigned a live judging window. From 4-4:30, finalists must be present at their posters and answer questions from the judges. Winners will be selected based on both their poster and in-person presentation. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the symposium.

We encourage all presenters to consider participating as an opportunity to receive additional recognition for their work. Winners in each category will receive $50 in Splash Cash.

 

Although there are many different contexts for academic poster sessions, the objective is always to share your “work in progress” and receive comments from different perspectives. Tulane’s Research and Idea Symposium is multidisciplinary, so you will be presenting to people with varying levels of familiarity with your field and your focus. Your ability to speak across differences and disciplines demonstrates genuine command of your material. Keep this in mind while you prepare to present. Make an appointment here if you would like more guidance on preparing your presentation.

  1. Prepare a 30-second and a 60-second speech summarizing your research for a general audience. Considering how quickly observers interact with research posters, it is best to have something prepared.  
  2. Prepare to explain it without disciplinary-specific jargon or technical terms.
  3. Highlight the most exciting and persuasive parts.  
  4. Share your enthusiasm.
  5. Memorize your poster structure (but not your speech). This can help you quickly point out notable sections or sections of inquiry.
  6. Make eye contact when speaking to observers.
  7. Speak to small groups to avoid repeating yourself throughout the session.
  8. Speak slowly and with a clear tone.
  9. Know your subject material — enough to adequately explain to people who are unfamiliar. Practice with your friends.
  10. Highlight your findings and discussion, as this may inspire your observers to conduct research in your area.
  11. Take notes on recommendations from observers and note where they have a hard time understanding.
  12. Connect your research to popular research in the field.