Florida Undergraduate Research Conference

Our conference program is now available for view!

Friday, February 21    

7:30 - 8:15 pm: Keynote Speaker

Dinner on your own

Saturday, February 22

7:30 - 8:30 am: Check in and breakfast

8:30 - 9:30 am: Poster Session I

9:45 - 10:30 am: Workshop I

10:45 - 11:45 am: Poster Session II

12:00 - 1:30 pm: Lunch

1:45 - 2:45 pm: Poster Session III

3:00 - 3:45 pm: Workshop II

4:00 - 5:00 pm: Poster Session IV

5:00 pm: Conference end

Logistics 

• Parking
  
  • If traveling by bus, parking will be available on Friday and Saturday in the auxiliary lot of North Lake Village next to the boardwalk. Volunteers will be onsite for guidance. Maps will be provided.
  • If traveling by car, parking will be available at Alico Arena for Friday evening. Parking for Saturday will be in Parking Garages 1 and 3, which are on either side of the Cohen Student Union and Sugden Hall. All reserved parking spaces remain enforced throughout the weekend. You will be ticketed if you park there.
• What meals are provided with my registration?
  • The following is provided at the event: Friday- appetizers and refreshments. Saturday- breakfast, lunch, and all-day refreshments.
• Do you accommodate food allergies or dietary restrictions in the catering?
  • Yes, when possible. Please indicate any accommodations on your registration.

Registration 

• I have not collected all of my data for my research project, can I still present a poster with my research plan and anticipated results?
  • Students at every stage of their academic research are encouraged to apply, as long as they have the support from their faculty research mentor.

• Can I attend FURC as a guest (parent, relative, friend, or significant other)?
  • Yes, the event is open to anyone interested in attending. However, registration is required to participate in professional development sessions and for meals.

• Do I have to live in Florida to apply to FURC?
  • Undergraduate students enrolled in Colleges or Universities within the State of Florida are eligible to apply to present their research poster at FURC.

• Can I still check-in if I miss the welcome reception?
  • Yes, the registration desk remains open throughout the two days of the event. Students can check-in anytime.

• I recently graduated with my undergraduate degree. Can I still present my undergraduate research?
  • Yes, students who graduated within the past 12 months and have not matriculated to graduate or professional school may attend and present.

• Can a student present two posters?
  • A student may be an author in multiple posters; however, a student may be first author on only ONE poster. This ensures as many students as possible will have the opportunity to present their research.

Presenters  

• How many students have attended FURC in years past?
  • At recent FURCs, as many as 600 students have attended and 200 attendees who are university staff, family, and friends.
• What disciplines can present at FURC?
  • FURC is inclusive of all academic research, scholarship, and creative inquiry across all disciplines. 
• What should I include in my abstract submission?
  • Abstracts/creative statements are limited to 250 words, and should include an introductory statement, the approach/methods, any results, and a discussion/ conclusion. Only submit plain text – do not include any pictures, graphs, or special characters with your abstract submission. We suggest you contact your campus Writing Center or Office of Undergraduate Research for help developing your abstract.
• What size should I make my poster?
  • Standard poster size- 36” tall x 48” wide. Materials used to hang the poster will be provided. It is highly recommended that all posters at FURC are printed through a digital poster printer. These are often available on campuses, please talk to your faculty mentor about options.   
• Can I select what session I present my poster in, or is it randomly assigned?
  • Times are randomly assigned to all posters. We encourage all presenters to stay for each poster session to visit the other student presentations.

• Are poster presentations judged at this Conference?
  • No, participants are not judged at this conference. There are no awards.
• Any tips for first-time presenters?
  • It is a good idea to practice your presentation with your faculty mentor, grad students, friends, and/or family. Since this is a multi-disciplinary event, be sure to describe your research in words that can be understood by all attendees. We suggest you prepare a short 2-3 sentence overview that you can use to start the conversation about your poster. 
• What should I wear to the event?
  • Business-casual attire that is comfortable for the two-day event. We recommend comfortable shoes, as well, as some of the workshop spaces may be in different buildings.

• Do I need to bring anything to the graduate school fair (resume, business cards, etc)?
  • Students are strongly encouraged to bring copies of their resumes. The graduate school fair hosted by FURC is an excellent way to network with many universities across the country. Please see the FURC webpage for the most up to date information on visiting schools. Over 30 graduate school programs have participated at each past FURC.

To attend FURC, you must complete the registration and submit payment. You do not have to present at FURC to register and attend.

• Students should first submit abstract registrations here.
• Once abstracts are accepted, students will receive an email with instructions for payment
  • Registration for students, faculty, and staff is $50; late registration (starting February 8) is $70.
  • Registration payment for individual students (once abstracts have been accepted) and faculty can be done through our payment portal.
• Schools paying for multiple students' registration should contact FURC@fgcu.edu by January 31, 2020 to complete the necessary paperwork and receive their unique codes in order to complete payment (see details below).
• We will be sending out acceptance confirmation emails at the beginning and halfway through each month.

 Abstract Information

• Abstracts/creative statements should be no more than 2000 characters; abstracts over 2000 characters may be rejected. Your abstract should include an introductory statement, a brief description of the research methods/approach, results or anticipated results, and discussion/conclusion. 
• Do not include special characters, graphs, or photos in your abstract.
• You should consult with your faculty mentor and other members of your presentation before submitting your abstract.
• There may be multiple student authors on a presentation. Each presentation only needs to submit one abstract; however, each presenter that is attending FURC must register and pay the registration fee. A student may be first author on only ONE poster.
• Abstract writing help, additional help
• If you have questions about your FURC abstract, email FURC@fgcu.edu
• FGCU student abstracts will be reviewed and accepted on a first come, first serve basis.

Poster Information

• Posters for FURC should be 48" wide by 36" tall. Vertical posters and posters larger than 48" x 36" will not fit on the provided poster boards.
• Poster boards, an easel, and binder clips will be provided to participants. 
• Poster check-in will be available on Saturday. Participants may drop off their poster upon arrival and pick up their poster before presenting.
• Participants are responsible for finding their poster spot using the program as a guide and securing posters to the poster boards.

FGCU students printing their posters through the Office of Undergraduate Research must submit their posters by February 1. 

Institutions looking to register multiple students (after their abstracts have been accepted) should do the following:

1. Contact FURC@fgcu.edu to request a Group Registration Form.
2. Once received, complete and email back the form.
3. After processing submissions, you will receive an email with a Special Authorization Code and a unique Personal Identification Code.
4. You will need these codes to complete the purchase through our portal.

If there are any discrepancies between your purchase and the Group Registration Form we receive, we will be contacting you. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Each year, FURC hosts a graduate school fair in which graduate recruiters from across the country are invited to attend and table. Recruiters should be comfortable speaking about all of their institution's graduate programs, be it in STEM, Arts and Humanities, Business, Medical, and Law. Recruiter registration for FURC includes access to the reception on Friday evening and a 6 ft. table for Saturday's event, including lunch for two representatives. Schools may also purchase advertising space in the FURC program. You do not have to attend the conference to advertise in the program. 

Registration to Attend FURC:

• Graduate Recruiter Registration is now CLOSED

To place ads in the FURC Program, email your PDF file to FURC@fgcu.edu for approval. You can make your payment on our Marketplace:

• Submissions for Ads in the FURC Program are now CLOSED

Please review the recruiter packet prior to registering. All graduate school recruiter spots are full. Graduate school recruiters have a special block at the Embassy Suites for $279/night or at the Drury Inn & Suites (check packet for special rate reservations).

FURC invites faculty and staff to submit abstracts for workshop presentations during the event on Saturday. Workshop presentations are 45 minutes long and in the past have covered topics such as graduate school application tips, how to get more out of your research, funding, and more. We encourage proposals that are inclusive and applicable to all disciplines, be it in STEM, Arts and Humanities, Business, Medical, and Law.

Workshop submissions are now CLOSED

10501 FGCU Blvd S
Fort Myers, FL 33965

FGCU is 6 miles from Southwest Florida International Airport and 2 miles from Gulf Coast Town Center, which provides shopping, dining, and entertainment. For more information, email FURC@fgcu.edu.

Find all the details for our special FURC hotel deals here. 

Brief Overview (all rates apply for February 21st): 

Holiday Inn
Fort Myers Airport and Town Center
Rate: $184
SOLD OUT

Springhill Suites by Marriott
Fort Myers Airport
Rate: $199
SOLD OUT 

Residence Inn Fort Myers
I-75 and Gulf Coast Town Center
Rate: $209-239
SOLD OUT 

Courtyard Fort Myers
I-75 and Gulf Coast Town Center
Rate: $199
SOLD OUT 

Hilton Garden Inn
Fort Myers Airport / FGCU
Rate: $199
SOLD OUT 

Hampton Inn & Suites
Fort Myers-Estero / FGCU
Rate: $169-209
Book here or here 

Best Western Inn
Fort Myers Airport
Rate: $179
Book here 

SpringHill Suites
Fort Myers-Estero
Rate: $179
Book here

Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham
Fort Myers near JetBlue Park
Rate: $170-200
Booking: Call 239-791-5000  

Remember to book your lodging early. FURC coincides with SWFL's peak season!