National Conference on Undergraduate Research

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is the largest conference on undergraduate research in the country. Each year, approximately 4,000 undergraduates from all over the country present their scholarship as posters, oral presentations, performances, and works of art. It is a great opportunity for students to present their research and network with other undergraduate researchers. In addition, there are graduate school and career fairs at the conference. KSU hosted this conference April 11-13, 2019. 

NCUR 2020 will be held at Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman, Montana March 26-28, 2020. The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is pleased to provide support for approximately 44 KSU undergraduate students to attend this conference.

Special funding will be set aside for applicants who are conducting interdisciplinary research related to at least one of these themes:

1. Biomedical and Health Services
2. Technology and Computing
3. Sustainable and Safe Communities
4. Human Development and Well-Being

Travel support will be allocated via a competitive process: 

1. In order to be considered you must submit your abstract for internal review by November 15, 2019. Please note that the abstract guidelines have changed and are discipline-specific. Click here for details.
2. Funding awardees will be notified by November 22, 2019.
3. Once you have been notified that your funding has been approved, you may then submit your abstract at the NCUR 2020 submission portal. The deadline is December 6, 2019. No abstracts are accepted after the deadline.

Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Research at our@kennesaw.edu if you have any questions. 

NCUR 2020 Submission Form

• Guidelines
  • Only 1 student per accepted project.
  • Students agree to share a hotel room (or pay for their own room).
  • Students agree to travel with the group on March 25 and March 28 (or pay for their own airfare).
  • No faculty mentor travel support.
  • Must submit the final abstract to NCUR 2020 by their deadline and be accepted to present at the conference.
  • Must register within early registration period.
  • Mandatory pre-submission meeting/workshop,
  • Once accepted students may not withdrawal without incurring airfare costs.
  • OUR will provide letter for excused absence related to travel dates. Students must communicate this with instructors.
  • Students who are not selected in the internal review may still submit to NCUR, but OUR will not cover any related costs.
  • The student will also present at KSU’s Symposium of Student Scholars April 16, 2020.
  • The student will write a short reflection about NCUR 2020, to be submitted to OUR at the end of the conference.
• Abstract Evaluation Criteria
  • Quality of writing (grammar, spelling, punctuation)
  • Scholarly merit
  • Consistent with NCUR requirements for your discipline (see NCUR 2020 abstract guidelines for more details)
  • Project completed or clearly able to be completed prior to conference
• Frequently Asked Questions
  • I would like to submit an abstract, but I won't have finished my project before the internal review deadline in November. Can I still submit?

    Yes! As long as you will be able to finish before the conference in March, you are permitted to submit. You can discuss the hypothesized results/conclusions rather than the finished project in your abstract.

  • What happens if my NCUR application is late?

    NCUR does not accept late applications; you will be ineligible to present.

  • I've received my notification of acceptance from NCUR - should I immediately register for the conference? 

    No. Wait for further instructions on how to register.

  • I conducted the research as an undergraduate, but will graduate in December. Am I still eligible for the funding? 

    Yes! If you have graduated from KSU within the last semester, you are still eligible to present at NCUR and receive free registration.

  • I submitted a poster - can I get that printed for free? 

    Yes – we have poster printing capabilities, and all KSU students presenting posters will have access to this poster printer. For more information, click here. 

  • I've never presented my work at a conference - what is the experience like? 

    Your faculty mentor can talk to you about academic conferences, and we will also hold informational sessions prior to the event. Don't worry; you're going to have a great time, and you will be well prepared for this exciting opportunity.

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All KSU-supported research projects are administered in accordance with established University fiscal procedures and research policies. These include all travel regulations, policies relating to the protection of human subjects, and policies related to intellectual property rights. All publications and presentations must acknowledge the assistance of Kennesaw State University.

The faculty member and students are expected to obtain Institutional Review Board approval prior to collecting any data if the project includes research involving human or animal participants.