UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH & ARTS EXPO
SAVE THE DATE: MAY 23, 2025
Share your research and creative projects! The Undergraduate Research Expo and Creative Arts Festival, together referred to as the Undergraduate Research & Arts Expo or simply “the Expo,” is a chance to present your research and creative endeavors in a friendly environment. All projects (thesis, class, extracurricular, etc.) are welcome – you do not have to have been funded by our office in order to present! Your project does not need to be complete to apply; we are happy to consider works in progress.
Apply to the Research Expo with an abstract. Apply to the Creative Arts Festival with the work you plan to present, a brief description of the work, and a brief artist’s statement.
The Office of Undergraduate Research offers abstract-writing workshops to aid in Research Expo applications and poster building and presenting workshops to help you prepare to present your research once accepted (see Workshops section below).
The Northwestern Undergraduate Research & Arts Expo is co-sponsored by the Northwestern Undergraduate Research Journal (NURJ).
DEADLINES
The submission deadline for all submissions is Saturday, April 19, 2025. Submit your application on the Student Opportunities Application Portal.
What is it?
This yearly event celebrates the amazing accomplishments and discoveries of Northwestern undergraduates with poster presentations and curated student panel talks. Projects can include everything from a lab write-up to describing how your produced a creative piece. The Expo is open to the Northwestern community, and it does not require you to have received research funding for your project to participate. This is an excellent opportunity for you to present your research, get feedback from peers and faculty alike, practice crucial skills like communicating your research findings, and expand your understanding of the scope and nature of academic research. It’s also a great chance to network with other researchers!
When/where is it?
The 2025 Undergraduate Research Expo will be held in-person in Norris between 10:00am – 3:00pm on Friday, May 23, 2025. Poster sessions will be split between morning (10:00-11:30am) and afternoon (1:30-3:00pm) sessions; 8 oral presentations panels will be divided up by subject over two sessions (10:30am-12:00pm or 12:30-2:00pm). Lunch will be provided, and a low-sensory room will be available for presenters to use at any time.
Types of Submissions
- Poster Presentations: During a morning or afternoon 1.5-hr session, you will stand by your poster in Norris and discuss your research with attendees from a variety of backgrounds and fields; for this reason, your poster should be designed with a non-expert audience in mind. The Office of Undergraduate Research offers workshops to help you with creating and presenting your poster, and you will have the option of either submitting your 48″ x 36″ (4′ x 3′) poster to be printed by the office or printing and bringing it to the Expo on your own.
- Oral Presentations: During a morning or afternoon session, you will give an 8- to 10-minute talk about your project in Norris. Projects chosen are curated into themed panels led by a faculty moderator. Presenters are required to complete our presentation Canvas course and attend two presentation workshops prior to the Expo.
Group presentations (max of 3 undergraduates) are welcome for either oral or poster presentations! Each group member submits an application separately. List your co-presenters clearly on your submission. This is slightly different from acknowledging co-authors or collaborators on a presentation but being the sole presenter.
Why should I present?
Presenting a poster allows you to connect directly with your audience and have individual conversations about your research with a wide range of people. During poster sessions, the presenter stands next to their poster, but the audience is free to move around the room, stopping to look at posters and engage in conversation with presenters as they wish.
For poster presenters, the advantage of giving a poster over an oral presentation is that you engage in a one-on-one dialogue with audience members who are interested in your research, rather than talking at a large number of people from a distance. The poster should make sense on its own, but more importantly, it serves as a means to a conversation! No matter whether you are in the humanities, the social sciences, or the natural sciences: posters are a great way to share and get feedback on your research.
While both oral and poster presenters have the ability to share and get feedback on their work, oral presentations are more competitive and require students to participate in presentation workshops to get concrete, personalized feedback about how to more successfully communicate with a non-expert audience.
Eligibility
Open to all Northwestern University undergraduates in any field, in any class year.
How to Apply
Submit an abstract for your project by the deadline/s listed above! Remember, your project and/or presentation does not need to be complete before you apply! You will receive additional support from OUR staff on your poster or presentation. Click on the “Apply” button at the bottom of the page when you are ready. You will submit your abstract on the Student Opportunities Application Portal.
Awards
All presentations will be evaluated by faculty judges. There are cash prizes available for the top poster and oral presentations as well as People’s Choice awards for favorites from the audience.
Presentations will be evaluated against this rubric below. Evaluation is focused on how you communicate your work to a non-expert audience and what you learned, not whether the research is complete/conclusive.
What is it?
The Creative Arts Festival is a juried variety show of original work created by Northwestern University undergraduates. A committee reviews the applications and selects participants for the festival, while a professional jury picks the winners. All from the Northwestern community are welcome as audience members to support our performers.
When/where is it?
The 2025 Creative Arts Festival will be held in-person at the Wirtz Center. Details to be announced. All from the Northwestern community are welcome to attend both events as audience members to support our performers.
Types of Submissions
- Creative Writing: Include in your application the work that you plan to present. Commonly, students who submit creative writing perform staged readings of poetry, short stories, scenes from a play, a chapter of a book, etc. Share a link to the written piece with your application.
- Film Submissions: Indicate duration and provide a link where the review committee can see the film, i.e. Vimeo or YouTube. There is a 10 minute limit for the Festival.
- Visual Art Submissions: Diverse forms of art are welcome: photography, sculpture, painting, mixed-media, and more. In your application, provide a link or an attachment, so the review committee can see the work.
- Performance Submissions: Examples are musical ensembles, monologues, stand-up, scenes from directing/devising classes, and dance. Indicate how long your performance is (there is a maximum of 10 minutes allowed). If possible, provide a link or an attachment, so the review committee can see the work.
Why should I participate?
The Creative Arts Festival provides you with a platform to share your work, gain experience performing in front of people, and receive feedback on your project. You will also have opportunity to win an award for your work, which includes both the achievement you can claim and a cash prize.
Eligibility
Open to all Northwestern University undergraduates in any field, in any class year.
How to Apply
Submit your creative work by the deadline listed above! You will need to provide:
- Performance Type
- Performance Title
- Names of Other Performers
- Performance Length (10 mins max)
- Link to piece or performance (YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, etc)
- Performance/Piece description (250 words max) – you will offer a brief summary of your piece.
- Artist Statement (250 words max) – you can discuss your thinking/practice around the creation of the piece and/or your intentions for it as an artist.
Click on the “Apply” button at the bottom of the page when you are ready. You will submit your abstract on the Student Opportunities Application Portal.
You may submit multiple entries.
Awards
Submissions will be evaluated by a jury of arts professionals who will award first, second, and third place.
The jury varies from year-to-year. In the past, we have had Academy Award winning writer/actor/director Thomas McCarthy, local musician Gus Friedlander, and Emmy Award winning Chicago casting agency owners Mickie Paskal and Jennifer Rudnicke. If you have ideas for this year, let us know.
‘People’s Choice Award’ will be chosen via ballot of the audience members.
Writing an Abstract: Learn about best practices from an OUR advisor! Remember, your project does not need to be complete before you apply for the Expo! These workshops will be held virtually, register for the Zoom link.
- Specific dates will be announced as the Expo approaches.
Creating a Poster: Presenting a poster allows you to connect directly with your audience and have individual conversations about your research. We’ll cover how to organize your findings, graphics, citations, and more! These workshops will be held in-person at the OUR Office, 1801 Hinman Ave., 2nd Floor Conference Room.
- Specific dates will be announced as the Expo approaches.
Presenting a Poster: You’ll learn the art of crafting and delivering impactful poster presentations. This workshop will cover everything from answering audience questions, engaging in meaningful one-on-one conversations, and effectively communicating your research findings. These workshops will be held in-person at the OUR Office, 1801 Hinman Ave., 2nd Floor Conference Room.
- Specific dates will be announced as the Expo approaches.
The Expo is open to the general public and anyone is welcome to attend! Building an audience will primarily come through your own efforts. Share your participation in this event both leading up to the date, and on the day itself!
Additionally, because we want to share your accomplishment with your biggest supporters, we would like to mail one postcard for each presenter to extend a personal invitation to join us at the Research Expo (sorry, we cannot mail these internationally)! You will have the option to invite a guest of honor via the application, whether a family member, friend, or mentor.
How will I know if I won an award?
We will contact winners in the days following the Expo. Winners will also be announced on our web site.
Who gives out the awards?
The Office of Undergraduate Research administers the judging process, with feedback provided by Northwestern faculty.
Can I do two posters on two different projects?
You can present two posters on distinctly different topics, but only one poster may be submitted for judging.
Can I do both a poster and an oral presentation?
No, you may only do one.
How hard is it to get an oral presentation panel?
The vast majority of applicants want to be on a panel, so it is very competitive. Get your advisor to send us an email in support of you and your project.
If I don’t get an oral presentation panel, can I still do a poster?
Yes. All applicants who do not get chosen for oral presentation panels will be offered poster slots.
I have already presented at another conference, so I don’t need the presentation workshops for the panelists, right?
All oral presentation panelists are required to attend two workshops. They are designed to provide individualized feedback on your presentation content and delivery.
Can I present at the Expo and perform at the CAF?
Of course! Bring it on!
Can I be a part of more than one performance at the CAF?
Absolutely! Make sure you’re listed as a co-presenter if a student other than yourself is submitting the application.
Explore research and creative projects that were present in past Expos by viewing the event programs below.
2024 Undergraduate Research & Arts Exposition Program
2024 Undergraduate Research & Arts Exposition Abstract Guide
2023 Undergraduate Research Expo & Creative Arts Festival
2022 Undergraduate Research Expo & Creative Arts Festival
2021 Undergraduate Research Expo & Creative Arts Festival