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How to Organize an Undergraduate Research Conference and

Why it Matters

Western Deans of Arts & Sciences Conference

Banff, Alberta

Oct. 1st, 2010

Dr. Farhad Dastur

Associate Dean of Social Sciences

farhad.dastur@kwantlen.ca

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Richmond

Cloverdale

Langley

Surrey

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Two Simple Ideas

IDEA 1

Imagine a forum for undergraduate research: a place where students can present their research, share ideas, criticize the work of their peers, and network…

IDEA 2

Imagine empowering students to organize such a forum themselves.

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ObjectivesA Case Study Approach:

Connecting Minds National Undergraduate Research Conference in Psychology

• Overview; History; Scalability; Geographical and Institutional Representation

• Financial Considerations

• What the Student Organizing Team Learns

• What the Student Presenters Learn

• Opportunities for Service & Experiential Learning

• 7 Reasons Why Undergraduate Research Conferences Matter

• How Deans / Assoc. Deans Can Help

• Resources & Upcoming Events

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One Generally-Accepted Definition of Undergraduate Research

“Undergraduate research is an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline.”

Wenzel, T. J. (1997). “What is Undergraduate Research?” Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 17, 163.

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OverviewTheme: National Undergraduate Research in Psychology

Size: 186 student attendees

50 faculty + administrators

Program: 24 oral presentations; 75 posters

SSHRC grant panel; Graduate School Panel

Criteria: Open to any student enrolled in an undergraduate program

No faculty or graduate student presenters

Date: Typically first week of June

Place: Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Richmond Campus

chosen for proximity to Airport, Hotels, Restaurants, and Skytrain

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History

2006: Kwantlen Undergraduate Research Conference in Psychology (local)

Barry Beyerstein, Simon Fraser University

2007: Kwantlen Undergraduate Research Conference in Psychology (local)

Daniel Bernstein, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

2008: 1st Connecting Minds Conference (Canada-wide)

Elliot Aronson, University of California, Santa Cruz

2009: 2nd Connecting Minds Conference (Canada-wide) (co-organized with UFV)

Sam Gosling, University of Texas at Austin

2010: 3rd Connecting Minds Conference (North America-wide)

Albert Bandura, Stanford University

2011: 4th Connecting Minds Conference (Tri-national)

Michael Shermer, Claremont Graduate University

2012: 5th Connecting Minds Conference (International)

Elizabeth Loftus, University of California, Irvine

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Scalability

In-House 2006 & 2007

Vancouver > BC > Canada2008

Canada 2009

North America 2010

North America & Australia, 2011

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PROGRAM• Registration

• Welcome Address / Closing Address

• Paper Presentations & Poster Sessions

• Info Sessions: Graduate School Panel; SSHRC Grants

• Keynote Lecture

• Social Events: Reception with live music

• Meals: Appetizers, Pub Gathering, Breakfast, Lunch

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Geographic & Institutional Representation (numerical data from 2010; representation data from 2008-10)

BRITISH COLUMBIA (121) • Kwantlen Polytechnic University• Camosun College• Douglas College• Capilano University• Langara College• Simon Fraser University• Thompson Rivers University• University of British Columbia• UBC Okanagan• University of the Fraser Valley• University of Northern British

Columbia• University of Victoria• Vancouver Island University• Adler School of Professional

Psychology• Trinity Western University• Quest University

ALBERTA (8)• Ambrose University College• Grant McEwan College• University of Calgary• Lethbridge College• King’s University College

MANITOBAUniversity of Manitoba

SASKATCHEWAN (13)University of Saskatchewan

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Geographic & Institutional Representation (numerical data from 2010; representation data from 2008-10)

Ontario (11)• Brock University• Huron University College at the

University of Western Ontario• King’s University College at the

University of Western Ontario• Queen’s University• University of Ottawa• McMaster University• University of Toronto• University of Western Ontario• University of Guelph Quebec (2)• McGill University• Concordia University

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Geographic & Institutional Representation (numerical data from 2010; representation data from 2008-10)

New Brunswick• University of New Brunswick

Nova Scotia (3)• Saint Mary’s University• Dalhousie University

Newfoundland• Memorial University

Prince Edward Island (2)• University of Prince Edward Island

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Geographic & Institutional Representation (cumulative 2008-10)

The United States (26)• Western Washington University• University of Oregon• University of California at Los Angeles

Germany• University of Mannheim

Australia• Edith Cowan University (potential for 2011)

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A Few Sample TitlesTo Be Or Not To Be: Origins of Gender Identity and their Effects on Behaviour

 

The Timing of Reward Signals in Medial-Frontal Cortex Change with Learning

Sexual Guilt and Acculturation: Potential Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening Practices Among Chinese Canadian Women

 

Tell Me a Story: The Art and Alzheimer's Project

 

The Effects of Pre-Release Publicity of Criminal Offenders on Public Opinion

The Role of Memory in Math Skills in University Students

 

Why Risk It? A Study on the Link between Risky Behavior and Developmental Instability

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Revisiting Gate Control Theory: Opposing a Monopoly on Pain Discourse

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The Faculty / Administration Organizing Team

Faculty

2 dedicated Faculty Advisors and multiple faculty volunteers

Administration

1 Dean, 1 Associate Dean

Staff

1 Dept. Assistant

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Student Organizing Teams Structure 1 Student Head; 1 Faculty Head; 1-3 student volunteers

Abstract Selection

Events

Registration

Marketing

Budgets

Website

Facebook

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2008 Student / Faculty Organizing TeamL to R: Thomas Kerslake, Dr. Catherine Rawn, Dr. Jocelyn Lymburner, Oscar Astete, Levente Orban, Dr. Farhad Dastur, Dr. Ashiq Ali Shah, Nicole Pernat

19The Student Organizing Team (CM 2008)

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“No Ruby Red Slippers…”

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Financial Considerations: Expenses

Budget

$30,000 per conference

Expenses• Catering• Marketing• Speaker Fees (airfare, hotel, ground transport, honorarium)• Videorecording• Musicians• Travel Grants• Best Presentation Awards• Website Costs

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Financial Considerations: Income

Revenue Generation

Approximately $6000 based on a $40 registration fee

Sponsorships (Financial and In-kind)• Office of the Dean of Social Sciences• Office of the Vice-President Academic• Kwantlen Student Life and Development• Kwantlen Student Association• Office of the Chief Information Officer• Other institutional partners (e.g., UFV)• Publishers: Pearson Education, Worth Publishers, Nelson Education

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What the Student Organizing Team Learns

Lesson 1: Faculty Student Mentorship

The CM organizing team works closely with faculty advisors and learn skills related to organization, department priorities, management of expectations, and institutional processes.

Richard Light identifies this as one of the most important influences of the undergrad experience

Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their MindsRichard J. Light, Harvard University Press, 2001.

Lesson 2: Project Management

Must work on complex differentiated tasks in a deadline-driven and dynamically changing environment

Lesson 3: Budgeting, Fundraising, Sponsorship

Financial transparency, accountability, and conflicts of interest

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What the Student Organizing Team Learns

Lesson 4: Team building

Learn to manage emotions and work in an integrated way with challenging personalities

Lesson 5: Conflict Resolution

Learn methods for resolving interpersonal conflicts

Lesson 6: Communication skills

Refine oral and written competencies; learn how to pitch message to different audiences (sponsors, students, faculty)

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What the Student Organizing Team Learns

Lesson 7: Marketing

The Connecting Minds “brand”

Poster design, social networking

Lesson 8: Technology Skills

Project management applications; facebook, website interface design

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What the Student Presenters Learn

Presentation & Organizational Skills• How to organize thoughts in a clear, concise, and persuasive way

Communication Skills• How to deliver a succinct 20-minute oral presentation or poster summary

Enculturation• How knowledge is shared in scholarly communities• Learn and manifest disciplinary and inter-disciplinary language and

methodologies

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What the Student Presenters Learn

Critical Thinking Skills• Opportunity to engage in critical discussions

Broadening of Perspective• Learn about the range of psychological research occurring across Canada

and globally

Engagement, Student Identity, and Fellowship• Recognize that there is a community of students, educators, and scholars

interested in the discipline• Enhances student identification with a discipline

“I’m a student” “I’m a Mt. Royal student” “I’m a Psyc major”

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7 Reasons Why Undergraduate Research Conferences Matter

1. Developing evidence-based conclusions and defending their data, methods, theories, and conclusions

2. They complete the research cycle and reinforce the public, transparent, and free nature of scholarship

3. They educate students into the cultural standards of scholarly communities

4. They are good opportunities for students to network with other student and faculty researchers

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7 Reasons Why Undergraduate Research Conferences Matter

5. They foster engagement by giving a forum for students to demonstrate independent learning

6. They encourage students to consider graduate or professional schools

7. The circle of experiential learning is completed when the student reflects on what they have learned and shares that reflection.

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Undergraduate Research Conferences are not “nice to have” they are “important to have”

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What Can A Dean / Associate Dean Do?

Leadership: Use your power, influence, and charm to help create the conditions that motivate and enable Departments and Student Clubs to want to organize an undergraduate

research conference

Facilitation Use your power, influence, and charm to facilitate intra- and

inter-institutional partnerships

Cut through red-tape and bureaucratic obstacles

Start-up Provide Seed-Funding

Funding Our goal is to make the conference self-supporting

through registration fees, volunteers, and sponsorships.

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Opportunities for Interdisciplinary, Service, & Experiential Learning

• A student from the Graphical Design for Marketing (GDMA) program was commissioned to design the Conference Logo

• A student from the Bachelor in Journalism degree was commissioned to do the video-recording and editing of the keynote lecture

• A quartet from the Music Program provided musical entertainment

• I am proposing a new Institutional Service Learning course that will give formal (and flexible) credit for students who provide significant services or assistance to the organization or enhancement of the conference

e.g., website development, marketing, etc.

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Future Directions for Connecting Minds

• Internationalize the conference by offering Virtual Presentation Sessions• Pilot with undergrads from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia

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Future Directions

• Increase cross-disciplinary involvement

• Web-based Registration system (PayPal)

• Increase recruitment by inviting Grade 11 and 12 students

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Some Photos and Comments

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Elliot Aronson and 4 future scholars from The University of Calgary

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Nineteen Undergrad Presenters from Western Washington University

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Student Feedback

“INCREDIBLE event. Thanks all for putting together such a first-rate conference. We've already started recommending it to all our faculty and students for upcoming years.”

--Charmaine

“Loved the conference so much! Thanks for such a great event! You made us feel so welcomed and all of the research everyone presented was really interesting and impressive! You can count on WWU students for next year!”

--Alicia

(Source: Connecting Minds Facebook site)

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Resources

Council on Undergraduate Research Mission Statement:

To support and promote high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship.

Lymburner, J., & Dastur, F. (2010). Handbook on How to Organize and Undergraduate Conference: Lessons Learned. Unpublished manuscript.

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Upcoming Events

2011 Rising Stars of Research Cross-Disciplinary Undergraduate Research ConferenceCo-organized by UBC and UNBC

Creating a Culture of Research on Campus: A Seminar for Deans, Faculty, IT Specialists, Librarians, and Research Officers October 15-16, 2010Williamsburg, Virginia

International Perspectives on Undergraduate Research and Inquiry: A Scholarly Discussion October 19, 2010Liverpool, UK

Creativity, Inquiry, and Discovery: Undergraduate Research In and Across the Disciplines November 11-13, 2010Durham, NC