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Thinking Matters:

A Student Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Symposium

Click here for a printable version of this document.

Overview

ON APRIL 17 & 18, 2008, ON APRIL 17 & 18, 2008, the University of Southern Maine and Southern Maine Community College will convene an exhibition of student research, scholarship, and creative achievement on USM’s Portland campus. The goal of the conference is to provide a public forum for USM and SMCC students along with faculty, staff, and invited guests to share the results of scholarship and creativity. It is our hope that the conference will encourage and celebrate student initiative, and foster student-faculty collaboration. Students from all academic disciplines and divisions are invited to present papers or posters on any aspect of their classroom work, independent study, internship, student teaching, clinical, or any other scholarly or creative project.

Presentation Types

Authors select the scholarly area and the presentation type that is most appropriate for their project. The presentation options are listed below.

Oral Presentation--Oral presentations will be grouped into 75 minute-long disciplinary and interdisciplinary sessions based on the overall distribution of abstracts submitted. Students and mentors are also welcome to form and submit complete panels. Students who require audio-visual equipment should indicate this on their submission form. Oral sessions will be held April 18, 2008.

Poster Presentation-- Posters will be attached to bulletin boards that are 3 ft tall and 4 ft wide. Studio arts presentations are also welcome. For the latter, the abstract proposal must be accompanied by a description of the size, media, and artist's statement of intent. Poster session will be held April 18, 2008.

Posters and art works will be on display throughout the day, with the author(s) available at a scheduled time for discussion.

Questions about Thinking Matters should be directed to:

Pat Finn
patfinn@usm.maine.edu

Adam Tuchinsky
tuchinsk@maine.edu

Telephone:
207.228.4284

Address:
Thinking Matters, Research Initiatives
Science Building, USM Portland Campus
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, Maine 04104-9300

Submission Guidelines

DEADLINE: February 7, 2008

1. Eligible Work--An eligible presentation will report or represent the outcome of substantial work by a student or group of students. The project may have its origin in an assignment for class, an independent study, an internship, a student teaching experience, a clinical, community service, or other appropriate venue.
2. Faculty Mentors--Each presentation should be sponsored or co-sponsored by a USM or SMCC faculty mentor(s), but we welcome presentations on student research conducted outside USM. The size, scope, and mission of the conference preclude any type of peer review of abstracts. The goal of the conference is not competitive display, but collaboration between students and between students and faculty. Faculty mentors are encouraged to work closely with their students not only to insure the quality of student work, but also to engage in the learning experience itself.
3. Abstract Requirement--Each presentation requires an abstract. An abstract is a summary of the project, and should reflect the professional format normally associated with scholarly work in the discipline if applicable. Students should rely upon their faculty mentors for help in all stages of the project, including preparation of an abstract. The body of the abstract should not exceed 200 words.
4. Thinking Matters will offer workshops on abstract composition and poster creation. Please see website for dates and times
5. Copies of the information submitted will be sent electronically to the student presenter(s) and the faculty member(s)
6. The abstracts and final program will be available on-line at the symposium web site. Hard copies will be distributed prior to the event
7. Projects involving human subject research must be reviewed by USM's Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to presentation. For further questions about this process please contact Ross Hickey, Human Protections Administrator at 207.780.4340; email: rhickey@usm.maine.edu
8. On-Line Submission--Submission of abstracts, titles, and other relevant information should be carried out on-line at the symposium web site. It will be opened for abstracts on December 18, 2007.

Copies of the information submitted will be sent electronically to the student presenter(s) and the faculty mentor(s).

The abstracts and final program will be available on-line at the symposium web site. Hard copies will be distributed prior to the event.

The University of Southern Maine shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or citizenship status, age, disability, or veterans status in employment, education, and all other areas of the University.

Participants or attendees with a disability should contact Pat Finn, (207) 780-4284, with requests or questions about accommodations.