Presenter FAQs

General Questions

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What is the Undergraduate Symposium?

The Undergraduate Symposium is an annual showcase and celebration of undergraduate research, scholarly work, service-learning, community-based research, creative projects, and fine arts. All UW-Madison undergraduates are eligible to apply to present, and all mentors, faculty, staff, community members, family, and friends are invited to attend.

Why should I present at the Undergraduate Symposium?

The Undergraduate Symposium is a great opportunity to:

  • Gain experience presenting your work in a professional setting
  • Build valuable presentation, public speaking, and networking skills (which are essential for many graduate and professional pursuits!)
  • Connect with, learn from, and be inspired by students both in and outside of your field
  • Meet and share your work with other mentors and faculty members
  • Celebrate your achievements and those of your peers!

When and where is the Undergraduate Symposium?

The 2025 Undergraduate Symposium will be held on Friday, April 25 on floor 2 and 3 of Union South.

Who is eligible to present at the symposium?

All UW-Madison undergraduates are eligible to submit an application to present at the Undergraduate Symposium. All students who submit a complete application with a complete and signed mentor approval form will be able to participate in the symposium.

Who is invited to attend the symposium?

The Undergraduate Symposium is a public event and open to all who would like to attend. We encourage you to invite your mentors, instructors, advisors, friends, and family.

I have questions about accessibility and/or would like to request accommodations for the event. Who should I reach out to?

The Undergraduate Symposium team is committed to ensuring the symposium is accessible and enjoyable for all participants and guests. If you have questions about accessibility or will require specific accommodations for the event, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at ugradsymposium@wisc.edu. We are more than happy to help!

Application Questions

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What will I need to complete the Undergraduate Symposium application?

To apply to present your project at the Undergraduate Symposium, you will need:

  • A project title
  • A project abstract
  • 3-5 keywords representing the focus and main ideas of your project
  • A project mentor or project mentors
  • A complete and signed mentor approval form
  • Your availability on the day of the symposium so you can rank session times in order of your preference
  • Your choice of presentation format (poster, 5- or 10-minute presentation, art/project display, or film/performance)

Can I present more than one project at the Undergraduate Symposium?

Yes, you can present more than one project at the symposium. If you plan to present the same project in more than one session at the Undergraduate Symposium, please contact us at ugradsymposium@wisc.edu.

I would like to apply to present a project with my project team. Should we each submit an application?

No, groups presenting at the Undergraduate Symposium should designate one project member to submit one mentor approval form and one application for your team. The mentor approval form and application will ask the team member applying to list all other project members as co-presenters, so individual applications are not necessary.

For example, if Jane, John, and Jo would like to apply to present one poster together at the Undergraduate Symposium, they should select one project member to submit the application. If they select Jane, Jane will fill out the application and list John and Jo as co-presenters.

We ask students to do this because applications are read as per presentation, poster, performance, or display being presented at the symposium, not per student presenting. If Jane, John, and Jo each submit an application to present a poster together at the symposium, the Undergraduate Symposium team will assume that Jane, John, and Jo plan to present three posters together, which is not the case (and would be quite a full day!).

What are co-presenters? What are additional co-authors? What is the difference?

If you are applying to present with a group at the Undergraduate Symposium, your group should designate one member to submit an application for your entire team. All group members who are not the primary applicant (the student submitting the application for the group) are co-presenters. Co-presenters will be listed with the group member applying on the Undergraduate Symposium schedule, program, and abstract book.

Additional co-authors are other students who collaborated with you on your project, but will not be presenting with you at the Undergraduate Symposium. Additional co-authors will be given credit for their contributions to the project in the abstract book published on our website, but they will not be included on the schedule or event program. We encourage you to ask your project collaborators who will not be presenting with you if they would like to be listed as additional co-authors. If not, you do not need to include them on your application.

Only other students who collaborated with you on your project should be listed as co-presenters or additional co-authors. Mentors should not be listed as co-presenters or additional co-authors.

For example, if John and Jo would like to present a poster together at the symposium, they should decide which of the two of them will complete the mentor approval form and submit the application. If they decide John should be the one to apply, John will list Jo as a co-presenter on the mentor approval form and the application. 

If they also worked with Jane on their project, but she is unable to present with them at the Undergraduate Symposium, John should list Jane as an additional co-author on the mentor approval form so she can be given credit in the abstract book.

What is a mentor? Who should sign the mentor approval form if I have more than one mentor?

A mentor is a faculty member, staff member, postdoctoral researcher, or graduate student who supervises your project and will advise you as you design your poster or presentation. Mentors are often professors, advisors for independent studies or theses, or PIs (principal investigators).

Students can have any mentor sign the mentor approval form. If you have more than one, we encourage you to confirm with your mentors whether they have preferences regarding who should sign. Generally, we recommend that the mentor who signs has closely supervised your work and can review and provide feedback on your project title and abstract or artist’s statement.

Does it matter which mentor I list as my primary mentor on the application?

We recommend that you list your mentors in supervisory order. So, if you are working on a research project with your PI and a research assistant, we encourage you to list your PI as the primary mentor and the research assistant as your second mentor.

What are keywords?

Keywords are words or short phrases that represent the focus and key ideas of your project. All applicants will be asked to share three to five keywords for their project. Learn more about keywords here.

Can I apply to present my research if it will not be complete by April?

Yes, you can. Students regularly present research that is still in progress. You do not need your final results to present your work.

Are there any resources that can help me write my project abstract or artist's statement?

Yes, we encourage you to use the Writing Center’s resource on writing abstracts or to book an appointment to work with Writing Center staff on your abstract.

If you have any questions as you are working on your project title and abstract/artist’s statement, please also feel free to reach out to the Undergraduate Symposium team. We are happy to assist you!

Preparation Questions

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Are there resources that can help me with designing my poster or presentation?

Yes, there are many resources to help with this. DesignLab and the Writing Center have some great resources (see buttons below), and the “Prepare” page of our website can also offer some helpful guidance.

The Writing Center’s Poster Creation Resource

DesignLab’s Poster Design Resource

DesignLab’s Presentation Resource

If you need further support or have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

What are some quick tips for designing my poster or presentation?

  1. Be sure to include your mentor’s name on your poster or presentation!
  2. Avoid overcrowding your poster or presentation materials.
  3. Keep information minimal and scannable.
    • Long, complex sentences are difficult for viewers to absorb.
    • Use simple terms; avoid jargon
    • Use interesting visuals, bold headings, and bulleted or numbered lists.
    • Don’t write paragraphs of information.
    • Be concise, precise, and straightforward.
  4. Highlight your take-home message.
    • What is the single most important thing you want your audience to understand, believe, accept, or do after they see your poster?
    • Include a succinct statement of your project’s main argument and the evidence that supports that argument.
    • Use visuals to distill and communicate your take-home message quickly and easily.
  5. Solicit feedback.
    • Show your poster or slides to friends.
    • Meet with your mentor to review your presentation.
    • Consult with a staff member at The Writing Center to explain your project, practice your presentation, and to hear, firsthand, what your listeners find particularly intriguing and relevant.
    • Make note of the kinds of questions you’re asked, and be ready to answer them.

Where should I print my poster?

We strongly encourage you to print your poster through College Library. College Library will offer free poster printing to all students presenting posters at the Undergraduate Symposium. They also guarantee that posters submitted for printing before the poster printing deadline (Wednesday, April 16, 2025) will print in time for the event.

Please note: College Library will be the only venue offering free poster printing to Undergraduate Symposium participants– if participants print elsewhere, they are responsible for the cost of printing their posters.

Undergraduate Symposium participants should not print posters for the event through MERIT Library or Steenbock Library. College Library is the designated library for Undergraduate Symposium poster printing.

Participants who would prefer not to print with College Library are welcome to print through other (non-campus library) venues. Students should be mindful that many venues experience increased printing traffic in April, leading to longer turnaround times than usual. We encourage you to confirm the latest time you can submit your poster for it to be received before the event.

If you have any questions, please contact the Undergraduate Symposium team at ugradsymposium@wisc.edu. We are happy to help!

Are there size requirements for posters?

All posters should be 43 inches wide by 36 inches high.

Are there any requirements for presentations?

Our only requirements for presentations are that they fit within the allotted time (5 or 10 minutes) and that your mentor’s name is included on any visual presentation materials you use. Otherwise, you have the freedom to design your presentation in whatever way best showcases your project!

When will the Undergraduate Symposium schedule be released?

The Undergraduate Symposium schedule will be released in late March or early April. Please keep an eye on your inbox for messages from the Undergraduate Symposium coordinator.

What if my research is ongoing?

Scholars often present their work before their projects are complete. Here some tips for doing so:

  • If you do not have a definitive conclusion, you can discuss the kind of results you hope to obtain and the significance of these results.
  • Keep in mind that your explanation of those results and their significance is more important than the raw results themselves.
  • Develop a plan of action for talking about your project that best emphasizes its significance and interesting points. Some students choose to state their results and their significance first and then show how they arrived at those results in the body of the talk. Others focus their presentation or poster on their background and methods and spend less time talking about results and their significance. We encourage you to organize your presentation in whatever way best suits your project.

When is the latest possible time I can email the Undergraduate Symposium team?

Please contact the symposium planning team as early as possible to work through any issues. Symposium organizers are very busy the day before and day of the symposium and will not be available for last minute troubleshooting. To contact the team, email ugradsymposium@wisc.edu.

Presentation & Day-Of Questions

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When and where do I present?

Please check the symposium schedule (which will be released in late March or early April) to find your assigned session time and presentation room.

What time should I arrive at Union South?

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your session time begins so you will have time to register and grab a program.

Where should I go when I arrive?

There will be registration tables outside of Varsity Hall. Please register before heading to your presentation room.

Can I invite my mentors, friends, and family?

Yes, absolutely! The Undergraduate Symposium is a celebration of your hard work and accomplishments, and any guests you’d like to invite are more than welcome to attend.

Is there a dress code?

Presenters are advised to dress professionally. Business casual attire is preferred.

Will presentations be timed?

Yes, presentations will be timed by your session moderator. We encourage you to practice your presentation and ensure it fits within time limits before presenting on the day of the symposium.

Can I leave before the end of my session?

No, presenters should not leave before their presentation session ends. If you have an obligation that will require you to leave early, please let the Undergraduate Symposium team know.

Should I attend other presentation sessions?

We strongly encourage you to attend other presentation sessions. Doing so will offer you the opportunity to learn about wide-ranging research and innovation from across campus and to network with other students and mentors.