Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference
The annual Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference (MassURC) brings together undergraduate students from the twenty-eight public colleges and universities within the Commonwealth. The MassURC serves to broaden our understanding of research, showcasing investigation in over sixty subject areas, including biochemistry, history, architecture, marketing, fine art, and sociology. Going beyond observing, conference attendees have a chance to engage with the diverse and defining research that Massachusetts students are conducting with the support of faculty.
At the Virtual 2022 MassURC, we showcased the research and academic studies of 850 undergraduate students representing 22 of the 28 Massachusetts institutions of public higher education.
The event offered meaningful engagement in a way that assured an accessible, equitable, and safe convening for students, faculty, and community members from across the Commonwealth.
Keynote Address:
Conference Schedule:
Keynote: Adriana Katzew
Professor and Director
Graduate Programs in Art Education
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
This talk will explore how, as an artist and scholar, Katzew unearths stories and memories of people, moments and places–particularly stories of immigration. She will share her process in making artwork about her family’s immigration story, with an invitation for the audience to consider their own respective family’s immigration stories. In doing so, Katzew will discuss the role research plays in her process.
Students from 22 public institutions in Massachusetts will be giving 681 presentations on their research at the virtual conference.
Poster and Research in Conversation Session times (all Eastern Time):
- 8:30 - 9:15 a.m.
- 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.
- 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
- 12:30 - 1:15 p.m.
- 1:30 - 2:15 p.m.
- 2:30 - 3:15 p.m.
- 3:30 - 4:15 p.m.
This year the conference will have six sessions with guest chairs representing participating education institutions from across the state. These guest chairs are:
MassURC is a State-Wide Partnership
We thank each of our partners for their dedication to research and their commitment to showcasing the work being done by undergraduate students across the Commonwealth. MassURC is supported by Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, the Massachusetts State Universities Council of Presidents, and the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges.
Sponsors:
- Berkshire Community College
- Bridgewater State University
- Bristol Community College
- Bunker Hill Community College
- Cape Cod Community College
- Fitchburg State University
- Framingham State University
- Greenfield Community College
- Holyoke Community College
- Massachusetts College of Art and Design
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
- Massachusetts Maritime Academy
- Massasoit Community College
- Massachusetts Bay Community College
- Middlesex Community College
- Mount Wachusett Community College
- Northern Essex Community College
- North Shore Community College
- Quinsigamond Community College
- Roxbury Community College
- Salem State University
- Springfield Technical Community College
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Massachusetts Amherst Commonwealth Honors College
- University of Massachusetts Boston
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
- University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Westfield State University
- Worcester State University
Learn who is eligible to be a presenter at MassURC, how to submit an abstract, and presentation options during the conference.
All students who present during MassURC must have a Faculty Sponsor who works directly with them to prepare their research, abstract, and presentation for the conference.
Names and contact information for the individual(s) from each of the 28 schools included in MassURC, who can assist students and faculty who have questions about the conference.
2021
In 2021's Virtual Conference, it was an honor to showcase the innovation and resilience of 905 undergraduate students representing 26 of Massachusetts' institutions of public higher education. Click here to watch the 2021 Keynote Lecture from H. Zahra Caldwell: "Research & Wonder: The Terrible, The Historical, and The Joyous" (You can also watch the Q&A here.)
2020
Over 1,100 undergraduate students from twenty-five public colleges and universities in Massachusetts shared their research virtually, through 901 presentations across sixty-seven areas of study.
2020 MassURC Abstracts
2019 (25th Anniversary)
In 2019, over 1,250 students from twenty-four public universities, colleges, and community colleges presented their original research and celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference. David W. Cash, Ph.D., Dean and Associate Professor, John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, UMass Boston, delivered the keynote address.
2019 MassURC Abstracts
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