Present at URD - University of Houston
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The Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards

Present at URD

What is URD?

Undergraduate Research Day is hosted each spring by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards in collaboration with the Honors College and the MD Anderson Library. This event brings together hundreds of visitors to celebrate the work of undergraduate researchers across all disciplines who showcase their work in poster presentations.

Mark your calendars to join us for the 20th annual Undergraduate Research Day on April 10, 2025! The URD 2025 poster submission form will open in December 2024. If you have any questions, please email undergrad-research@uh.edu.

Who is eligible to present at URD?

Any currently enrolled University of Houston undergraduate student who conducted a mentored research project over the past year (Spring 2024 - present) is eligible to submit a poster for Undergraduate Research Day. Fall 2024 graduates are welcome. Group posters are also eligible.

If you have completed multiple research programs over the year with a single research project, please only submit one poster.

All posters must be approved by your UH faculty mentor before submission.

Poster Templates

All presenters are required to use one of our pre-made poster templates to ensure all formatting requirements are met.

How to use the URD Poster Templates:

  1. Open the template file. Save a copy to your computer and open it in PowerPoint.
    • UH provides Microsoft Office to students for free. If you do not have PowerPoint downloaded to your computer, you can do so by following the Microsoft 365 download instructions provided by University Information Technology.
  2. Pick a poster layout. You can do this by either adding a new slide or changing the layout of an existing slide.
  3. Add content to your poster. Typical sections include:
    • Introduction
    • Research Methods/Hypothesis
    • Data/Analysis
    • Results
    • References
    • Acknowledgments
    • Visual elements (e.g. graphs, photos, illustrations, etc.)
  4. Delete any extra slides so that your poster is the only slide remaining.
  5. Save as a PDF file.

Important Reminders

  • Do not cover up the UH logo or change the top banner of the poster layout. The only things you should add to the banner are your poster title, your name, your mentor's name and department, and any other contributors.
  • Do not change the size or orientation of slides in the template file. URD posters must be 40" wide by 36" tall and are this size in the template. Changing the dimensions or orientation of the template slides will cause your poster to no longer be in the required format.
  • Visual elements should be of high-resolution. Your poster's final printed size will be 40" wide by 36" tall, so make sure any photos/graphs/etc. you add will maintain their quality when sized up.
  • Use our pre-made templates in PowerPoint to ensure posters are formatted and sized correctly. Posters created in other programs or design tools, such as Canva, may not be sized to the required dimensions and might not retain original layouts when saved.

Submitting a Poster

Before submitting your poster, please take a final look and make sure your poster meets all of the following requirements:

  • My poster uses one of the pre-made URD templates and has been saved as a PDF file.
  • The photos, images, and graphics on my poster are all high-resolution images.
  • My poster includes my name, my mentor's name, and the names of any additional contributors. Colleges or departments are also listed beneath the presenters' names.
  • I have proofread my poster and can confirm it is well-organized and easy to read, free of any spelling or grammatical errors, and there are no overlapping images, text, or other graphics.
  • My poster has been approved by my UH faculty mentor.
  • I have the following information prepared and ready to include in my submission form:
    • Poster Title
    • Abstract or Summary (max 250 words)
    • Names, PSIDs, Majors, Cougarnet Emails, and Shirt Sizes of all presenters
    • Names, Departments, and Emails of all mentors
    • A final draft of my poster saved as a PDF file

Information for Presenters

  • Undergraduate Research Day 2025 will take place on Thursday, April 10th at the MD Anderson Library.
  • Presenters should arrive no later than 3:00 PM in order to check-in in time for opening remarks. Opening remarks take place from 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM and will be followed by an open poster session from 4 – 6 PM. Presenters are expected to be at the event for its entirety.
  • We encourage presenters to leave all bags at home if possible. We will provide a bag check at the registration table.
  • The dress code for presenters is business casual. All presenters must be wearing their red URD polo shirt provided by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards.
  • Presenters are expected to help with set-up or tear down the day of the event. A sign-up form will be provided to you closer to the event.
  • This is an open event. Please encourage your friends, family, peers, and mentors to attend!

If you have any questions about presenting at URD, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards at undergrad-research@uh.edu