The University of Maine Student Symposium (UMSS) is now accepting abstract applications for their 2022 event. This annual forum is an opportunity for students, graduate and undergraduate, to present research and/or creative projects to the UMaine community. The goal is to foster change in the community while offering students the experience to enrich their creative, research and leadership skills.
This year the UMSS is going to be held in-person on Friday, April 15, though the presentations will be showcased in a virtual video format. The event is a part of this year’s UMaine Impact Week and is completely open to the public.
The deadline for abstract submission to be a student presenter is March 7. Abstracts must be written by one or more undergraduate or graduate students and be sponsored by a UMaine faculty member. Along with the abstract submission, that faculty member must submit an abstract review by Mar. 14. April 1 is the deadline to get virtual presentations submitted. The abstract submission is expected to be about two hundred and fifty words and concisely and accurately discuss the goal or form of the project as well as any outcomes discovered. It should also follow the student’s major or discipline’s standards.
For attendees, the event will be held in the New Balance Student Recreation Center. Guests will be required to follow CDC guidelines and wear a mask at the event at all times when indoors. Guests will also be asked to present either a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the event or a copy of their CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Card. On top of being presented at the event, the student participants’ projects will be available on the UMSS website.
In 2021, the UMSS offered the opportunity to virtually present 338 research projects 20 awards were given out to both undergraduate and graduate students. The awards are based around different areas of research, including the arts, biomedical sciences, education, natural and physical sciences, among others. One of the awards, the Dr. Susan J. Hunter Presidential Research Impact Award, is only awarded to one graduate and undergraduate student and is very prestigious.
For the 2022 UMSS, they are also accepting people to participate in the event as volunteers and judges. Volunteers are expected to help set up, run registration, help with guest services and assist with clean up on April 14 and 15. All volunteers will receive a digital certificate for their participation. Judges are volunteers from UMaine faculty, staff, community members, sponsors or graduate students. There are no requirements or credentials needed to be a judge, any volunteers just need to be available to judge from Tuesday, April 5 through Wednesday, April 13.
If you are interested in either of these opportunities, or submitting an application to present your own research project, you can find the appropriate sign up forms here at https://umaine.edu/umss/.
