Fourteenth Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium!



When: Saturday, 28 February 2009
Where: Lab Sciences 3rd and 4th Floors
Time: 11AM - 4PM

General Judging Guidlines
Photo of 2003 Research Symposium
Applications with an accompanying abstract must be submitted by February 09, 2009. 
More Pictures


Purpose of the Research Symposium

Now in its fourteenth year, the Research Symposium provides Washington University graduate students with the opportunity to present their work to a broad audience of diverse academic backgrounds.  The ability to explain one's work to a variety of people outside of a particular field of expertise is vital to any career.  The Research Symposium provides students with the ideal opportunity to practice and polish these communication skills.  Thus, one of the main aspects of the judging of posters during the Research Symposium is the ability of the presenter make his or her material accessible to a general audience.  For more details about the Research Symposium, including suggestions for the format of your presentation click here.  For pictures from a previous Research Symposium click here.

Background of the Research Symposium

One of the missions of the Graduate Student Senate is bringing together graduate students from different disciplines throughout Washington University.  Although we organize regular social events to give students a chance to meet and interact with each other, we also hope to provide settings for more academic interaction.  For the past thirteen years, the Graduate Student Senate has organized the Graduate Student Research Symposium.  The Research Symposium provides a forum for graduate students to see the work of their peers, especially those in other departments.  In the past six years, the added support of the Graduate Professional Council has helped to expand and enhance the Research Symposium.  Three years ago, we added the support of the Association of Graduate Engineering Students and for two years, the Student Advisory Committee has joined in the effort to further enhance the Research Symposium.  It is our hope that exposure to the breadth of research done throughout Washington University will provide an appreciation of the topics in fields other than our own, and perhaps even new perspectives from which to view our own work.

The Research Symposium is a  great chance to explore the research of your peers—in your own and in other departments.  The Research Symposium provides a unique forum for interaction among students and faculty across the university, encouraging students to mingle with other graduate students, to share their experiences, and to learn about ongoing research outside of their specific discipline.  In past years, graduate students from a variety of fields throughout the graduate school have presented their research in poster format.  the enthusiastic sponsorship of Dean Smith enables us to award cash prizes to the best presentations in each of five categories: Humanities, Engineering, Professional Programs, Sciences, and Social Sciences.

We are excited by the growth of this project over the years, and would like to encourage graduate students to submit abstracts for consideration.  The entire Washington University community is invited to attend the Research Symposium to discuss the ongoing research of Washington University graduate students.  We look forward to seeing you on April 5th!

Instructions for Submitting an Abstract

If you wish to submit an abstract, submit it through our on-line form.  If you have any questions, please email us at gss@artsci.wustl.edu.  The deadline for the abstract and the completed application form is February 16, 2009.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact
the Graduate Student Senate at gss@artsci.wustl.edu