Students encouraged to apply for Undergraduate Research Fair

undergraduate research fair FEATURED

Applications for participation in York University’s multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Fair are open to student applicants until Jan. 31, 2020. The fair organizing committee is calling on York instructors to encourage students to apply.

Organizers know, from previous fairs, that faculty support is instrumental in giving students the confidence and motivation to apply to participate in this valuable experiential learning event. Faculty members grading final assignments, are asked to consider suggesting to students who have produced a strong research or creative arts project in a York undergraduate course (January to December 2019) to apply to present a poster session about their project at the juried fair.

In addition, students who have created a piece of artwork for a 2019 York credit course are invited to apply to have their work exhibited in the Scott Library Art Walk during the fair.

The eighth annual Undergraduate Research Fair takes place on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 (11 a.m. to ­1:30 p.m) in the Scott Library Collaboratory.

Jointly sponsored by York University Libraries and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, the Undergraduate Research Fair honours student researchers and provides them with an opportunity to share their work. Fair participants design a poster and present the results of a course research essay or project to the York community in a friendly, cross-curricular environment.

Students apply by filling out an application form, writing an abstract about their project, and appending their graded project or honours thesis. A workshop on designing and presenting a poster session will be offered to successful applicants, and the Libraries will arrange to print the posters at no cost to participants. This is an excellent experiential learning opportunity for both upper- and lower-year undergraduate students. The 2020 Undergraduate Research Fair welcomes applicants from all York Faculties, including Glendon Campus.

Monetary prizes ($200, $500 and $600) in different categories will be awarded. All student-presenters will receive an invitation to submit an article on their project, to be considered for publication in the refereed e-journal Revue YOUR Review (York Online Undergraduate Research Review) associated with the fair. One artwork submission will be chosen to grace the cover of the e-journal.

Last year’s fair drew a large audience of students, faculty and administrators from across the York community, as well as friends and families of student-presenters.

The Undergraduate Research Fair presents an excellent opportunity for undergraduates to participate in the cycle of knowledge production and dissemination. For more information about the fair, participant eligibility and how to apply to present a poster or display artwork, visit the Undergraduate Research Fair website.