Concordia College - Moorhead, Minnesota |  research@cord.edu

Information for Presenters – 2023

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION: The Celebration of Student Scholarship (COSS) is an annual day-long, campus-wide research symposium that highlights the scholarly work carried out by students as creative activity, scholarship, or research conducted under the guidance of a faculty or staff mentor. COSS is an interactive, in-person event. Presenters requesting a virtual presentation option should email research@cord.edu.

MISSION: The Celebration of Student Scholarship provides Concordia students from all disciplines and levels of experience the opportunity to present high-quality research, scholarship, and creative works in a public venue; to connect with alumni; and to explore the intersections of research, vocation, and career preparation. COSS invites students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to engage with student presenters as they showcase their achievements through research and creative scholarship projects of all types.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS: Submissions open 30 January 2023. Abstracts are due 15 March 2023. Only one person on the project needs to submit the abstract; however, all presenters must complete a brief registration form. Links for the submission and registration will be on the URSCA homepage during the abstract open period. Abstracts should be informative and must include the following information within 250 words: 1) significance, framework, or problem that the topic addresses, 2) thesis, argument, or hypothesis, 3) brief research process or methods, and 4) results or anticipated results. For tips, click here –> Writing Abstracts

DATES:  The abstract submissions window will be 30 January through 15 March 2023. Abstracts will be reviewed and presenters will be notified by 29 March whether their abstract has been accepted. COSS Day is 19 April 2023 and will feature poster and concurrent sessions with a variety of presentation formats delivered to an in-person audience.

COMPETITION: A new feature of COSS this year is the opportunity for presenters to opt into a competition. There are two categories for the competition: poster sessions and concurrent sessions. All projects are eligible for submission. Competitors must indicate they are opting into the competition by emailing the title of their presentation to cossscholar@cord.edu by 5 April 2023. Competitors must also submit a 3-4 minute video abstract of their poster, art exhibition, or oral presentation highlighting each aspect of the abstract listed in the abstract guidelines. The deadline to submit the video abstract is 18 April 2023. On COSS day, a team of judges will attend the poster and concurrent sessions and judge the presentations using a common rubric for each session type. The winning presentation from each category will win $100. At least three presentations from each category must be entered in order for a prize to be awarded in that category. 

LOCATION: COSS will take place in several buildings on campus. The “hub” of activity will be in the Centrum. Poster sessions will take place in the Centrum and Atrium of the Knutson Campus Center. Concurrent Sessions will be located in Morrie Jones A/B and C/D, Olin 124, and ISC 101, 201, 260, and 301. Departments and Programs may offer sessions over the lunch break. Locations will be posted on the COSS schedule page.

RESOURCES: The Carl B Library has a LibGuide just for COSS with helpful information for creating, citing, and recording presentations of various formats.

SHOWCASE: Concordia Scholars: Showcase of Undergraduate Research is an online collection of exemplary student works presented at COSS and other venues. Faculty, staff, and guests are encouraged to nominate stellar presentations of any format for the Showcase. Nominated students will be contacted by staff from Concordia Archives with details about how to submit. Use the links below to learn more about the Showcase and to view examples of student works in the Showcase. The nominations window is 19 – 30 April. To submit a nomination, email archives@cord.edu with the presentation number or title and presenter name(s).  

https://www.concordiacollege.edu/academics/library/collections/#scholars

http://www.digitalhorizonsonline.org/digital/collection/cord-work/search

II. INFORMATION FOR PRESENTERS

PRESENTATION FORMATS:

COSS welcomes presentations from all students in any discipline. Projects may come from classes, co-curricular research, extramural URSCA experiences, etc. Learn more about COSS presentation formats and guidelines for the length of each presentation type.

PRESENTATION CONTENT:

No matter the format or length, each presentation should include the following:

  1. INTRO: Each presenter should introduce themselves by name. Presenters may also wish to include their year at Concordia, major, etc.
  2. CONTEXT: Briefly let the audience know the context of your work. Did you complete your research over the summer? As part of a class? On campus? Off campus? This will help to introduce your project to the audience.
  3. CONTENT: Speak about your research or creative activity, incorporating any PowerPoint slides, performance clips, digital media, digital posters, or artwork that is part of your work. For all presentations, artist’s talks, and performances, it is expected that the research or creative scholarship you present is of a quality that could be disseminated at a professional meeting of your peers or shared publicly as appropriate for your discipline. Keep in mind that you are representing your department/program and discipline(s) during this event. Spend time practicing your presentation. Ask peers and mentors to provide feedback after your practice session.
  4. CONCLUSION: Be sure to have a clear ending to your presentation and invite the audience to ask questions.

REGISTRATION: 8:00 – 8:45am on COSS day in the Centrum

  • Presenters and mentors: stop by the hospitality and registration tables in the Centrum between 8:00 – 8:45am to pick up your COSS name tag and swag bag.
  • Everyone: There will be coffee, tea, sweet rolls and COSS Passports.

PRIZES:

  • COSS Quest Cards – Prize drawings will be held to select winners who have successfully answered COSS Quest questions from the many cards around campus. Several winners will be announced prior to and during COSS. There will be plenty of chances to win on COSS day, but you can also play before the event!
  • COSS Passports – All who attend COSS can pick up a COSS Passport from the welcome and registration tables. Earn stamps by attending COSS sessions. Attend at least two sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon to be entered into the drawing for one of the grand prizes. Some instructors may be using the COSS Passport as an assignment or for extra credit – ask!
  • Social Media Award – A special award will be given to the COSS presenter who best articulates in an Instagram post two meaningful transferable skills gained by conducting mentored research or creative scholarship. Be sure to use #coss2023 and #cordmn so we can find your post!

AWARDS: Be in the Centrum at 3:30 pm for the announcing of the recipients of The President Pamela M. Jolicoeur Endowed Memorial Scholarship and the COSS Mentor of the Year Award. Winners of the COSS Quest and Passport drawings, along with the social media prize, will be announced throughout the day – stay tuned and follow COSS on Instagram: concordia_coss! 

 

POSTER PRESENTERS:

  • Note the poster session you have been assigned. At least one presenter needs to be at each poster during the entire poster session.
    • Session 1 set up time => 8:00 – 8:45am
    • Session 1 take down time =>  10:15am
    • Session 2 set up time => 12:05 – 3:00pm
    • Session 2 take down time =>  5:00pm
    • We can store your posters or art in the Centrum for the day if needed. You may also bring your poster or art to the Centrum between 4:30 and 5:30pm on Tuesday, 18 April 2023 to store overnight. 
  • Easels, boards, and clips will be set up ready for your printed poster (standard size = 48 inches wide x 36 inches tall).
  • Departments and Programs in any discipline can provide a FOAP* to pay $5/linear foot to have a poster printed at the Concordia Print Shop. Please submit posters at least one week in advance for printing.
    Biology Department mentors can also coordinate with Krys Strand by April 12 to use the department printer. Easels, poster boards, and clips will be provided at the event. *Students, if your department or program does not have funds to print your poster, please email your poster PPT to cossscholar@cord.edu no later than 12 April 2023. 
  • Students are not expected to pay out of pocket for printing their COSS posters.
  • After COSS, we hope that you will display your poster or creative project in your department or program area on campus!

CONCURRENT SESSION PRESENTERS:

  • Note the time and room that you have been assigned to give your presentation.
  • If you will be using a PPT or other visuals, you will need to bring your file on a flash drive to your assigned room 10 minutes prior to the START of your concurrent session so that all presentation materials can be loaded on the computer prior to the first presentation of the session beginning.
  • Do not plan to log into the computer and retrieve your presentation from the cloud.
  • Some in-person attendees may stream your presentation to virtual audience members.

ATTIRE: business casual.

 

MENTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Show your mentor appreciation! The COSS Committee invites students presenting at COSS to nominate their research or creative scholarship mentor for the 2023 Mentor of the Year Award, which will be announced during COSS on 19 April 2023. The recipient of the Mentor of the Year Award should embody outstanding mentorship of one or more students presenting at COSS 2022. Evidence of excellent mentoring can take many forms and be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including:

  • Being a resource for students, guiding them, and providing support throughout the project
  • Facilitating students’ academic and professional growth, encouraging independence, and creating a positive learning environment
  • Supporting students as whole individuals, engaging with them in meaningful and encouraging ways throughout their project
  • Other ways your mentor deserves the Mentor of the Year Award.

Nomination form: https://concordiacollege.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b2WlfH3RuWiOzdk.

 

 

We look forward to reviewing your nominations and for the opportunity to recognize a mentor doing fantastic work supporting students!

Thank you for participating in COSS 2023

 

Concordia College - URSCA