Why Undergraduate Research Conferences Matter

How to Organize an Undergraduate Research Conference and Why it MattersWestern Deans of Arts & Sciences ConferenceBanff, AlbertaOct. 1st, 2010

Dr. Farhad DasturAssociate Dean of Social Sciencesfarhad.dastur@kwantlen.ca

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RichmondCloverdaleLangley

Surrey3

Two Simple IdeasIDEA 1Imagine a forum for undergraduate research: a place where students can present their research, share ideas, criticize the work of their peers, and network4IDEA 2Imagine empowering students to organize such a forum themselves. 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

5One Generally-Accepted Definition of Undergraduate ResearchUndergraduate 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, 163.6OverviewTheme: National Undergraduate Research in Psychology

Size:186 student attendees50 faculty + administratorsProgram:24 oral presentations; 75 postersSSHRC grant panel; Graduate School Panel

Criteria:Open to any student enrolled in an undergraduate programNo 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

7History2006: 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, Irvine8Scalability9PROGRAMRegistration

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, Lunch10

Geographic & Institutional Representation (numerical data from 2010; representation data from 2008-10)BRITISH COLUMBIA (121) Kwantlen Polytechnic UniversityCamosun CollegeDouglas CollegeCapilano UniversityLangara CollegeSimon Fraser UniversityThompson Rivers UniversityUniversity of British ColumbiaUBC OkanaganUniversity of the Fraser ValleyUniversity of Northern British ColumbiaUniversity of VictoriaVancouver Island UniversityAdler School of Professional PsychologyTrinity Western UniversityQuest University

ALBERTA (8)Ambrose University CollegeGrant McEwan CollegeUniversity of CalgaryLethbridge CollegeKings University College

11MANITOBAUniversity of Manitoba

SASKATCHEWAN (13)University of Saskatchewan

Geographic & Institutional Representation (numerical data from 2010; representation data from 2008-10)Ontario (11)Brock UniversityHuron University College at the University of Western OntarioKings University College at the University of Western OntarioQueens UniversityUniversity of OttawaMcMaster UniversityUniversity of TorontoUniversity of Western OntarioUniversity of Guelph Quebec (2)McGill UniversityConcordia University

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Geographic & Institutional Representation (numerical data from 2010; representation data from 2008-10)New BrunswickUniversity of New Brunswick

Nova Scotia (3)Saint Marys UniversityDalhousie University

NewfoundlandMemorial University

Prince Edward Island (2)University of Prince Edward Island

13Geographic & Institutional Representation (cumulative 2008-10)The United States (26)Western Washington UniversityUniversity of OregonUniversity of California at Los Angeles

GermanyUniversity of Mannheim

AustraliaEdith 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 BehaviourThe 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 WomenTell 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.Revisiting Gate Control Theory: Opposing a Monopoly on Pain Discourse15The Faculty / Administration Organizing TeamFaculty2 dedicated Faculty Advisors and multiple faculty volunteers

Administration1 Dean, 1 Associate Dean

Staff1 Dept. Assistant

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Student Organizing Teams Structure 1 Student Head; 1 Faculty Head; 1-3 student volunteers17

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 Pernat18The Student Organizing Team (CM 2008)19

No Ruby Red Slippers20

Financial Considerations: ExpensesBudget$30,000 per conference

ExpensesCateringMarketingSpeaker Fees (airfare, hotel, ground transport, honorarium)VideorecordingMusiciansTravel GrantsBest Presentation AwardsWebsite Costs

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Financial Considerations: IncomeRevenue GenerationApproximately $6000 based on a $40 registration fee

Sponsorships (Financial and In-kind)Office of the Dean of Social SciencesOffice of the Vice-President AcademicKwantlen Student Life and DevelopmentKwantlen Student AssociationOffice of the Chief Information OfficerOther institutional partners (e.g., UFV)Publishers: Pearson Education, Worth Publishers, Nelson Education22What the Student Organizing Team LearnsLesson 1: Faculty Student MentorshipThe 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 experienceMaking the Most of College: Students Speak Their MindsRichard J. Light, Harvard University Press, 2001.

Lesson 2: Project ManagementMust work on complex differentiated tasks in a deadline-driven and dynamically changing environment

Lesson 3: Budgeting, Fundraising, SponsorshipFinancial transparency, accountability, and conflicts of interest

23What the Student Organizing Team LearnsLesson 4: Team buildingLearn to manage emotions and work in an integrated way with challenging personalities

Lesson 5: Conflict ResolutionLearn methods for resolving interpersonal conflicts

Lesson 6: Communication skillsRefine oral and written competencies; learn how to pitch message to different audiences (sponsors, students, faculty)

24What the Student Organizing Team LearnsLesson 7: Marketing The Connecting Minds brandPoster design, social networking

Lesson 8: Technology SkillsProject management applications; facebook, website interface design

25What the Student Presenters LearnPresentation & Organizational SkillsHow to organize thoughts in a clear, concise, and persuasive way

Communication SkillsHow to deliver a succinct 20-minute oral presentation or poster summary

EnculturationHow knowledge is shared in scholarly communitiesLearn and manifest disciplinary and inter-disciplinary language and methodologies

26What the Student Presenters LearnCritical Thinking SkillsOpportunity to engage in critical discussions

Broadening of PerspectiveLearn about the range of psychological research occurring across Canada and globally

Engagement, Student Identity, and FellowshipRecognize that there is a community of students, educators, and scholars interested in the disciplineEnhances student identification with a discipline Im a student Im a Mt. Royal student Im a Psyc major

277 Reasons Why Undergraduate Research Conferences MatterDeveloping evidence-based conclusions and defending their data, methods, theories, and conclusions

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

They educate students into the cultural standards of scholarly communities

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

287 Reasons Why Undergraduate Research Conferences MatterThey foster engagement by giving a forum for students to demonstrate independent learning

They encourage students to consider graduate or professional schools

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

29Undergraduate Research Conferences are not nice to have they are important to have30

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

FacilitationUse your power, influence, and charm to facilitate intra- and inter-institutional partnershipsCut through red-tape and bureaucratic obstacles

Start-up Provide Seed-FundingFundingOur goal is to make the conference self-supportingthrough registration fees, volunteers, and sponsorships.

31Opportunities for Interdisciplinary, Service, & Experiential LearningA 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.32Future Directions for Connecting MindsInternationalize the conference by offering Virtual Presentation SessionsPilot with undergrads from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia

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Future DirectionsIncrease cross-disciplinary involvement

Web-based Registration system (PayPal)

Increase recruitment by inviting Grade 11 and 12 students

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Some Photos and Comments35

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Elliot Aronson and 4 future scholars from The University of CalgaryNineteen Undergrad Presenters from Western Washington University38

Student FeedbackINCREDIBLE 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)39ResourcesCouncil 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 Events412011 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