Undergraduate research: present at BCUR, sponsorship available, CV points

If you are an undergraduate  with a piece of  research that you’re proud of—or you’re a lecturer with students like that—please read on!

Newcastle University is looking for students to represent us at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research 2020 and Posters in Parliament 2020.

You might be working on a dissertation, or you may have devised your own topic for an assessment. You might have worked with an external company, or worked with a researcher over the summer to help them with their research project. All types of research are welcome.

Postgraduates are also welcome to apply as long as the research was completed while they were an undergraduate and they graduated within the last 12 months.

Practical, transferable skills! Taking your learning outside the University! CV points!

British Conference of Undergraduate Research

  • What: the UK’s premier conference for research done at undergraduate level
  • Where: University of Leeds
  • When: 6-7 April 2020
  • How: presentations or posters

Posters in Parliament

  • What: an opportunity to present your research in the prestigious surroundings of Westminster Palace
  • Where: Houses of Parliament
  • When: tbc
  • How: posters

To recognise the great contribution that this could make to a CV and employability, there is  sponsorship for up to 12 students to represent Newcastle at BCUR 2020.

Successful students will have the following paid for by Newcastle:

  • the conference fees, including accommodation and the conference dinner
  • return train travel (from Newcastle or from home, as it’s during the Easter vacation)
  • production of presentation materials (your poster if you choose that, and/or a handout)

For poster presenters, their poster or the proof version will also be displayed somewhere in the University (to be decided by Schools) when they get back.

How to apply

To apply, students must complete the application form by Tuesday 19 November 2019

(stating which events they would like to apply to and whether they would like to do a talk or a poster).

Students who are interested in finding out more

If you want to find out more  before applying  take a look at the Newcastle BCUR website or get in touch with the project team at thebcur@newcastle.ac.uk 

What will happen after a student submits?

After 19 November, the abstracts will be judged by a panel from across Newcastle University, who will decide which twelve students the University will sponsor. Staff reviewers are required to help review a selection of abstracts. If you could help find out more in this blog post.

The University can only nominate two students for Posters in Parliament, therefore the best two abstracts will be chosen. Students who have applied for both events and are selected for a scholarship but are not nominated for Posters in Parliament will therefore be awarded a scholarship to attend BCUR.

Those students will then need to submit their abstracts to BCUR’s own judging, by 5 January 2020. Based on past experience, though, anyone who wins funding from Newcastle University will be admitted to the conference with no problem.

Please submit your research, if you’re eligible, or encourage eligible students to submit, if you’re a lecturer! It’s a great opportunity to try doing what most people have to do throughout their careers, in academia or outside it: present information to audiences. Being able to say you have won Newcastle sponsorship to attend (worth at least £200 per student, depending on the cost of their travel) is also great for their CV.

Further information about the Newcastle University BCUR sponsorship scheme is available on the Newcastle BCUR website.

The University of Leeds website includes details about the 2020 conference.

If you have any questions get in touch with the Newcastle BCUR organising team at theBCUR@newcastle.ac.uk.

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