Research Day
Southern Illinois University

Objective: To expose the campus to the range of research taking place on the campus. To give students an opportunity to showcase their research.

Participants: high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, faculty and research staff, community members

Description: Research Day is a research poster conference that gives students and faculty an opportunity to highlight the quality research being conducted on the campus. This event is held in conjunction with the Illinois Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, a program for high school students. The posters are displayed in the student center ballroom which enables a large number of people to see the posters. An additional draw is the refreshment buffet that is set up in the ballroom. Faculty and students are encouraged to display posters they have already shown at other conferences which lessens the time commitment for participants. This activity has garnered good participation among student and young faculty members of Sigma Xi. An abstract of the show is published and handed out to attendees.

Cost implications and source of funds: $140 to cover the shared cost of refreshments.

Time Commitment: Two planning meetings with the planning committee. Time spent the day of the conference.

Co-sponsors/Partners: Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Carbondale Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience, Illinois Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

Number of chapter members involved: One member on the planning committee that includes members from Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and the Carbondale Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience. Chapter members submit posters to the conference.

Number of attendees: over 100

Publicity: All Sigma Xi members are notified about the conference and announcements are posted throughout the campus.

Sigma Xi membership implications: Many of the posters are authored by Sigma Xi members or students who will be nominated during the year. Additionally colleagues of Sigma Xi members (research associates or students) author posters. This is a good opportunity to introduce them to Sigma Xi.

Checklist for Poster Conference

• Have planning meeting with chapter members or individuals from co-sponsoring organizations. Decide who is going to handle which tasks.
• Decide on date for poster conference and where conference will be held.
• Reserve space and any necessary equipment or furniture.
• Determine criteria for posters to be accepted.
• Solicit poster presenters using campus email, announcements on campus bulletin boards, announcements in appropriate classes or labs, school newspaper.
• If refreshments are going to be served, make arrangements.
• Design posters advertising the poster conference. Remember to include the name of your Sigma Xi chapter on the poster. Sigma Xi can supply a camera ready logo for the poster.
• Send press releases to campus newspaper, local newspaper, and local t.v. station. Sample press releases are available in the Chapter Officers’ Toolkit.
• Send letter inviting deans and other appropriate campus administrators to conference.
• If abstracts are going to be published, collect abstracts and have typed and printed.
• Day of Conference list:
• Oversee the set up of posters and the arrangements of refreshments.
• Have abstracts available to hand out.
• Be prepared to answer general questions about conference.

Contact information:George Waring, waring@siu.edu