Pathways Student Research Symposium

• Promote and share your research
• Receive valuable feedback on your project
• Connect with students and faculty from other system universities
• Learn about graduate programs at system universities

Students must apply to participate through their institution's Pathways Coordinator.  Please see Student Registration Information for further details.

 Presentation Format (poster or oral) is determined by discipline and degree level.

• Doctoral level students: All doctoral level students will present 15-minute oral presentations.
• Master’s & Undergraduate level students: Undergraduate and Master’s level students will present in the poster presentation format, with the exception of humanities and social sciences. Undergraduate and Master’s level students in humanities and social sciences will present 15-minute oral presentations.

 Architecture & Visualization: This new category may include projects related to the built, natural, or virtual environment, including topics in architecture, design, landscape architecture, urban or community planning, construction, visualization,  graphic design, animation, virtual reality/augmented reality, etc.

Click here to see the complete list of Categories & Fields

• Only one poster submission per presenter is permitted.
• Required poster dimensions: 36 inches wide x 48 inches high (portrait). 
• Title, author(s), department, university, and mentor’s name should be placed at the top center of the poster. If there is more than one author, identify the presenter(s) with an asterisk.
• The title should be in letters at least a 1/2 inch high. Materials will have to be read by attendees from a distance of 3 feet or more, so lettering on illustrations should be large and legible.
• Materials should be displayed in a logical sequence (e.g. abstract, introduction, method, and results or conclusion). This may vary by discipline, so check with your faculty mentor/advisor for guidance.
• Presenters are responsible for mounting their own poster during the assigned setup period prior to the opening of the session and for removing it during the designated time.
  • Thumb tacks will be provided to mount posters. If a different mounting material is required, please plan to bring it.
• Presenters should bring business cards or note contact information on the poster for follow-up questions and networking. Providing 8.5 x 11 printout copies of the poster can also be used as a networking tool. 
• Presenters must remain by their poster during their assigned session judging period.
• You need to be prepared to give a 3–5-minute elevator speech for judges.  Judges will be evaluating multiple posters and will need to keep on schedule.
• As you prepare your poster, check with your university resources or research other resources for poster formatting and poster presentation tips.
  • Example: TAMU University Writing Center – Research Posters 

• Each oral presentation has a 15 minute time slot. We expect all presentations will be 12 minutes and allow 3 minutes for questions/transition.
• Although there is no set limit on the number of slides, a good rule of thumb is 12 minutes = 12 slides including title and acknowledgements.
• Each speaker will be introduced so there is no need to repeat the title of your talk.
• We will have a timer and hold up signs to give presenters a 3 minute and 1 minute warning as they approach the 12 minute mark.
• After 15 mins, all speakers will return to the audience. All audience members will have an opportunity during the break or lunch to ask additional questions if time runs out. All speakers will be asked to end their talks at this time. Given the large number of attendees, we cannot allow speakers to go beyond the allocated 15 minute time slot. We ask you each respect each other and commit to providing a timely presentation.
• All presenters will be expected to load their presentations on Thursday at check-in.
• Please arrive at your designated presentation space at least 15 minutes prior to your designated time slot.

In addition to supporting student research, participating as a judge represents an opportunity for networking with faculty and students from Texas A&M Galveston and all 10 other Texas A&M System Universities. Another benefit of serving as a judge is that it gives you the opportunity to recruit undergraduate and master’s students to your master’s and doctoral programs or to build relationships with students to whom you have extended admissions offers who may not have finalized their graduate school plans yet.

A minimum of one to two hours of judging. We also hope you will join us for other symposium events, including our Welcome Lunch (Thursday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.), Symposium Dinner (Thursday 5 p.m.-7 p.m.) and awards ceremony and lunch (Friday 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.). 

Judges Needed

Judges can register by clicking here. On the registration form, you will include your comfort level (comfortable judging, if needed, uncomfortable judging) for the categories and subfields you select. You will also select the times you are available to judge (dependent on your area).

Thanks for your support of this important Texas A&M University Systems event. 

Judges will use the following rubrics to evaluate student presentations:

Poster Presentations Rubric

Oral Presentations Rubric

Volunteer tasks include:

• Session setup/takedown
• Check-in
• Directing participants to/from locations
• Help Desk
• Catering
• Other duties as needed

• Opportunity to network with faculty, staff, and students from Texas A&M Galveston and all 10 other Texas A&M System Universities
• Promote your graduate student organization/department/college
• Free food (during the shift you work) and giveaways for volunteers

Expectations will vary depending on volunteer assignments. However, below are some general volunteer expectations: 

• Be on time to your volunteer assignment 
• Inform the Graduate and Professional School staff when you start and end your shift. We will use this to verify your participation at the event.  
• Show and share the Aggie Spirit and reflect the Aggie Core Values in the way you interact with others during the event. 
• Be communicative. If you encounter any problems or issues while volunteering, please reach out to any of the Graduate and Professional School staff on site. 

If you would like to learn more about volunteering or are ready to sign up, please email researchsymposium@tamug.edu. Volunteers should provide their availability on Thursday, March 2 and/or Friday, March 3.

There are many options to stay on Galveston Island! We have a multitude of AirBnB's, VRBOs, Bed and Breakfasts and hotels on the island. TAMUG will not be reserving a hotel room block for this event. We recommend booking early to ensure that you can all be together in the same location.

• Consult with your Pathways Coordinator for assistance with transportation to the Galveston Campus
• Campus Maps and Directions
• Parking is available in lot N305 at the rate of $5.00 per vehicle per day. Please let us know how many parking permits are needed prior to the event. They will be emailed to you and your organization will be billed.
• Busses can drop participants off at the Aggie Special Events Center (3035) and then proceed to lot N305.
• If you have a current TAMU College Station parking permit, you will not need an additional permit to park at TAMUG. Please park in lot N305.

Any research study type may be presented so long as it has been conducted under the guidance of your faculty mentor/advisor. This includes, but is not limited to, experimental design, case studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, cross-sectional studies, ethnographic research, phenomenological research, etc.

You can conduct research on any topic so long as it has been conducted under the guidance of your faculty mentor/advisor.

Please consult with your discipline's faculty advisor before beginning any research project.

No.  Doctoral level students will participate in oral presentations.

You will have 15 minutes to present, with 12 minutes for the actual presentation and three minutes for questions from the judges.

You will have 15 minutes to present, with 12 minutes for the actual presentation and three minutes for questions from the judges.

Yes, the judges will each complete a rubric, which is available on the Pathways website. Individual feedback will be disseminated to each campus’ Graduate Dean after the conclusion of the event.

Yes, for students working on a research team, the primary investigator is the only person who should submit the abstract and list the co-presenter. While all research collaborators may be listed on the abstract, research teams are limited to two presenters at Pathways.

When registering, one student should be the primary presenter and will upload the abstract, the second student will also register as a student competitor but for the abstract field, upload a PDF that states they are a co-presenter with the other student's name and the title of the presentation.

No, only one presenter per oral presentation/lightning talk is permitted.

Only the primary presenter should submit the abstract, and only one abstract per student is permitted. Please register as a student presenter but for the abstract field, upload a PDF that states you are a co-presenter with the other student's name and the title of the presentation.

Not for the 2023 Pathways, but the discipline will be considered for future Pathways Symposiums.

No. This symposium is for student presenters only.