2024 WMRUGS Research Conference at Van Andel Institute

Event Website: https://www.vai.org/WMRUGS

Event Date: Saturday, November 2, 2024

Event Time: 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM

Event Location: Van Andel Institute

Event Address: 333 Bostwick Ave. NE | Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Event Parking: Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) Ramp B on Bostwick Avenue, NE

Please note that GRCC's Ramp B is south of Van Andel Institute and is a 2-3 minute walk to the Institute

If you need special accommodations to attend this conference, on the registration form, please identify how we can assist you.

Questions? Contact Michelle Love at [email protected]

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The 18th annual West Michigan Regional Undergraduate Science (WMRUGS) Research Conference features a keynote speaker, research posters presented by undergraduates, as well as research talks by undergraduate and graduate students from regional colleges and universities. Graduate School recruiters will be on hand to discuss graduate school opportunities at their institutions. Internship and employment recruiters will be on hand to discuss graduate school opportunities at their institutions. This event is a great opportunity for undergraduate students to present their own research to a large and supportive group of scientists, and for faulty to learn more about the research taking place at colleges and universities in West Michigan.

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All participants must register. No walk-in registrations will be accepted the day of the event. Registration begins on July 15, 2024. Please note the following deadlines:

The deadline for speakers nominated by the WMRUGS Research Organizing Committee to register is October 11, 2024 at 5:00 pm EST

The deadline for student poster presenters and student co-presenters is October 14, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST

The deadline for those attendees not presenting posters or giving talks (i.e. student attendees, faculty attendees, research mentors and family/friends of presenters) is October 28, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST

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REGISTRANT TYPES: POSTER PRESENTERS

Principal Presenting Author-Student: If you are presenting a poster, as well as submitting the poster title and abstract, please select this option on the registration form. Only the principal presenting author-student will have access to submit the poster title and abstract. Please check with your faculty advisor and/or research mentor before registering to ensure that you are to register as the principal presenting author-student, and you are to submit the poster title and abstract. Due to space limitations at Van Andel Institute, the maximum number of posters is 145.

Co-Presenting Author-Student: If you are co-presenting a poster with the principal presenting author-student, please select this option on the registration form..

REGISTRANT TYPES: ORAL PRESENTERS

Keynote Speaker, Graduate Student Speaker or Undergraduate Student Speaker: Only select one of these options if you were invited or nominated by the WMRUGS Organization Institution Committee Members.

REGISTRANT TYPES: ATTENDEES

Student Attendee: On the registration form, please select this option only if you are a student attendee for this event and will NOT present a poster or oral presentation.

Faculty Attendee (Faculty Advisor, Research Mentor or Institutional Administrator/Leadership): On the registration form, please select this option only if you are an attendee who is a faculty member, faculty advisor, research mentor or institutional administrator/leadership.

Family Member/Friend of Presenting Students or Student Attendees: On the registration form, please select this option only if you who will attend this event as a supportive family member/friend of a student presenter or student attendee.

WMRUGS Volunteer: On the registration form, please only select this option if you are a WMRUGS volunteer with VAI, VAIGS or MSU.

Speaker/Presenting-Oral Presentation: On, the registration form please only sel ect this option if you are a speaker/presenter nominated by the WMRUGS Organization Institution Committee (keynote, graduate student or undergraduate student).

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POSTER TITLE AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

To prevent duplicate submissions, the principal presenting author-student is responsible for submitting the poster title and abstract. Poster titles must be 125 character or less (with spaces), and abstracts must be 1000 characters or less (with spaces).

Below is an example of how submissions will appear in the program/abstract booklet:

Principal Presenting Author-Student: First and Last Name, Institution, Poster Subject Area

List of Co-Presenting Student Authors

List of Co-Authors that are NOT presenting including Faculty Advisors and/or Research Mentors

"Title: No more than 125 characters with spaces"

Abstract: No more than 1000 characters with spaces.

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POSTER INFORMATION/POSTER SESSIONS

All student presenters (principal presenting author-student and co-presenting author-student) will stand by their posters in either the morning or afternoon sessions based on the assigned poster number. Even-numbered posters will be presented in the morning (poster session I) and odd-numbered posters will be presented in the afternoon (poster session II).

Tack board will be utilized for the poster sessions. Tack board dimensions are 96” W x 48” H and there will be two poster presenters per board. Printed posters should be no larger than 48” W x 48” H. Push pins will be provided for your posters. DO NOT use poster puddy on the tack boards.

Due to space limitations at Van Andel Institute, the maximum number of posters is 145. Please submit your abstracts and poster titles before the registration deadline. No abstract submissions or poster titles will be accepted after we have reached our maximum number or after the registration deadline.

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LUNCH

Lunch is FREE for attendee and presenters that have registered for the conference. Grab and go box lunches will be available for lunch. Box lunches will include sandwiches (vegetarian, turkey, ham and roast beef), pasta salad, chips and a beverage (bottled water or soda pop). If you have any special dietary needs (vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, diabetic or other) please specify on the registration form.

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PARKING

FREE parking will be available on the day of the conference for registered attendees and recruiters. WMRUGS Research Conference attendees and recruiters will park at the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) parking ramp B and then walk north on Bostwick Avenue to Van Andel Institute (VAI). The parking ramp is south of VAI and is less than a five-minute walk to 333 Bostwick Avenue/Grand Rapids MI 49503. When entering parking ramp B, conference attendees will need to take a GRCC parking pass when entering the parking ramp. There are seven levels and over 300 parking spaces available for conference attendees and recruiters.

Validated Parking Passes: Validated parking passes are available for pick up at the WMRUGS information table. Please pick up validated parking passes from the information desk during the lunch period from 12:30 pm – 1:15 pm or after the conference has ended at 3:30 pm.

Exit/Departure: When exiting the GRCC parking ramp B, follow the instructions at the parking gate for inserting the parking passes: Insert the entrance parking pass first and then the validated parking pass. The validated parking passes are only valid until 5:30 pm the day of the event.

If you need special accommodations for attending this event (i.e. parking or entering the building), contact Michelle Love at [email protected].

Parking directions to the parking ramp and walking directions to Van Andel Institute (pdf file) are available on the WMRUGS website at https://www.vai.org/WMRUGS

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 | 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM

Doors Open at 7:30 AM

8:00 AM ARRIVAL AND POSTER SETUP | RECRUITER ARRIVAL AND SETUP

8:15 AM EDUCATIONAL/CAREER FAIR

Meet with recruiters including internship & employment, graduate school, professional schools and medical school recruiters from 8:15 AM – 9:15 AM

9:15 AM WELCOME | OPENING REMARKS

9:30 AM KEYNOTE SPEAKER ADDRESS

10:15 AM POSTER SESSION 1 | COOK-HAUENSTEIN HALL

Presenters at even-numbered posters

10:15 AM EDUCATIONAL/CAREER FAIR

Meet with recruiters including internship & employment, graduate school, professional schools and medical school recruiters from 10:15 AM – 11:30 AM

11:30 AM GRADUATE STUDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TALK

12:00 PM UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TALKS

12:30 PM LUNCH

12:30 PM EDUCATIONAL/CAREER FAIR

Meet with recruiters including internship & employment, graduate school, professional schools and medical school recruiters from 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM

1:15 PM POSTER SESSION 2

2:30 PM UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TALKS

3:30 PM CLOSING REMARKS | CONCLUSION

Host or Publisher WMRUGS Organizing Institutions and Committee: [email protected]