SOARS (Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship) Symposium

SOARS 2025 will be held on Friday, April 11 in the John A. Delaney Student Union Ballrooms. 

The event schedule is as follows:

• Registration and Check-in (Floor Atrium): 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
• Poster Session 1 (Ballroom 3703): 9:00-10:00 a.m.
• Oral Session 1 (Room 3601): 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 
• Oral Session 2 (Room 3602): 9:00-11:30 a.m. 
• Oral Session 3 (Room 3605): 9:30-11:15 a.m.
• Poster Session 2 (Ballroom 3703): 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 
• Lunch/Networking (Ballroom 3703): 12:00-12:30 p.m.
• Keynote Lecture (Ballroom 3703): 12:30-1:30 p.m. 
• Awards Ceremony (Ballroom 3703): Starts at 1:30 p.m.

Undergraduate Mentor of the Year (UMOY)
Each year during SOARS, one mentor from among those nominated by their student mentees is recognized as Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor of the Year. This is a prestigious award recognizing the most outstanding UNF faculty member among many who have excelled in supporting, encouraging, and guiding their undergraduate student researchers. The recipient of the Undergraduate Mentor of the Year award exemplifies UNF's values in terms of teaching, researching, and service. This award is overseen by the O.U.R.

Graduate Mentor of the Year (GMOY)
This award is also available each year during SOARS and is overseen by the Graduate School. This coveted award recognizes the most outstanding faculty mentor among many who have excelled in inspiring, guiding, and encouraging the development of skills in their graduate student researchers. The recipient of the Graduate Mentor of the Year award exemplifies UNF’s values in terms of teaching, research, and service.

The Graduate Mentor of the Year (GMOY) and Undergraduate Mentor of the Year (UMOY) recipients will be announced during the SOARS Keynote and Awards Ceremony on Friday, April 11.

The deadline to nominate your mentor was Friday, March 21 at 11:59 p.m.

2024 Undergraduate Mentor of the Year recipient: Dr. John Hatle, Professor of Biology
2024 Graduate Mentor of the Year recipient: Dr. David Hoppey, Associate Professor of Education

Poster printing guidelines:  

• Appropriate file formats include PDF and PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx, or .pdf). Alternative file types will not be accepted. 
• Your poster should be sized to 4' x 3' (48" wide by 36" high). Vertical posters and posters larger than 48" x 36" will not fit on the provided poster boards.
• Ensure your poster is sized to the appropriate dimensions before submitting it to be printed. The O.U.R. will not resize your poster for you.  
• A 4' x 3' poster costs $25  
• If you are self-paying for your poster, you must submit payment through the payment portal. If your department/faculty mentor is covering the cost, have them email our@unf.edu to request an invoice. 
• Select the 'Standard Poster Printing' storefront option on the payment portal, if self-paying.  
• After you complete payment, submit your poster to the O.U.R. by completing the Poster Printing Qualtrics form (UNF email needed).

The deadline to submit your SOARS poster to be printed by the O.U.R. is Sunday, April 6 at 11:59 p.m. 

Each presenter opting to do an oral presentation will have a 15-minute timeslot to present their project. Presenters should plan for their presentation to be about 10-12 minutes long, with a few minutes remaining for audience Q&A.  

General

What is a conference/symposium?  
Academic conferences are meetings where individuals come together to share the findings of their research or creative activities project(s). Conferences are often viewed as an opportunity for presenters and attendees to connect, exchange ideas, learn, and network with each other.  

What is SOARS? 
The Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS) is an annual interdisciplinary conference at the University of North Florida (UNF) in which undergraduate and graduate students showcase their research or creative projects during Research Week, which is a week dedicated to celebrating research across all disciplines at UNF. ​

SOARS is a welcoming environment where students can refine their presentation skills through interaction with peers and faculty as they explain their projects, which can be in various stages of development.​ This event is open to the University community. 

What should I wear?  
It is recommended that you wear business-casual or smart casual attire to SOARS. We also recommend wearing comfortable shoes. Comfort and confidence are key to a successful presentation! 

Is parking provided? Where can we park?   
Since SOARS will be held in the John A. Delaney Student Union, it is recommended that participants and guests park in the Arena Garage or other appropriate areas on campus.

Any tips for first-time presenters?   
It is highly recommended that you practice your presentation with your faculty mentor, graduate students, friends, and/or family. Since this is a multi-disciplinary event, you should be sure to describe your project in language that can be understood by all attendees. Poster presentations are short – typically less than 10 minutes. Be sure to tell why your work is important and the “take home message.”    

Presenters 

What can I present at SOARS?  
SOARS presentation types include poster presentations where your project’s findings are presented in poster format, paper presentations delivered via PowerPoint/oral presentation, or a combination of the two. 

I have not collected all 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 submit to SOARS, if they have the support from their faculty research mentor. 

Can a student present two posters?  
Yes, but they must submit separate abstract submissions for each project.     

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 faculty mentor or the Writing Center for help constructing your abstract. 

What does it mean to be a co-presenter?  
A co-presenter is someone who plans to present your project with you during your assigned session time. Keep in mind, faculty mentors/professors cannot serve as co-presenters at SOARS as the event is designed for students.  

What is a faculty mentor?  
Faculty mentors serve as subject matter experts within their fields who help guide students along in their research, scholarship, and creative activities (RSCA) experiences. All projects submitted to SOARS must have been conducted under the supervision of a faculty mentor. 

Posters

What size should my poster be?  
Posters should be sized to 4’ x 3’ (48” wide by 36” high). Vertical posters and posters larger than 48" x 36" will not fit on the provided poster boards. 

Poster templates  
If you need inspiration to create your poster, the OUR offers poster templates. Visit the OUR website to access the poster template gallery. 

Where can I get my poster printed?  
The O.U.R. offers poster printing services to all UNF students. Visit the OUR poster webpage for more information on how to submit and pay for your poster. It is $25 for a 48x36 poster.  

How will I hang my poster?  
The O.U.R. will provide materials for you to hang up your poster, such as binder clips, pins, and a poster board and easel.  

How do I know where to hang up my poster for my session?  
Participants will be assigned a number in the event program that corresponds with their poster board number, where they will hang up their poster. Participants are responsible for finding their poster spot using the program as a guide, securing their poster(s) to the provided poster boards, and removing their poster(s) at the end of their session. 

How will I transport my poster?  
The O.U.R. offers poster tubes that can be checked out for students to use to transport their conference posters. You must visit the O.U.R. in-person to check out a tube.  

Oral Presentation

How long should I make my oral presentation? 
Each presenter that opted to do an oral presentation will have a 15-minute timeslot to present their project. Presenters should plan for their presentation to be about 10-12 minutes long, with a few minutes remaining for audience Q&A.  

How do I present an oral presentation/talk? 
You can present your talk via a PowerPoint presentation or read from your submitted paper. 

The Office of Undergraduate Research is hosting a Research Experiences and Resource Fair as a highlight of Research Week on Wednesday, April 9 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. outside of Buildings 1 (J.J. Daniel Hall) and 4 (Skinner-Jones Hall). 

This event aims to connect students with on-campus resources to support their research and creative endeavors, and for faculty members to spotlight their research agendas and recruit potential students. 

The O.U.R. is in need of volunteers for SOARS! Volunteer responsibilities include set-up/break-down, registration desk, session moderators, technology assistance, floaters, etc. on Friday, April 11. 

Volunteer Sign-Up 

Research Week is a university-wide celebration of research, creativity, and innovation across all disciplines at the University of North Florida. At UNF, Research Week consists of showcases, workshops, award ceremonies, symposia, and other events designed to showcase the prestigious research being conducted by UNF students, faculty, and staff. All members of the University of North Florida and members of the northeast Florida community are invited to join us as we celebrate the many contributions of the university community to advancements in knowledge, teaching, and creativity.

Research Week 2025 will be held from April 4-14. 

Access the Research Week Schedule