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NCUR

A page within Undergraduate Research & Creativity

NCUR 2025 (April 7-9) will be in Pittsburgh, PA!

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students. Unlike meetings of academic professional organizations, this gathering of up to 4,000 young scholars welcomes presenters from all institutions of higher learning and from all corners of the academic curriculum.

Abstract submission will be open on the NCUR site from September 10 to December 6. A submission link can be found below. Please read all of the information prior to submitting. Failure to follow all directions may result in you being ineligible to have your travel expenses covered by SRCEL.

Submitting Your Abstract

IMPORTANT: Students planning to present visual arts or performances should contact SRCEL in advance to make alternative travel arrangements. The group is not scheduled to arrive until AFTER these presentations occur on Monday, April 7.

Steps to follow:

  1. Write your abstract and review it with your faculty mentor. 
  2. Submit your abstract to NCUR using their online site by the deadline. (A timeline is listed under the Important Dates & Deadlines tab.) Be sure to use the Undergraduate Research Office Coordinator Information listed here, which is also specified in the informational email you will receive from SRCEL. Contact the office if you have any questions. Failure to enter this information correctly could result in you NOT being eligible for UWL support.
  3. Once we have confirmation for submitted abstracts, SRCEL will invite those students to submit a recording of a "quick pitch" of their research project. Note: if you have not entered the correct information for the Undergraduate Research Office Coordinator, we may not have your information in time for you to be invited to submit a "quick pitch." You must submit a quick pitch video to srcel@uwlax.edu to be considered to have your attendance funded by SRCEL.
  4. The URCC will choose which UWL students will attend.
  5. SRCEL will then notify the selected students in mid-January. Only the selected students can register for the conference. 

NOTE: If your abstract is approved by NCUR and selected by the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Committee, your registration and travel expenses (flight, ground transportation, and hotel) will be covered by SRCEL. NCUR registration includes light breakfast and lunch; you will be responsible for dinner and other expenses.

Selection Guidelines

  1. We expect to fund at least 14 students' registration and travel to NCUR. Students will be selected based on the overall quality of the research project, a presentation made to the URCC, and considerations listed below (items 3 though 7).
  2. Recording of presentations will be "quick pitch" style. Students will have 3 minutes to describe their project.
  3. A maximum of one student author per accepted abstract will be funded by the SRCEL office unless there are an unexpectedly low number of applicants (in this case, more than one author may be invited by SRCEL). Student authors should decide amongst themselves which author will present at NCUR.
  4. Priority will be given to students who have not previously received funding for travel to present their results. Prior NCUR funding does not eliminate a student from consideration but reduces the likelihood of being selected in cases where there are more applicants than SRCEL can fund. 
  5. Priority will be given to seniors, then to juniors, then to sophomores, then to first years. 
  6. Effort will be made to ensure that there is a distribution of students selected across and within academic departments and programs.  
  7. Priority will be given to students that followed UWL registration guidelines, including entering the correct Undergraduate Research Office Coordinator Information and submitting a quick pitch video to SRCEL. Note: this person and their contact information will be determined on an annual basis. Please refer to the email you received from SRCEL regarding NCUR registration. Failure to follow UWL registration guidelines may result in disqualification from receiving SRCEL travel support to attend NCUR.
  8. Final URCC selections will be announced in mid-January after NCUR has made their abstract determinations. SRCEL can only send students whose abstracts are accepted into the conference. Only students who are selected by SRCEL will be invited to register and have their fees covered.

Important Dates & Deadlines for NCUR 2025

The 38th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research will be hosted by Council on Undergraduate Research from April 7-9. SRCEL-hosted transportation to the conference will occur on Monday, April 7, and return students to campus on Thursday, April 10. Please note that this means missing four days of classes. You should determine whether or not this is feasible before committing to attend the conference. If requested by your instructor(s), SRCEL can provide a written request to excuse you from class(es). It is not recommended for students with MW classes to try to attend both NCUR and Research in the Rotunda in 2025 due to the proximity of the events and the number of classes that they will miss.

Timeline for NCUR 2025 

Online submission opens September 10, 2024
SRCEL deadline for "quick pitch" submission

December 2, 2024

Deadlines for applications and abstracts

December 6, 2024

NCUR review of submissions January 2025
Abstract decision notifications

January 2025

Online registration opens

Do not register until you have heard whether SRCEL will be funding your travel. SRCEL will notify you whether or not your travel will be funded immediately after NCUR decisions are communicated.

January 2025 (see note to the left)

Deadline for early conference registration January 2025
NCUR 2025 - 38th Annual April 7-9, 2025

Other Opportunities

The Undergraduate Research and Creativity Committee (URCC) is committed to providing UWL students the opportunity to present their research at annual events including NCUR*, the UW-System's Annual Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creativity, and Research in the Rotunda. The committee has developed guidelines to be used for selecting travel awards to these events. Any student who receives a travel award to attend these events must make a commitment to present at the UWL Research & Creativity Symposium.  

Interested in Graduate School?

The Council on Undergraduate Research hosts a Registry of Undergraduate Researchers that can help you connect with one that matches your interests. There will also be graduate schools tabling at the event.

Upcoming events: