We’re excited to announce the inaugural Undergraduate Symposium for Creative Activity and Research, taking place on Thursday, April 23, 2026. This event provides undergraduate students from all disciplines with the opportunity to showcase their work, and prizes will be awarded to top presenters.
This event is open to the public, including faculty, staff, graduate students, undergraduate peers, and all families and friends.
Undergraduate Symposium for Creative Activity and Research
Event Details
Thursday, April 23, 2026
9 a.m.–5 p.m.
IMU Alumni Hall, Walnut and Oak Rooms
Parking information is available on the IMU website, and we will have volunteers around the building to help navigate the building.
Tentative Schedule
| Time | Alumni Hall | Walnut and Oak |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 | Registration and Coffee (8:30-9:15) | |
| 9:00 | ||
| 9:30 | Poster Session and Exhibits I (9:30-11:30) | Oral Presentations I (9:30-10:30) |
| 10:00 | ||
| 10:30 | ||
| 11:00 | Oral Presentations II (11:00-12:00) | |
| 11:30 | Creative Showcase (11:45-12:30) | |
| 12:00 | ||
| 12:30 | Oral Presentations III (12:45-1:45) | |
| 1:00 | ||
| 1:30 | ||
| 2:00 | Poster Session and Exhibits II (2:00-4:00) | Oral Presentations IV (2:15-3:15) |
| 2:30 | ||
| 3:00 | ||
| 3:30 | Oral Presentations V (3:45-4:45) | |
| 4:00 | Creative Showcase (4:15-4:30) | |
| 4:30 |
Undergraduate Presenters
The symposium highlights original research, scholarly inquiry, artistic expression, and creative projects from across disciplines. Students are welcome to present work they have done as part of a lab or organized group, individually with a faculty mentor, or as part of a class. You may apply to present your work in one of the following formats:
- Oral Presentation: Short slide presentation of your research or project with audience Q&A
- Poster Presentation: Visual summary of a research or creative project presented on a poster with discussion
- Exhibit or Display: Showcase creative work, designs, prototypes, or artifacts in a display format
- Creative Performance: Live artistic presentation such as music, dance, theater, or spoken word
To have your worked reviewed and considered for inclusion, you are required to submit an abstract in the registration system regardless of presentation types. The abstract has a maximum limit of 250 words.
Note: You will receive an automated email to submit your abstract after completing registration in the system.
The registration cycle has now ended.
Yes! It’s common for students to present "work in progress." You can share your methodology and "anticipated findings."
Absolutely! Many students do not have their own individual projects and instead present the work they have done to contribute toward a larger project within their lab or research group.
Yes! Multiple people are welcome to be part of a single presentation. One person should take the lead to submit the application for your presentation, with all others in your group listed as co-presenters on the application.
Yes! Be sure to tailor your presentation to the general audience of this event.
An abstract is a short document that provides the reader with a concise snapshot of your work. For example, an abstract for a scientific presentation would typically include your background/introduction, methods, results, and conclusions. A descriptive abstract for a humanities presentation or creative activity might include why you chose your project, what you did for it and how, and the meaning of your findings or final product.
Not sure if your work is appropriate for this symposium? Reach out to us at uroffice@iu.edu.
What to Expect at the Symposium
Dress code
Presenters should wear business casual clothes (slacks, blouses, button-downs). The Crimson Closet is an excellent resource for borrowing professional attire. For creative activities, appropriate performance attire is encouraged.
Awards
Awards will be given based on presentation type (posters, talks, etc.) and categories (humanities, STEM, etc.). Awardees will be notified via email following the event.
Judging
Having your work judged is completely voluntary. Judges will be a mix of graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff and will wear identifying name badges. Both your visual presentation and how you present the work will be rated.
Stay for the whole session
For presenters, it is professional courtesy to support your peers and engage with judges/visitors throughout the time block. You do not need to be present for the entire symposium, though.
Other Ways to Participate
Attendees
You’re welcome to the symposium as a regular attendee. We encourage students to attend to support their peers and learn more about the research and creative activities happening on the Bloomington campus. We also encourage all participants to invite members of the public to attend and support their work.
For the purpose of having an attendance headcount, we would appreciate it if everyone could register in advance, but it is not required.
Judges
Judges play an important role in recognizing and celebrating outstanding student work. We encourage graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff who come to the symposium to register as judges. You will come to students' poster, talk, or activity and rate their work based on an established rubric.
If you are willing to serve in this capacity, please indicate your interest during registration. We appreciate you graciously volunteering your time.
Volunteers
We are currently recruiting volunteers to staff registration and check-in tables, welcome visitors, assist in presentation rooms, and help with setup before and cleanup after the event.
Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Month
This symposium is part of a broader initiative to celebrate the research and creative accomplishments of undergraduate students throughout the month of April. IUUR publishes a calendar of these events to promote awareness and inspire future researchers.
To have your event included in our calendar, please be sure to suggest the event to “IU Undergraduate Research” when adding it to the IU Events calendar.