Virtual Presentation of Undergraduate Research Posters
The Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships (CURF) at the University of Pennsylvania has launched a new online platform called Penn Presents. The platform aims to be a long-lasting, accessible, and impactful way to showcase undergraduate research activities.
CURF, which has been supporting undergraduate research for many years, initially funded the development of Penn Presents. Later, the platform received a grant from the Penn Technology Investment Committee to expand access.
The first virtual event on Penn Presents was the 14th annual Fall Research Expo, featuring over 300 posters created by students. These posters describe research conducted by students this year with mentorship from Penn's faculty. The research projects were carried out remotely due to pandemic restrictions.
Each student's biography on Penn Presents shows all the posters they present at Penn. Additionally, a video of the student explaining their work for each project is included in the Fall Research Expo on Penn Presents.
Aaron Olson, CURF's assistant director for assessment & outreach, states that Penn Presents will allow for the featuring of student research, even if it is not originating from their office. He hopes the platform will provide an opportunity to rethink the concept of a research poster.
The team behind Penn Presents is developing a feature to make the platform more interactive with panel discussions. In development is also a feature to create, host, and archive panel discussions.
Ann Vernon-Grey, CURF's senior associate director for undergraduate research, expresses gratitude and admiration for the resilience of students and the supportiveness of faculty during the pandemic. She states that the virtual Fall Research Expo attracted nearly 1,000 visits during the traditional event time.
The Penn Presents platform garnered 17,500 page views. The platform is currently available to the entire University community, providing a centralized resource for organizing, hosting, and archiving research poster sessions.
Penn Presents will serve as the online repository for in-person poster sessions and a way for people to attend virtually. As CURF plans to hold research events in person once possible, they also intend to continue and expand the virtual platform as a complement.
Student participation in the Fall Research Expo has grown each year since its inception in 2007, with last year's expo featuring 319 posters. The platform's success and potential for growth are promising for the future of undergraduate research at the University of Pennsylvania.
