Research and Scholarship Conference

The Research & Scholarship Conference at Western Carolina University is made up of the Undergraduate Exposition and the Graduate Research Symposium. This showcase academic event is hosted by The Office of the Provost, The Graduate School and Research, and the Brinson Honors College.

Undergraduate Research Exposition

The Undergraduate Research Exposition, part of WCU’s campus-wide Research and Scholarship Conference, provides students with the opportunity to work with faculty to present their research to an engaged audience on campus. The annual expo features over 200 student presenters working with more than 60 faculty sponsors.

Any undergraduate student engaged in scholarly inquiry, creative projects, or research is welcome to register for this event. The registration form is available on the link to the Undergraduate Exposition.

Register & Lean more about the Undergraduate Exposition

The Graduate Research Symposium is made up of three parts, research poster presentations, oral presentations and an academic paper competition.

Graduate students interested in registering for the Graduate Research Symposium should contact the Graduate School for more information and how to register.

REGISTER AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

Monday, March 20th (access to virtual wesbite open to campus and the public):

• 2023 Research and Scholarship Conference's Website Opening, featuring the 25th Annual Undergraduate Exposition and the 31st Annual Graduate Research Symposium.
• Featured content will include project listings for graduate and undergraduate student poster, oral, and performance presentations.

Wednesday, March 22nd: The Undergraduate Exposition and Graduate Research Symposium (open to campus and the public):

• 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - Undergraduate and Graduate Oral and Performance presentations in the A.K. Hinds University Center. Sponsored by the Graduate Research Symposium and the Undergrad Exposition.
• 4:55 pm - 6:00 pm - The Research and Scholarship Conference Keynote Address. Sponsored by the Graduate Research Symposium and the Undergraduate Exposition, and will be held in the Ramsey Center Arena. The keynote presentation will be livestreamed at go.wcu.edu/rasc.
• 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm The Undergraduate Exposition and Graduate Research Symposium Poster Presentations and Conference Celebration, to be held on the Concourse Level of the Ramsey Center. An awards ceremony for undergraduate and graduate competitions will also be held on the concourse level at this time.

Thursday, March 23rd: The Faculty Scholarship Celebration:

• Thursday, March 23 from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm - The 2nd Annual Faculty 3-Minute Research Talk Competition in the A.K. Hinds University Center's Grandroom 
  Thursday, March 23 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Faculty Scholarship Celebration Luncheon in the Grandroom

The 2023 Research and Scholarship Conference is excited to announce the first annual RASC Poster Competition. Graduate and Undergraduate students, registering for a poster presentation, are welcome to participate by opting in through their registration forms. 

Cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Here are the details:

• This year the Research and Scholarship Conference will be held in-person with an optional poster award competition. Judges will be touring posters and speaking with presenters to make their final competition decisions. The in-person poster celebration will be held Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm in the Ramsey Center on the concourse level.
• From 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm an awards ceremony will be held on the concourse level where poster winners will be announced. Student registrants who opt in for the poster competition will be required to submit posters in advance of the in-person event to be made available online for poster judges. Students MUST be present at the in-person poster celebration at the Ramsey Center on March 22, 2023 to be fully eligible to win. Graduate and Undergraduate winners will be announced at the reception.

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Prize Amounts*:

1st Place Winners - $500

2nd Place Winners - $300

3rd Place Winners - $200

 

*Conditions apply. More details about the cash prizes and how a poster will be judged will be provided to students once registration closes.

Monday, March 20th (access to virtual wesbite open to campus and the public):

• 2023 Research and Scholarship Conference's Website Opening, featuring the 25th Annual Undergraduate Exposition and the 31st Annual Graduate Research Symposium.
• Featured content will include project listings for graduate and undergraduate student poster, oral, and performance presentations.

Wednesday, March 22nd: The Undergraduate Exposition and Graduate Research Symposium (open to campus and the public):

• 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - Undergraduate and Graduate Oral and Performance presentations in the A.K. Hinds University Center. Sponsored by the Graduate Research Symposium and the Undergrad Exposition.
• 4:55 pm - 6:00 pm - The Research and Scholarship Conference Keynote Address. Sponsored by the Graduate Research Symposium and the Undergraduate Exposition, and will be held in the Ramsey Center Arena. The keynote presentation will be livestreamed at go.wcu.edu/rasc.
• 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm The Undergraduate Exposition and Graduate Research Symposium Poster Presentations and Conference Celebration, to be held on the Concourse Level of the Ramsey Center. An awards ceremony for undergraduate and graduate competitions will also be held on the concourse level at this time.

Thursday, March 23rd: The Faculty Scholarship Celebration:

• Thursday, March 23 from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm - The 2nd Annual Faculty 3-Minute Research Talk Competition in the A.K. Hinds University Center's Grandroom 
  Thursday, March 23 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Faculty Scholarship Celebration Luncheon in the Grandroom
  

The Second Annual Faculty 3-Minute Research Competition

Hosted by the Graduate School as part of the 2023 Research and Scholarship Conference and the 31st Annual Graduate Research Symposium

The Research and Scholarship Conference and the Graduate Research Symposium is calling for any interested faculty to participate in the first annual WCU Faculty 3-Minute Research Competition.

Modeled after the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition faculty will be celebrating the exciting and innovative research, scholarship, and creative activity taking place here at WCU in only 3 minutes! The competition will be held live and in-person in the A.K. Hinds University Center on Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm. Cash prizes will be awarded to faculty winners.

The competition is open to any faculty member from across any discipline.

Watch the 2023 Faculty 3-Minute Research Competition

Students Register on the web pages for the Undergraduate Exposition and the Graduate Research Symposium

Important Dates:

November 28, 2022: Registration opens for the Undergraduate Exposition and Graduate Research Symposium.

February 20, 2023: Registration closes.

February 20 - March 15, 2023: Digital upload period for registrants entering the poster competition (separate instructions to be provided to registrants via catamount email).

March 20, 2023: Website opens to the community.

March 22, 2023 (events open to campus and the public): Undergraduate and Graduate Oral & Performance presentations at the A.K. Hinds University Center, the RASC Keynote Address, and the Annual Undergrad Expo & Grad Research Symposium's Poster Celebration - featuring both graduate and undergraduate posters, exhibits, and awards.

March 23, 2022: The Faculty Scholarship Celebration, the second annual Faculty 3-Minute Research Competition, and Faculty Scholarship Celebration Luncheon.