Research Day

What is Research Day? 

Research Day is a campus-wide event that gives students the opportunity to present research or support their peers who are sharing their works. Research Day is an expansion of the GCSU Student Research Conference as well as a collaborator of day two of the Women's and Gender Studies Symposium. In addition to student presentations, various campus entities provide fun activities for students to enjoy.  

Who can participate in Research Day?

All undergraduate and graduate students can participate in Research Day. Students of all disciplines are encouraged to submit a proposal pertinent to their area of study. For instance, dance students can submit a proposal to perform a dance routine, art students can submit a proposal for a painting, and creative writing students can submit a proposal for a story. GCSU’s Research Day is not just for STEM students; all students are encouraged to submit proposals. Presentations are approximately 10 minutes each, with students’ presentations grouped together based on discipline in 1-hour sessions.  

What is Student Research?

Student Research, in the context of Research Day, is interpreted as any scholarly or creative activity ranging from scientific experimentation to service-learning, to literary criticism, to case-study design, to artistic expression and so on. Students from all disciplines are invited to submit their work for presentation.  Students interested in presenting should consult with their faculty mentor and submit their work according to the conference guidelines. 

The GCSU Research Day Committee welcomes submissions from all current Georgia College & State University undergraduate and graduate students in all fields of research and/or creative projects. Students whose abstracts are accepted are expected to attend and present on Research Day.

The submission portal for 2026 is open now! Submissions are due March 2nd, 2026.

Research Day 2026 Submission Form

Faculty mentors are asked to identify students who have a scholarly and/or creative contribution to make to the conference and encourage them to submit it. Faculty are also asked to share this opportunity with their classes and encourage students to attend. 

When working with a mentee in preparing the abstract for submission, please ...

1. Verify that all elements of the abstract align with the Abstract Writing module on the MURACE D2L course (see conference funding page for details).
2. Review the poster and/or oral/performance presentation guidelines with the mentee.
3. When edits or revisions are required to meet the standards for rigor, style, and completion of your discipline, please work with your mentee by assisting them in making the changes or direct them to a MURACE consultation at the GCSU Writing Center. Upon your approval of the abstract submission, the project will be automatically accepted into Research Day.
4. Be in regular contact with your mentee regarding their submission. Also, please check your email regularly as you will be emailed the faculty mentor approval form when your student submits. 

Make sure to arrive early to check-in prior to your presentation. Upon check-in, you will receive a name badge, which will also have a QR code to give you access to the full, detailed schedule. Feel free to visit other students' presentations until time for your presentation. Arrive at the room for your presentation at least 10 minutes before the session is due to begin. During any sessions, do not leave the presentation room until all presentations are completed and refrain from using electronic devices during presentations. Also, be sure to take the opportunity to browse through the poster sessions to find out what other research is happening on campus!

• Conference Registration:  Free
• Opens 8:00 a.m. and continues throughout the day
• All presenters MUST check in before presenting

• Writing a Successful Abstract (in Collaboration With the GCSU Writing Center)
• Poster Presentation Guidelines Infographic
• Oral Presentation Guidelines and Recommendations Handout
• Tips to prepare for Research Day