The Graduate Student Symposium
The University of Connecticut is home to more than 7,000 graduate students, who work and study on all seven UConn campuses, and belong to more than 100 different graduate degree programs. While each of these students exemplifies the critical role of graduate education in shaping the future of Connecticut, geographical distance and disciplinary boundaries hinder their joint pursuit of knowledge and innovation.
The inaugural Graduate Student Research Symposium seeks to remove barriers and promote a sense of connection and shared purpose across ALL graduate campuses. By uniting graduate students through research, impact, and community value, we aim to unlock the transformative power of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Overview: The Graduate Student Research Symposium welcomes UConn graduate students from any graduate degree program on any campus of the University of Connecticut to present their in-progress research and its impact.
The program will be organized as follows: First, graduate students from any UConn campuses, school or college complete a brief online application describing the topic and impact of their in-progress graduate research. Each applicant categorizes their work within one of six cross-cutting research areas or themes. Applications are due by Noon on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Next, selected participants present research posters that summarize their in-progress scholarly research to a panel of judges at the Initial Round Graduate Student Research Symposium. Research posters should be 24” wide and 36” high and graduate students will have about five minutes to present their research and answer follow-up questions. The First Round Graduate Student Research Symposium will take place at 10am on Monday April 7, 2025.
Finally, the top two graduate students in each of the six research categories are invited to compete again in the Final Round Graduate Student Research Symposium. The Final Round Graduate Student Research Symposium will take place on Wednesday April 23, 2025 (time TBA). The top three (3) presenters at the final round competition will receive scholarships to support their scholarly work:
- 1st Place Award: $7,500
- 2nd Place Award: $5,000
- 3rd Place Award: $2,500
Judging Rubric: Graduate student poster presentations will be evaluated according to the following elements:
- Relevance & Impact. Research is clearly defined and motivated by its specific relevance to a scholarly field of inquiry and by its current or potential positive impact(s) on the broader community.
- Visual Appeal & Design. Poster layout is organized and follows a logical sequence; fonts are legible; excellent use of images, graphics, and diagrams; and strong overall aesthetic appeal.
- Effective Communication & Presentation. Presenter is and effective and compelling in motivating their research; knowledgeable about their work and its impacts; and engaging and enthusiastic when interacting with their audience/judges.
Key Dates:
- Application Deadline: The deadline to apply for the Graduate Student Symposium is Monday, March 24, 2025, at 12:00 pm (noon) EST.
- Notice: Students will be notified if they have been selected to compete in the Graduate Student Symposium Poster Competition by Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
- Graduate Student Research Symposium Initial Round: Applicants who have been selected, will compete in the Graduate Student Symposium Poster Competition on Monday, April 7, 2025, from 10am – 1pm. Lunch will be provided. Symposium Finalists will be announced the same day.
- Graduate Student Research Symposium Final Round: Twelve (12) finalists (two (2) from each category) will be selected to compete in the Symposium Final Round on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Time TBA. The top three (3) awardees will receive cash prizes as described above.
