The Undergraduate Research Conference is an annual event where students present work related to course research, creative work in the visual and performing arts, study abroad trips, community service, and much more. The conference benefits the campus community by helping students hone their ability to present information in a public setting, give and receive constructive feedback, and view important work being done by others both in and outside of their own fields.
The conference is free to attend and open to the public. Fitchburg State is committed to providing a comfortable, inclusive, and respectful environment for all members of our community. ASL interpreters are available.
If you have any questions about the event, have access needs, or would like to request accommodations to fully participate in this event, please contact: ugrad-conference@fitchburgstate.edu.
Presentation Information
Getting Started
Want to participate, but no sure how to start? Here are a few tips to get you started.
How to Submit Your Work
Not sure where you should submit your work? Below is some guidance, but please reach out if you have research or any creative work you would like to present but you’re not sure what avenue is best for you!
Submission Deadline: March 6, 2026 for Conference on April 16, 2026
- Poster presentations - Posters are a great way to present research and literature reviews.
- Oral presentations - Oral presentations are great for presenting research, literature reviews, and high impact practices (internships, co-ops, capstone projects, etc.) in a longer format (15 minutes). Typically presentations use slides, but please let us know if you have something else in mind.
- Visual arts - Visual arts can include any physical or graphic art; short films are also a great fit here!
- Performances - Have a short skit, song, or instrumental performance? This is where to submit!
- Lightning talks - Want to give a talk but don’t need 15 minutes? These are talks in 5 min or less! This is great for short presentations on high impact practices including internships, capstone experiences, service-learning, and study abroad. It's also great for presenting about independent studies, group projects, athletics, campus employment, and many other types of experiences that students have during their time at Fitchburg State. If you want to use slides, we recommend no more than 3!
- Technology presentations - NEW THIS YEAR! Want a space to demonstrate your technology based project? We will be offering a platform just for you!
Other Submissions
- Roundtable Discussion Submissions A roundtable discussion is a collaborative and interactive session where participants gather to engage in focused conversations on specific topics of interest to the university community. Unlike traditional oral or poster presentations, roundtable discussions are less structured, and create a more open and dynamic exchange of ideas, as well as promoting the sharing of diverse beliefs held by participants and those in attendance.
- Creative Writing Showcase Submission This is a great way to read and share your fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction work.
Preparing Your Presentation
Creative Writing Showcase
We are soliciting public readings of creative writing pieces including poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction of durations between 30 seconds and 4 minutes.
Answers to your questions
Corporate Sponsorship
Past Winners
Congratulations to our 2024 conference award winners.
Poster Awards
- First place: Thomas Adler Mandile: “Synthesis of Blattellaquinone Analogues and Evaluation of Their Activity as Sex Pheromones in Hissing Cockroaches”
- Second Place: William Ghio: “Salt Content Released From Roadside Soils Affected by Road Salt Applications”
- Third Place: Mary Kate Moreau: “Assessment of Barriers and Potential Improvements on Recycling at Fitchburg State University”
Writing Showcase Award
Matilda Goad “Murder By Lying”
Film Award
Elliot Zopatti “The Little Girl in The Photo is Me”
Oral Presentation Awards
- First Place: Brady Elliot “President Hammond-Student Relations in the 60s and 70s”
- Second Place: Madison Ambrogi and Isabel Lemek: “Navigating the Digital Equity Gap in Fitchburg Using GPS and GI”
- Third Place: Asa Oywech: “The Last Man Paradox: How We Define Right And Wrong”
Congratulations to the 2019 top poster and presentation finishers.
Oral Presentation
Samantha Richard, Microplastics in the Nashua River Watershed, Dept. of Earth and Geographic Sciences, Sponsor: Dr. Daniel Welsh
Poster Presentation
Andrew Gagnon,Accessing Health Information: College Students' Health Literacy and Resource Use, Dept. of Psychological Sciences, Sponsor: Dr. Jannette McMenamy
Creative Writing Showcase
Dana Shahar, One Hundred Bedtime Stories
Congratulations to the 2018 top poster and presentation finishers.
Oral Presentation
John Sanford, Analysis of tRNA-Directed Riboswitches in Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis, Dept. of Biology and Chemistry, Sponsor: Dr. Sean Rollins
Poster Presentation
Lixandra Numbem, Synthesis of Fluorine-Containing Compounds, Dept. of Biology and Chemistry, Sponsor: Dr. Dennis Awasabisah
Creative Writing Showcase
Faith Chesbrough, CRISS CROSS
Congratulations to the 2017 top poster and presentation finishers. Click on the links to read the abstracts.
Poster
Lexie Stewart, Kasandra Gonet, Courtney Hertz, Lisa Kay, Narcan for Dummies, Dept. of Nursing, Sponsor: Dr. Deborah Stone
Presentation
Elijah Tucker, An Academic Study of Artificial Intelligence Use in the Classroom for Students with Disabilities, Dept. of Computer Science, Sponsor: Nadimpalli Mahadev
Congratulations to the 2016 top poster and presentation finishers. Click on the links to read the abstracts.
Poster
Jacquelyn Durkan and Hannah Lombardo, How fat regulates stress response signaling in the model organism C. elegans, Dept. of Biology and Chemistry, Sponsor: Dr. Natalie Karagodsky
Presentation
Robin Pike, GIS Internship with the Ayer Department of Public Works, Dept. of Earth and Geographic Sciences, Sponsor: Dr. Jane Huang