June 22-23, 2023 | Online 
June 26-28, 2023 | Onsite, Pittsburgh, PA

The annual ConnectUR conference will provide an forum around undergraduate research where attendees can draw on knowledge exchange, scholarship of teaching and learning, group discussion, tangible and scalable practices, and community building to expand their efforts. This conference will focus on the areas of contributions to the practice of undergraduate research; structures and models for building and growing undergraduate research; diversity, equity, and inclusion; advocacy and partnership/collaboration and community; and assessment, accountability, and sustainability.

Who should come? This conference is open to all individuals with a commitment to or interest in the practice of undergraduate research and the impact it has on participants. That includes faculty, mentors, administrators, VPAAs, deans, directors, and many more. 

IMPORTANT DATES

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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Below are the 2023 themes and examples of sample session titles.

SUBMISSION TEMPLATE  SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT

• Contributions to the Practice of Undergraduate Research 
  Innovative and emerging practices and case studies in working with undergraduates in the practice of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry.
  • ​Sample session titles: ​
    • ​Innovative Practices During the Pandemic
    • Introducing Research-Oriented Thinking in First Year Seminar Courses
    • Division-related Promising Practices
• Structures and Models for Building and Growing Undergraduate Research
  Infrastructure and support of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry programs. Development of systems, structures, and models that support and elevate undergraduate research within the curriculum and co-curriculum. 
  • ​Sample session titles: ​
    • ​From Student Complaint to New Initiative: How We Built Our Undergraduate Research Department
    • A Strategy for Increasing Institutional Support for an URP
    • Creating a Sustainable URP While Dealing with Funding and Fiscal Limitations
    • Using Strategic Planning to Transform Undergraduate Research Infrastructure
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  Developing culture, community, and practice in UR that actively prioritizes diversity, equity, access, and inclusion both in general and specifically for minoritized and historically excluded groups. 
  • ​Sample session titles: ​
    • ​Creating Student-Centered Spaces for Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Conversations
    • Transformative Learning Through Empathy and Allyship
    • Challenges and Opportunities in the Shifting Demographics of Undergraduate Researchers
• Advocacy and Partnerships/Collaboration and Community
  Developing and strengthening shared commitments, collaborations, and cohesion across traditional divisions, boundaries, and organizations in UR, scholarship, and creative inquiry.  
  • ​Sample session titles: ​
    • Near-Peer Mentoring: The Power of Encouragement
    • Increase Awareness and Participation of UR Through Online Communication
    • UR and Workforce Readiness
• Assessment, Accountability and Sustainability
  Evaluation, assessment, target outcomes and sustainability of UR practice and programs.
  • ​Sample session titles: ​
    • ​Using Data to Promote Awareness of and Participation in UR and Creative Works
    • The Critical Role of UR in the Evolving Landscape of Higher Ed
    • UR Impact (on students, on institutions, on communities, on higher education)

PRESENTATION FORMATS
Presentations will be 10, 20, or 60 minutes in length. All presentations will be scheduled within a 60-minutes session time block.
Below are more details on preparing your abstract submission and understanding of presentation formats.

• Onsite or Online Options
  • ​Narratives Storytelling 
    • ​Scheduled in a series with 8-minute talk and 2-minute of Q&A: 10-minutes all together
    • Set up with multiple 10-minute presentations within a session. Presentations should be proactive, challenging, entertaining, and above all, interesting. 
  • Oral Presentation
    • Scheduled in a series with 18-minutes presentation and 2-minutes of Q&A: 20-minutes all together
    • Present findings, works in progress, or new methodologies pertaining to the meeting themes
  • Workshop
    • Scheduled 60-minute presentation
    • Active-learning sessions that focus on topics currently being discussed and debated within undergraduate research. Facilitators introduce activities that engage participants in workshop-style activities. 
• Onsite Only Options
  • Poster (36" x 48") 
    • A mixture of text with tables, graphs, and pictures to present your findings in a visually interesting and accessible way. This will serve as a tool to prompt discussion with colleagues during a reception style session. Items typically included: Title, Authors, Abstract, Introduction, Materials Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements, and References. Note: Please also plan to prepare a 3-minute pre-recorded flash talk (an elevator talk or elevator pitch) in MP4 format to be shared with the online audience.  
• Online Only Options
  • Pre-recorded Flash Talk  
    • A summary of your project that you share in a 3-minute, elevator type talk/pitch.

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REGISTRATION RATES

When registering, please send any dietary restrictions to CUR@CUR.org.
*A 1-yr individual membership is included in the non member rate. 
**Please contact CUR@CUR.org to register as a student if not a member of CUR. Your registration will include a 1-yr individual student membership.

ONLINE ONLY REGISTRATION   EARLY-BIRD BUNDLE REGISTRATION

+Early-Bird for on-site is displayed as the "Early-Bird Bundle" rate. This rate reflects on-site with online free. 

⁺Early-Bird for on-site is displayed as the "Early-Bird Bundle" rate. This rate reflects on-site with online free. 
 

Workshop information for both online and onsite will be coming soon. 

Accepted forms of payment for all registration: 
Credit cards (VISA, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) are all accepted. Check payment must be received by June 16, 2023.

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HOUSING INFORMATION (On-Site Registrants)

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown
1 Bigelow Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Rate: Starting at $159 per night (plus 14% state taxes + fees)
Housing rate cut-off ends June 12, 2023 or until sold out.
When calling to book, please call 1(800) 222-TREE and use code CDTCUR.

BOOK HOUSING TODAY

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PRELIMINARY 2023 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

If you have additional questions about this event, please email CUR@CUR.org.