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

SOARS 2024 will take place in-person on Friday, April 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m in the Adam W. Herbert University Center (Building 43). 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, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the University Center Banquet Hall (Room 1044). 

SOARS 2024 Schedule 

• Poster Session I: 9:00-10:00 a.m.
• Oral Presentations: 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 
• Poster Session II: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 
• Refreshments/Networking: 12:00-12:30 p.m. 
• Keynote and Awards Ceremony: 12:30-1:30 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 OUR.

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 April 19 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the University Center Banquet Hall (Room 1044). 

Presented by Dr. Amy L. Lane

Presidential Professor and Director for the Advancement of Women in Natural Sciences
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of North Florida Email: Amy.Lane@unf.edu

Dr. Amy Lane is a Presidential Professor in the UNF Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Director for the Advancement of Women in Natural Sciences. She heads an undergraduate research team focused on unveiling and enhancing the genetically encoded capabilities of marine bacteria as creators of small molecules for applications in medicine, agriculture, and other fields. Her research program has been recognized with awards from organizations including National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Dreyfus Foundation, and Research Corporation. She completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry (2008) at Georgia Institute of Technology and an NIH-sponsored postdoctoral fellowship (2008-2010) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography before launching her career as a professor at UNF in 2010.

Unleashing the Potential of Marine Microorganisms as Synthetic Chemists

If you are doing a poster presentation, the deadline to submit your poster to the OUR for SOARS printing is Sunday, April 7 at 11:59 PM.  You can download free poster templates from the OUR if you need help creating your poster. Please carefully read all instructions below before submitting and paying for your poster.  

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 OUR 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 your mentor 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, submt your poster to the OUR by completing the Poster Printing Qualtrics form (UNF email needed).  

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.  

Send your oral presentation materials to the OUR before April 16 by emailing our@unf.edu  

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 Adam W. Herbert University Center (Building 43), it is recommended that participants and guests park in Lot 16 or take the on-campus shuttle. 

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 OUR 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 OUR 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 OUR offers poster tubes that can be checked out for students to use to transport their conference posters. You must visit the OUR 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.