Information for Presenters

Symposium presenters may be undergraduates in any discipline who are completing substantial research and/or creative projects as part of a class, directed study, or other experience with a faculty mentor.

URCAS will include a live poster session, exhibits, performances, and panels of presentations and readings. All forms of scholarship and creative activity in your field are eligible for presentation! There will also be virtual presentation opportunities for NMSU Global students and students enrolled at community college campuses outside Las Cruces.

Poster Session

The poster session will take place in the Corbett Center 3rd floor ballroom, tentatively from 10:30-12. During these hours, poster presenters should be on hand to talk about their research and answer questions. Lunch will be available after the session.

Our poster boards will accommodate posters that are 36" high by 48" wide. Two posters can fit on each. You will want to organize your information clearly and make sure that it is in a font that is legible from 5-8 feet away. Some suggestions about how to create a poster can be found here. Posters should be put up during registration from 8:30-9:30 on the day of the conference and should be taken down before 3:30pm, when the poster boards may be removed.

How do I design a poster? See the Resources page for advice on how to create your poster (start with powerpoint slide).

How to print your poster? Ask your advisor if there is a poster printer in your department or program. If not, you can also print your poster at the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity in Conroy Honors College. Please bring your poster on a flashdrive as a pdf file formatted for 36"x48" and ask for Leanna's or Roman's assistance when you arrive. Call ahead for available hours: (575)646-2005. Note: printing will not be possible on the day of the conference.

Instacopy, downtown at 318 N. Main St. can also print your poster with advance notice. Last year's cost was $31 plus tax for water and tear resistant poly pro paper (a bit less for a 24 lb paper alternative). Email your poster as a pdf formatted to 36"x48" to copycenter@insta-copy.com at least 48 hours before you will need to pick it up.

Poster printing is also available at a higher cost from Fed Ex on University: last year's prices were $84 in store, $69 online, plus tax. Ask about timing--last year, this required 24 hours notice.

Talks/Performance Presentations

Oral presentations should be limited to 15 minutes in length. Talks will typically be organized into hour-long panels with 3 presentations followed by a short question and answer session. CURCA staff and volunteers will covene and monitor these sessions. Please bring your presentation slides or other visual aids to be projected for the audience on a USB and also email them to yourself as a back-up plan. If you can bring a laptop, that would be good third back-up. Please arrive early to load your presentation prior to the start of the session.

Each presenter will have a maximum of 15 minutes for both presentation and questions, so do please plan accordingly. The schedule will be posted online in advance so you will know your time slot and how many sessions are scheduled within the hour. The moderator for each session will be responsible for keeping presentations on schedule.

When preparing your work for presentation, please remember that your audience comprises students and faculty of a variety of different disciplines. Therefore, you should strive to present your work in a clear and simple language that is accessible to the entire audience. For presenters drawing from a larger project, please remember that you may only be able to present the highlights from your work.

Organize and practice your presentation in advance with a timer. Your faculty advisor is your best source of guidance for what your presentation should look like given the nature of your work.

If you will be performing, please contact the organizers to share your particular needs. More time and space may be available upon request.

All presenters assigned to a session should plan to stay through the entire session. You are also part of the audience for the others in your time slot! Please do invite others to attend the session to see your work and the work of your peers. Friends and family who are not able to attend URCAS can livestream your session via a link posted on the conference schedule.

Virtual Posters & Talks: NMSU Global and Community College Students Outside Las Cruces; Students with Accommodations

Those enrolled at NMSU Global or a campus outside Las Cruces who need to present virtually can post a research poster, pre-recorded poster presentation (max. 4 slides, 5 mins.), pre-recorded short talk (5-10 mins.), or livestream a talk (15 mins.). The same options are available to any student with university accommodations for alternatives to public speaking assignments. Please also see the information on posters and talks elsewhere on this page. Indicate how you plan to present when registering; this will be the final question on the form. We look forward to your contribution.

Abstract Guidelines

Presenters must submit a registration form which includes an abstract of no more than 150 words, excluding header information (name(s), title, faculty mentor, major, any program that supported your work). Abstracts should conform to the disciplinary conventions of your field.

Example Abstracts

Use the following abstract as a guideline for building your own abstract. Please follow directions carefully when submitting your abstract. The information your provide will be use in our program of events, so please be sure to submit your information accurately.

Karla B example Abstract (Biology)

Xodia C. example Abstract (Theatre Arts)

Pablo P. Georgina L. Abstract (Music)