This document summarizes preliminary research on the location and prevalence of undergraduate research conferences at small Canadian universities. An analysis of 18 small Canadian university websites found that approximately 78% host at least one undergraduate research conference annually. The research aims to further study the origins and organization of such conferences through surveys and interviews. Questions about the relationship between conference location and proximity to major cities, and the transformation of community colleges to universities will also be examined.

1. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012
www.PosterPresentations.com
INTRODUCTION
Location of Undergraduate Conferences in Canadian Universities
OBJECTIVE
REFERENCES
Thompson Rivers University
Debra Andrews
Undergraduate Research Conferences at Small Canadian Universities
• Undergraduate conferences have become more prevalent in Canadian
universities since the mid-1990s; however, there is little research examining
their impact on undergraduate student engagement and learning outcomes.
• The Undergraduate Conference Research Group (UCRG) is a multi-disciplinary
collaborative research group consisting of TRU faculty,
undergraduate and graduate students researching undergraduate
conferences.
• Disciplines include Biology, Education, English & Modern Languages,
Geography, History, Library and Visual & Performing Arts.
E
Thompson Rivers University
Kamloops, BC. Pop. 85,000^; Undergraduates: 7360* (98%)
**Undergraduate Research & Innovation Conference (2006)
**Philosophy-History-Politics Conference(2008)
B
D
A
Vancouver Island University
Nanaimo, BC. Pop. 84,000^; Undergraduates: 6360* (95%)
**Celebration of Research Excellence & Knowledge Transfer
(CREATE)
B
A D University of the Fraser Valley
Abbotsford, BC. Pop. 141,000^;
Undergraduates: 8310* (100%)
**No undergraduate conference indicated
*Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada (AUCC). (2014). Retrieved
at http://www.aucc.ca/canadian-universities/our-universities/vancouver-island-
university.
^ Statistics Canada. 2011 census. Retrieved from
http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2011.
**University website
E University of Northern British Columbia
Prince George, BC. Pop. 76,000^;
Undergraduates: 2950* (83%)
**No undergraduate conference indicated
G
G University of Lethbridge
Lethbridge, AB Pop. 106,00^; Undergraduates: 7960* (94%)
**Research in Religious Studies; RiboWest Conference
(biennial) ; Childhoods Conference
H
H
Trent University
Peterborough, ON Pop. 119,000^; Undergraduates: 7600*
(95%)
**occasionally hosts Southern Ontario Undergraduate
Student Chemistry Conference (SOUSCC)
K
K
University of Regina
Regina, SK Pop. 228,000^; Undergraduates: 11,530* (88%)
**Annual Graduate & Undergraduate Conference
Lakehead University
Thunder Bay/Orillia, ON Pop. 122,000^; Undergraduates:
8100* (91%)
**Research & Innovation Week
J
J
L
L Bishop’s University
Sherbrooke PQ Pop. 147,000^; Undergraduates: 2700* (99%)
**U4 League: Annual Research & Innovation Week (2013)
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, NB Pop. 94,000^; Undergraduates: 9060* (85%)
**No undergraduate conference indicated
M
M
O Mount Allison University
Sackville, NB Pop. 5600^; Undergraduates: 2680* (99%)
**U4 League: Science Atlantic Conference (host) 2012;
Annual Summer Undergraduate Research Fair (SURF)
O
N Acadia University
Wolfville, NS Pop. 4300^; Undergraduates: 3610* (85%)
**U4 League: Unlocking the Power and Possibilities of
Undergraduate Research 2013
N
R St. Francis Xavier University
Antigonish, NS Pop. 4500^; Undergraduates: 4820* (93%)
**U4 League: Student Research Day 2013
R
I University of Winnipeg
Winnipeg, MB Pop. 730,000^; Undergraduates: 9760* (96%)
**Annual Prairie Undergraduate Research Conference and
Colloquia; Annual Randy Kobes Undergraduate Science
Student Poster Competition
University of Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown, PE Pop. 65,000^; Undergraduates: 4250*
(93%)
**Atlantic University Undergraduate History and Classics
Conference
P
I P
Q St. Mary’s University
Halifax, NS Pop. 390,000^; Undergraduates: 6910* (91%)
** No undergraduate conference indicated
Q
C Royal Roads University
Victoria, BC Pop. 345,000^; Undergraduates: 1390* (27%)
**Annual RRU International Undergraduate Case Competition
Mount Royal University
Calgary, AB Pop. 1,200,000^; Undergraduates: 11,890*
(100%)
** Annual Student Day
F
BRITISH
COLUMBIA
• This preliminary research indicates that most small primarily-undergraduate
Canadian universities hold undergraduate research conferences.
• NOTE: Information found on university websites will contain biased opinions
and reports due to the promotional nature of such sites aimed at
undergraduate student recruitment.
• Undergraduate research conference origins and organizational models will
be further studied through an on-line survey, and through interviews with
faculty, undergraduate and graduate students that have been and/or
continue to be involved in undergraduate conferences.
• Q: Does location matter? Relationship to metropolis proximity.
• Q: Examine community college roots to university transformation.
• This next stage of research is in its developmental stage pending approval by
the TRU Human Ethics Review Board.
MATERIALS & METHODS
RESULTS
CONCLUSION & FURTHER STUDY
SMALL CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES
(2,000 – 12,000 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS)
• As a member of the UCRG, my task is to survey Canadian universities to
determine the prevalence and location of undergraduate research
conferences, and to analyze models used as frameworks for planning and
organizing these events.
• An analysis of eighteen small Canadian university websites to determine the
occurrence of an undergraduate research conference.
• A small university is identified as one with an undergraduate population of
2,000 to 12,000 students (excluding distance and open learning students).
• An examination of each university website determined that approximately
78% (14 of 18) of small Canadian universities hold at least one
undergraduate research conference on an annual basis.
C F
Undergraduate Conferences
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