MSSU Student Research Symposium
This year the MSSU Student Research Symposium is returning to a public, in-person event. Students will present their research and poster in-person to judges on the day of the symposium. Due to the success of the virtual symposiums in the past few years, this year’s symposium will continue to include the virtual elements as well. The virtual element will launch online at the MSSU Student Research Symposium website on the morning of the symposium.
The MSSU Student Research Symposium is open to students from all disciplines, including Master’s and Dual Credit students, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their research beyond the classroom setting. All MSSU students involved in research are encouraged to apply, and those not yet involved in research will learn about the many research opportunities available at Missouri Southern.
All students who are involved in faculty-guided research and creative activity—whether conducted as part of a class, internship, or program—are eligible to participate in the symposium, and they are encouraged to submit an abstract. Students may compete in six categories:
- Humanities
- Business, Engineering, and Technology
- Social Sciences
- Physical and Biological Sciences
- Health Sciences
- Education
It is the responsibility of the student and his/her faculty sponsor to properly classify the project and to select the category in which the student wants to compete.
Entries can include current or past work completed in the classroom. Entries might include business plans, literature reviews, stories, music, artwork, theatre demonstrations, or poetry, as well as technology, science projects, theory developed using mathematical tools, surveys, or data analyzed using statistical techniques.
Students will create a poster to present in-person—as well as a short recording of their presentation to be featured on the MSSU Student Research Symposium website—in which they share their work with faculty, staff, fellow students, and community members.
The poster presentation for the virtual element this year will be a digital creation as a single PowerPoint slide accompanied by a 5-minute voiceover recording.
There is no cost to attend or participate in the Student Research Symposium. The event is open to all students, staff, faculty, and community members.
First and second-place winners will be awarded in each of the six categories. Winners will receive an Amazon gift certificate in the amount of $100.00 for first place and $50.00 for second place. There will also be a top prize of $100.00 for best overall poster.
Please note the submission deadline for abstracts is Wednesday, March 15 by 5:00p.m. Submitted abstracts should describe the student’s research within the specified word limit. Students interested in submitting an abstract should know this is a professional conference.
You will be notified by Wednesday, March 29 as to whether or not your abstract has been accepted for inclusion in the Student Research Symposium.
For more information please contact Dr. Chanel Whitaker whitaker-c@mssu.edu or Dr. Michael Beilfuss beilfuss-m@mssu.edu.
Research Symposium Timeline
This timeline is intended to give students and their mentors an idea of the Student Research Symposium submission and presentation process.
Please contact Dr. Chanel Whitaker whitaker-c@mssu.edu or Dr. Michael Beilfuss beilfuss-m@mssu.edu if you have any questions.
January—February
- Students interested in submitting an abstract to the Student Research Symposium should seek mentor approval.
- Having secured a mentor, students should then work with their mentors to construct an abstract.
March
- The abstract submission portal will open Wednesday March 1st.
- Completed abstracts should be submitted by Wednesday March 15 at 5:00pm.
- The Review Committee will read the submissions on a rolling basis.
- Students will be notified of their acceptance by March 29.
April
- Students must submit their final work by April 5. This includes a digital copy of the poster and the 5-minute presentation with voiceover. This submission of the student’s final work confirms his/her participation in the Student Research Symposium.
- Poster presenters will be assigned to one of six areas in the BSC Ballroom. The judging will take place in-person on April 19.
- The Student Research Symposium is open to the public on April 19 and the virtual element will remain available for viewing until the end of the semester, at which point the abstracts and digital posters will be archived.
- The award winners in each category will be notified at the awards ceremony on April 19.