IRG News & Views

The College of Liberal Arts Career Services is hosting their first Undergraduate Research Conference in April 2022.

The conference is open to all majors and minors within the College of Liberal Arts. Students can present a paper that they have written for an upper-level course or seminar, or work they did as part of a faculty research project, independent research project, honors thesis, research through a study abroad or internship, Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP), or Bridging Disciplines Programs (BDPs).


Why submit and participate in the conference?

The purpose of the Undergraduate Research Conference is to provide undergraduate students in the liberal arts a platform to present their work both inside and outside the classroom. Developing a project or paper to be presented at a conference provides skills in professional development, public speaking, and networking. For those students wishing to pursue graduate school, participation can provide early experience in writing and developing a research project that can be presented to a fellow group of scholars, as well as basic knowledge of how to write an abstract or proposal. For students that seek the job market after their undergraduate studies, the professional experience of creating and presenting their work at a conference provides tangible evidence of their ability to produce and communicate effectively with others. For all students that participate, engagement in undergraduate conferences helps to build both personal and professional skills as students continue to develop their professional and scholarly portfolios.

Beyond the professional development skills, an across-campus group of students also provides an opportunity to develop and prosper an interdisciplinary collaboration and research. Being able to make these kinds of connections also indicates the value of a liberal arts education, as well as the need for this kind of work for civil engagement and social change.


How to submit?

You’ll complete an application form, complete with a 150-200 word abstract, to Shelby Ward at shelby.ward@austin.utexas.edu. As a resource, see the presentation on writing abstracts, including examples, provided by the Writing Center, or make an individual appointment.

You can also email Shelby with any questions about the application or process.


Submissions are open from December 15, 2021 - February 1, 2022.