Undergraduate Research

The URS offers undergraduates a professional platform to showcase their unique, faculty-guided research or creative projects to an audience of UMSL community members.

The Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) provides a campus-wide professional conference-style event, for students of any discipline to present their original research, creative works, and advanced achievements to other students, faculty, staff, administrators, and visitors of the UMSL community, at no-cost to the student, and in a supportive and celebratory environment.

The URS occurs annually on the last Friday of April, in the Millennium Student Center. Applications open in February and close Mid-March. Presentations run from 1:00-3:00, with event set-up, a student luncheon, and a celebratory reception planned to follow. Presentations are primarily in oral or poster format, and barring extreme examples or logistical constraints, all presentations that are approved by a faculty member are eligible for participation.

The URS is organized by the Undergraduate Research Coordinator and a team of coordinating students, faculty, and staff members representing many academic units and disciplines and strives to provide undergraduates the experience and support they need to enhance their professional endeavors. 

URS 2025 Digital Program of Presentations

URS 2026*

April 24
Millennium Student Center 

Student Luncheon

11:15-12:45

Century Rooms
(Tentatively) Brought to you in collaboration with the Graduate School at UMSL, featuring meet & greet, socializing, and networking with Graduate Student Presenters, Graduate Program Directors, and others from the Graduate Student Fair (NEW THIS YEAR!)

Oral Presentations

1:00-2:55pm

MSC Rooms 313, 314, 315, 316

-

Visual Presentations

1:00-3:00pm

3rd Floor Rotunda & Century Rooms

-

Social Hour &  Recognition Reception

3:15-4:30pm

MSC Century Rooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Requirements to Present

To participate in the URS, students must:

  • have worked on the project as an UMSL undergraduate student
  • currently be an UMSL undergraduate student (or have graduated in the previous semester)
  • have an UMSL faculty sponsor agree to oversee the project
  • submit an Intent to Participate form by March 15 (one per project, regardless of number of authors)
  • submit the final version of their project title, abstract, and team members to the UMSL IRL by the deadline in early April (one per project, regardless of number of authors)
    • If students presenting posters include the final version of their poster (sized to print, at 32x40in in a PDF format) attached to the IRL submission by the early April deadline, they will have their poster printed and paid for by the URS (approx. $80)
    • If students presenting posters do  not submit a final poster file (sized to print, at 32x40in in a PDF format) by the early April deadline, they may still participate, but will be responsible for printing and paying for their own large-format poster
    • Even if students are not including attached files to the IRL, they must still complete the form with the final information for their project (e.g., final abstract, author information) by the early April deadline, to signal to organizers their commitment to participate and for that information to be included in the printed program
  • be available to present, in-person, at the event on April 24, 2026 (Exceptions may be made for students currently studying abroad)

Apply to Present

INTENT TO PARTICIPATE FORM 

Deadline - March 15

Tentative information to signal to the organizers your plans to participate.
Information can be updated later.

FINAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS & FORM

Deadline - April 5, 2026

Finalized project information, including title, abstract, and authors.
Necessary to signal to the organizers your final commitment to present at the event.
Information provided will be used in the printed URS Program.
All projects will be publicly archived in the IRL at UMSL, in perpetuity.

For poster presentations only: The cost of printing ($80) will be waived if final poster file is attached in appropriate format.

Volunteers are needed!

Student volunteers are a necessary part of the URS and are needed to help with tasks such as set up/tear down of presentations, assisting guests, and moderating oral presentation panels. The time commitment can be as little as one hour, up to the entire day. 
To volunteer or for more information, please consult the Student Volunteer Form: 

STUDENT VOLUNTEER FORM

Deadline - April 15, 2026

Faculty, staff, and graduate students are an integral part of the URS, asked to review presentations and offer feedback to students on the day of the event. Many judges are needed to provide adequate feedback. The time commitment will be approximately 1.5 hours the afternoon of the URS.
To volunteer or for more information, please consult the Judge Volunteer Form:

JUDGE VOLUNTEER FORM

Deadline - April 15, 2026

 *Most information is tentative until plans are finalized closer to the event

A distributed model of funding support is employed, such that departments, colleges, student organizations, outside donors and others may contribute towards event expenses including cost of the event and prizes.

Contact Kate Votaw (Undergraduate Research Coordinator) at UndergradResearch@umsl.edu with any questions, concerns, or ideas for how you can support or present at the 2026 URS!