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 URS is a UMSL-wide event occurring annually on the last Friday of April. It is organized by the Undergraduate Research Coordinator and a team of coordinating students, faculty, and staff members representing many academic units and disciplines.

The URS is an event for all UMSL undergraduates, regardless of field of study or project.

Presentations are primarily in oral or poster format with no cost to students who follow application guidelines. We strive to provide undergraduates the experience and support they need to enhance their professional endeavors. 

URS 2024 Digital Program of Presentations and Itinerary

URS 2025*

Requirements

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, 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, 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) 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 25, 2025 (Exceptions may be made for students currently studying abroad)

   

INTENT TO PARTICIPATE FORM

Deadline - March 15, 2025

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

FINAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS & FORM

Deadline - April 6, 2025

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.

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 16, 2025

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 16, 2025

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 present at the 2025 URS!