Project CONVERGE Student Research Symposium was a HUGE success! Thank you to all of the teachers, students, and scientists that made it such a wonderful program.
Watch a video about the program!
Presentations of Investigations:
After conducting an investigation or a research review of current information on a topic, scientists travel to professional conferences to present their research to their peers. The Poster Session at the Student Research Symposium will enable students, as scientists, to take part in the same part of the scientific process.
Each group will develop and present a poster on their investigations during the Poster Session. Each group will have an area of the meeting room to set up their display. Members of the group will rotate through presenting on their investigation and observing other students’ investigations. At least one scientist and one educator will be assigned to review each poster (as happens at professional science conferences). The agenda for the day has been developed to ensure that each reviewer will be able to spend roughly 10 minutes at each poster they are reviewing.
We have adapted the Scientist Poster Rubric that will be used at the Student Research Symposium if you would like your students and fellow teaching colleagues to provide feedback to your students prior to the event (coming soon).
Additional Information:
- To learn more about what goes into a scientific poster and how to prepare, review suggestions by Darci Harland (Getting Stared with STEM Research).
- You must submit a Poster Entry Form form by Friday, April 3rd for your students to participate in the Poster Session (this ensures that you will have the appropriate space for your displays). NOTE – Poster Entry Form revised 3/16/15
- Review the components of the posters that the Science Team will be providing you feedback on by looking at the Poster & Presentation Rubric
- View the components of a poster in the Sample Poster mock-up.
Poster Information & Paperwork for the SRS:
Poster Requirements:
- The poster should include the following sections: 1) title and author names, 2) concept for the investigation, 3) question(s) of the observations you will make as part of your investigation, 4) explanation of methods of testing the question(s), 5) graphs or images of results, 6) description of results, and 7) description of what the results mean for your lives and for the oceans.
- Content on the poster about your investigation can be written or visual, but must convey to the audience the scientific process.
- All posters must be original and may not contain content that is inappropriate for general audiences.
- Posters must cite Project CONVERGE as:
- In the Acknowledgement section with – “Project CONVERGE is the broader impact project of the National Science Foundation Grant # OPP-1327248. The project is also supported by Rutgers University, Liberty Science Center, and COSEE Networked Ocean World.”
- On the poster, the students should include the CONVERGE logo as well as the NSF logo.
- Posters must comply with copyright rules and regulations. Sources of information and materials used must be properly acknowledged and credited on the poster.
Poster Format:
- All posters should be submitted on a poster board of at least 22” x 28”.
- Paint, pen and ink, crayon, markers, etc. are all accepted when creating the poster.
Student Research Symposium (April 17, 2015, 10am-1:30pm, Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ)
10-15 students from each school will have the opportunity to come to Liberty Science Center in May to present their research to at least 5 scientists from the research science team and meet the scientists in person.
Agenda for the SRS:
9:45a – 10:10a : Arrive, Check-in, and Set-up posters
10:15a – 10:35a : Update on research mission from science team
10:45a – 11:45a : Poster Session – students, teachers, and scientists visit posters to learn about the investigations
11:45a – 12:15p : Lunch *Schools need to bring their own lunches*
12:15p – 12:30p : Scientist introductions
12:30p – 1:00p : Scientist panel to answer student questions
1:00p : Take-down posters and Depart or visit other parts of Liberty Science Center as a school
Logistics & Important Forms:
- Liberty Science Center requires a 1:7 ratio of teacher/chaperones to students
- Remember all schools/students are responsible for their own lunches
- Each school will need to pay for parking – $10/bus or $7/car
- Admissions to Liberty Science Center for the day will be covered by Project CONVERGE for all students and the required number of chaperones
- Schools are welcome to come before 9:45am or stay after 1:00pm to explore more of the Liberty Science Center, but that time will not be part of the Project CONVERGE Student Research Symposium
** Poster Entry Form are due to the Education Team by Friday, April 3rd. NOTE – Poster Entry Form revised 3/16/15
Other Conditions & Assistance:
The DMCS and LSC are not liable for any materials and services purchased to produce the poster(s). Participants assume all responsibility for damages, injuries, and cost. The DMCS and LSC reserve the right to broadcast entries once submitted. Forms of broadcast include, but are not limited to, posts on the Project CONVERGE blog. By presenting a display, the participants grant all rights, title, and interest to DMCS and LSC in broadcasting, but still maintain ownership of the display concept. The DMCS and LSC are not responsible for copyright errors made on the posters.
For More Assistance:
The Project CONVERGE Education Team at Rutgers University and Liberty Science Center is ready to help in whatever way we can. We can help your students to develop questions or design the investigation, to provide assistance undertaking the investigation, to brainstorm poster content, and many other tasks. See our blog post on Science Investigations to learn helpful hints for how to conduct experiments in your classroom.