Office of Research and Innovation

Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Pathways 2023


18th Texas A&M University System Pathways Student Research Symposium

Link to 17th Texas A&M University System Pathways Student Research Symposium website

18th Annual TAMUS Pathways Student Research Symposium
March 2-3, 2023.

The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Pathways Student Research Symposium is a student research showcase. Open to undergraduate and graduate students from all TAMUS institutions, the Pathways Student Research Symposium gives system students an opportunity to present their research to -- and network with -- faculty members, judges, and other students across the system. Separate categories are available for undergraduate-, master's- and doctoral-level posters or oral presentations. 

The Pathways Symposium rotates annually among the TAMUS institutions. This year, the event will take place in event space at the Aggie Special Events Center (ASEC) at Texas A&M University at Galveston. Please note the meals indicated below will be provided for all registered student presenters, faculty judges, and attendees.

Thursday, March 2, 12:00-7:00 p.m. (lunch and dinner provided)

Friday, March 3, 8:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (lunch provided)

Please plan to join us for this exciting event connecting students, faculty, and staff and strengthening the TAMUS research community.

Benefits for Students

  • Promote and share your research and receive feedback
  • Connect with students and faculty from other system universities
  • Learn about grad programs at system universities

Application

  • The deadline to apply to present your research is Wednesday, January 23, 2023 by 12:00 PM CST. Spots are limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Students must sign-up with TAMUK first in order to register for the symposium. 

TAMUK Sign-Up and Information

  • Undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral level students who would like to present completed research projects and represent TAMUK are welcome to submit their information on the sign up link below. 
  • Sign-Up will close on 01-23-2023 at 12:00 PM CST.
  • TAMUK Sign-up Form for TAMUS Pathways Student Research Symposium 

  • Submissions must be received no later than close of business, Monday, January 23, 2023.  
  • The Office of Research and Graduate Studies will send the list of presenters to the conference organizers. Students will receive a registration link no later than January 25, 2023 and will must respond to the registration link by January 27, 2023.
  • Space is limited and spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
  • At least one faculty volunteer per college is needed as a chaperone/sponsor. Faculty and staff who can serve in this capacity, please fill out the below form link and contact tamuk.pathways.studentresearch@tamuk.edu in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.
  • TAMUK Sign-up for the TAMUS Pathways Chaperone Sign-up

  • Questions about this event should be sent to the TAMUK Pathways team email at tamuk.pathways.studentresearch@tamuk.edu

Date Event Time* Location
Thursday, March 2 Check-In 11:00 a.m.-Noon Aggie Special Events Center
Welcome Noon-1:00 p.m. Aggie Special Events Center
Poster Sessions 1:00-5:00 p.m. Aggie Special Events Center
Graduate School Fair 1:00-5:00 p.m. Aggie Special Events Center
Symposium Dinner 5:00-7:00 p.m. TBA
Friday, March 3 Oral Presentations & Poster Sessions 8:00 a.m.-Noon Aggie Special Events Center
Awards Banquet & Ceremony Noon-1:30 p.m. Aggie Special Events Center

Abstracts are required as part of registration and are scored as part of your presentation. All student presenters must upload an Abstract Submission Form during registration to satisfy this requirement. Students will not be able to submit their registration without uploading the form.

Please fill out all required fields on the form and carefully follow the Abstract Instructions. Abstracts should be written in the original words of the presenter(s) and should represent work that has not been published previously. Abstracts should reflect the content of the presentation. If your project was delayed, the abstract should reflect what you were able to achieve rather than what you had originally planned to do.

Abstracts will be presented to the judges as submitted. Any errors will not be corrected by the symposium committee. Edits to the abstract after the deadline are up to the committee's discretion to accept.

Students should observe the following guidelines for presentations.

Presentation Format

Presentation Format (poster or oral) is determined by discipline and degree level.

  • Doctoral level students: All doctoral level students will present 15-minute oral presentations.
  • Master’s & Undergraduate level students: Undergraduate and Master’s level students will present in the poster presentation format, with the exception of humanities and social sciences. Undergraduate and Master’s level students in humanities and social sciences will present 15-minute oral presentations.
Discipline Category Undergraduate Master's Doctoral
Agriculture & Natural Resources Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Business & Information Technology Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Education Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Engineering & Computer Science Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Biomedical & Health Sciences Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Life Sciences Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Mathematics & Physical Sciences Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Architecture & Visualization Poster Poster Oral Presentation
Humanities Oral Presentation Oral Presentation Oral Presentation
Social Sciences Oral Presentation Oral Presentation Oral Presentation

Architecture & Visualization: This new category may include projects related to the built, natural, or virtual environment, including topics in architecture, design, landscape architecture, urban or community planning, construction, visualization,  graphic design, animation, virtual reality/augmented reality, etc.

Click here to see the complete list of Categories & Fields

Poster Presentations

  • Only one poster submission per presenter is permitted.
  • Required poster dimensions: 36 inches wide x 48 inches high (portrait). 
  • Title, author(s), department, university, and mentor’s name should be placed at the top center of the poster. If there is more than one author, identify the presenter(s) with an asterisk.
  • The title should be in letters at least a 1/2 inch high. Materials will have to be read by attendees from a distance of 3 feet or more, so lettering on illustrations should be large and legible.
  • Materials should be displayed in a logical sequence (e.g. abstract, introduction, method, and results or conclusion). This may vary by discipline, so check with your faculty mentor/advisor for guidance.
  • Presenters are responsible for mounting their own poster during the assigned setup period prior to the opening of the session and for removing it during the designated time.
    • Thumb tacks will be provided to mount posters. If a different mounting material is required, please plan to bring it.
  • Presenters should bring business cards or note contact information on the poster for follow-up questions and networking. Providing 8.5 x 11 printout copies of the poster can also be used as a networking tool. 
  • Presenters must remain by their poster during their assigned session judging period.
  • As you prepare your poster, check with your university resources or research other resources for poster formatting and poster presentation tips.

Oral Presentations

  • Arrive at your designated presentation site at least 15 minutes prior to your designated time slot.
  • Students will have 15 minutes to present: 12 minutes for the presentation and 3 minutes for questions from the judges.
  • Visual Support: PowerPoint presentation. 

 

Please consider serving as a judge for undergraduate and master’s posters and oral presentations, as well as five-minute doctoral lightning talks (i.e., research elevator pitches) for the symposium (See below for additional information on judging times). You can register as a judge by contacting Ms. Jessica Chavez (jessica.chavez@tamuk.edu) with any questions.

Benefits

In addition to supporting student research, participating as a judge represents an opportunity for networking with faculty and students from Texas A&M Galveston and all 10 other Texas A&M System Universities. Another benefit of serving as a judge is that it gives you the opportunity to recruit undergraduate and master’s students to your master’s and doctoral programs or to build relationships with students to whom you have extended admissions offers who may not have finalized their graduate school plans yet.

Commitment

A minimum of one to two hours of judging. We also hope you will join us for other symposium events, including our Welcome Lunch (Thursday 11 a.m.-1 p.m..), Symposium Dinner (Thursday 5 p.m..-7 p.m..) and awards ceremony and lunch (Friday 12 p.m..-1:30 p.m..).

Judges Needed

Poster Session Judges Needed Thursday, March 2, 2023 1-5 p.m. and Friday, March 3, 2023 8 a.m.-noon. The following categories will be included in the poster competition: Agriculture & Natural Resources, Business & Information Technology, Education, Engineering & Computer Science, Biomedical & Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics & Physical Sciences and Architecture & Visualization.

Oral Session Judges Needed Friday, March 3, 2023 8 a.m. – noon. The following categories will be included in the 15-minute oral competition: Social Science and Humanities.

Registration

Potential Judges can register by letting Ms. Jessica Chavez know they are interested and click the link below to sign-up on the form. If you are approved on the TAMUK list that is sent to the conference organizers you will be sent to the registration link. On the registration form, you will include your comfort level (comfortable judging, if needed, uncomfortable judging) for the categories and subfields you select. You will also select the times you are available to judge (dependent on your area).

TAMUK Sign-up for the TAMUS Pathways Chaperone and Judge Sign-up


Thanks for your support of this important Texas A&M University Systems event. 

Judging Rubrics

Judges will use the following rubrics to evaluate student presentations:

Poster Presentations Rubric

Oral Presentations Rubric

Below are answers to frequently asked questions about presenting your research at Pathways.

 

What types of research can I present at the symposium?

Any research study type may be presented so long as it has been conducted under the guidance of your faculty mentor/advisor. This includes, but is not limited to, experimental design, case studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, cross-sectional studies, ethnographic research, phenomenological research, etc.

What research topics can I present at the symposium?

You can conduct research on any topic so long as it has been conducted under the guidance of your faculty mentor/advisor.

Can I submit a research project under a different discipline than my major?

Please consult with your discipline's faculty advisor before beginning any research project.

May a Humanities or Social Sciences student present a poster presentation?

No.

May a doctoral student conduct a poster presentation?

No. All doctoral-level students will participate in a separate oral format of “lighting” style rounds of five-minute presentations (lightning talks). The top presentations will advance until there is a sole finalist selected to present at the closing ceremony. More information will be emailed to you after you’ve applied for the symposium through the Pathways Coordinator at your institution.

What is the oral presentation format for undergraduate and master's level Humanities/Social Sciences Students?

You will have 15 minutes to present, with 12 minutes for the actual presentation and three minutes for questions from the judges.

Will participants receive feedback on their presentations?

Yes, the judges will each complete a rubric, which is available on the Pathways website. Individual feedback will be disseminated to each campus’ Graduate Dean after the conclusion of the event.

Can I present a poster and abstract as a team?

Yes, for students working on a research team, the primary investigator is the only person who should submit the abstract and list the co-presenter. While all research collaborators may be listed on the abstract, research teams are limited to two presenters at Pathways.

When registering, one student should be the primary presenter and will upload the abstract, the second student will also register as a student competitor but for the abstract field, upload a PDF that states they are a co-presenter with the other student's name and the title of the presentation.

Can I present an oral presentation or lightning talk as a team?

No, only one presenter per oral presentation/lightning talk is permitted.

As a co-presenter, can I submit the same abstract as the primary presenter?

Only the primary presenter should submit the abstract, and only one abstract per student is permitted. Please register as a student presenter but for the abstract field, upload a PDF that states you are a co-presenter with the other student's name and the title of the presentation.

I would like to submit a project from the Visual/Fine Arts discipline. Is that possible?

Not for the 2023 Pathways, but the discipline will be considered for future Pathways Symposiums.

As a faculty member working with a student, can I participate in the presentation?

No. This symposium is for student presenters only.