Orchestrating a Highly Interactive Virtual Student Research Symposium

Abstract

The New Haven Local Section of the American Chemical Society held a virtual version of its annual Student Research Symposium prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A combination of YouTube, Google Drive, Open Broadcaster Software, and Zoom was utilized to hold the symposium which included juried oral and poster presentations. While our aim was to preserve as much of the in-person experience as possible despite the crisis, we found some very encouraging advantages to the virtual format as we designed it. These included reduced presenter fatigue, more substantive one-on-one interactions between student and senior researchers, expanded accessibility for students, faculty, and the general public, and the virtual symposium being a fraction of the cost of an in-person symposium. The details of this experience and advice for its application in the wider educational community are reported.

The Virtual Streptococcal Seminar Series and Trainee Symposium: Adaptations of a Research Community during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Efforts by the National Summer Undergraduate Research Program (NSURP) resulted in the pairing of 250 underrepresented and minoritized mentees with mentors around the world and provided students opportunities to engage in scientific research without physically traveling to hosting laboratories ( 11 ). The New Haven Local Section of the American Chemical Society also hosted a virtual symposium to highlight student research and reported benefits of reduced operating costs, ease in presentation judging, and removal of geographic barriers limiting attendance ( 12 ). Further, #BlackInX movements on Twitter including #BlackInNeuro ( 13 ), #BlackInMicro ( 14 , 15 ), #BlackInImmuno ( 16 ), #BlackInCancer ( 17 ), and numerous others organized hugely successful online programs in a matter of weeks to celebrate, connect, and support Black researchers and to promote professional development, networking, and community amongst Black scientists.…”

A Research Presentation as a Flexible Alternative to a Practical Lab Exam in Organic Chemistry

“…During the lockdown years, the software and hardware for online communications have been improving, and everyone has gotten more comfortable using them. Additionally, a lot of detailed practical information about organizing complex events like virtual research symposiums has been published . Regardless, it should not be assumed that everyone, students and instructors, will be proficient with the technology chosen for the assignment.…”

Evaluation of Higher-Order Skills Development in an Asynchronous Online Poster Session for Final Year Science Undergraduates

“…This shift has accelerated the removal of boundaries between traditional and online education, which were already becoming blurred prior to the pandemic (Lockee, 2021). While the online format has some advantages, such as lower costs (Freeze et al, 2020;Holt et al, 2020) and increased accessibility and equity (Saribipour et al, 2021), the lack of in-person interaction can make it more difficult to discuss the research outlined in posters. This lack of interaction can be particularly challenging for distance learners, who can already feel somewhat isolated (Gillett-Swan, 2017).…”

“…Several online poster sessions that have taken place since the start of the pandemic have been wholly or partly synchronous. For example, Freeze et al (2020) report on a student poster session involving a combination of pre-recorded video presentations on YouTube and a live session using Zoom breakout rooms, while Holt et al (2020) describe a synchronous poster session hosted on Mozilla Hubs involving a virtual poster hall, with students using avatars to stand by their posters and interact with viewers. Synchronous online sessions provide a degree of social presence and can give a sense of community (Holt et al, 2020), but there can be issues with connectivity and Internet speed (Basaran & Yalman, 2020;Freeze et al, 2020).…”