The Celebrate Undergraduate Research and Creativity Showcase is an annual event held in April that showcases the creativity and scholarship of undergraduate students across various disciplines
Quick Links
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Fall CURC Info Sessions | TBD |
| Undergraduate Registration Opens (Abstract/Synopsis and Mentor Approval Form) | Dec 5 |
| Judge Registration Opens | Feb 1 |
| Spring CURC Workshops and office hours | Feb–March |
| Priority Registration & Abstract/Summary Deadline (Abstract/Synopsis and Mentor Approval Forms are due) | March 13 |
| Written Work Submission Deadline (final product upload) | April 3 |
| Film Submission Deadline (final product upload) | April 3 |
| Final Project Submission Deadline (Oral Presentation, Community Engagement Poster, Research Poster, Visual Art, Performing Art) | April 14 |
| Judge Registration Deadline | April 14 |
| CURC Showcase and Keynote | April 21 |
7 Presentation Categories
Research Poster
Research Poster
A Note on Procrastination: Please do NOT wait until the last minute to print your poster. It takes a bit of time to get these printed and make corrections, so get those posters printed at least 3 days ahead of the event. See button below for instructions on how and where to print.
Who Should Submit: Students who have started, completed, or planned a project that involves asking one or more questions and trying to answer those questions, or hypothesizing about outcomes, and checking those hypotheses. Projects do not need to be completed to present at CURC.
Category Overview: Students will create a poster in digital and print format. They will upload their poster to the website, and they will print their poster and present it in person at CURC. Students will be assigned to one of two poster time sessions and must be present at their poster during their time slot to speak with attendees about their work.
Community Engagement Poster
A Note on Procrastination: Please do NOT wait until the last minute to print your poster. It takes a bit of time to get these printed and make corrections, so get those posters printed at least 3 days ahead of the event. See button below for instructions on how and where to print.
Who Should Submit: Students who have started, completed, helped with, or planned a project that involves helping a community reciprocally meet their needs. Projects do not need to be completed to present at CURC.
Category Overview: Students will create a poster in digital and print format. They will upload their poster to the website, and they will print their poster and present it in person at CURC on April 17th in the LSC. Students will be assigned to one of two poster time sessions and must be present at their poster during their time slot to speak with attendees about their work.
CEL Poster Guide and Poster Templates
Oral Presentation
Oral Presentation
Who Should Submit: Students who have started, completed, or planned a project that involves asking one or more questions and trying to answer those questions/hypotheses, or students who have started, completed, helped with, or planned a project that involves helping a community meet their needs in a reciprocal way. Projects do not need to be completed to present at CURC.
Category Overview: Students will present their work during the in-person CURC event on April 18th. Students will give a 10-minute presentation on their project, using a PowerPoint (or equivalent) to help them explain their project to a general audience. The presentation will be followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. Students will be assigned to one of three oral presentation time sessions. Students must send their final PowerPoint (or equivalent) to the submission website.
Students will also submit a JPEG image of the title slide.
Visual Art
Visual Art
Who Should Submit: Students who have created a visual work of art or project. Artwork can be in any medium, including sculptures, paintings, drawings, textiles/clothing, or any other visual artwork. Videos and films should be submitted via the Film category.
Category Overview: For the in-person event, art will be displayed in the LSC, and the artist is required to be present to talk about their work and answer questions from attendees.
Submitters are asked to contact OURA staff (email [email protected]) as early as possible to ensure we are prepared to properly display your work.
Written Work
Written Work
Who Should Submit: Students who have completed all or part of an original written project, not including research papers or projects. Projects do not need to be completed to present at CURC.
Category Overview: Students can submit a completed original work of up to 15 pages in any genre, excluding scholarly research papers (we encourage students with scholarly research to present as a poster or talk). The written work submission (25 pages maximum) will be uploaded to the submission platform via a link. The full written work submission will be sent to judges but will not be displayed via the submission website; virtual attendees will only be able to view the summary and author’s video narration. On the day of CURC, students will be asked to read up to a 5-minute excerpt from their work and answer questions from attendees.
Film Submissions
Film Submissions
- Rubric
Film Festival @ CURC: Have a 2-minute experimental film that you want people to see? Did you spend a year researching and filming a documentary about Cam the Ram? Films will be shown in the LSC theatre at the Film Festival @ CURC. Any undergraduate student with a video production of any kind is welcome to submit using the instructions on this page.
Who Should Submit: Students who have created a video or short film in any format or style. Projects do not need to be completed to present at CURC.
Category Overview: Films can be in any category (nature/science, human interest, social sciences, animated, documentary or narrative, etc) with 3 – 10 minutes run time. (If you want to submit a longer submission, please contact us directly at [email protected] . Students will then present their film at the in-person CURC event in the LSC. Please upload your film to YouTube/Vimeo and include the link in your submission with the necessary password, if applicable. Do not submit a link as part of your summary, you should submit a “poster” for your film as a PDF, so that there is a visual representation of your film on the the submission website. If you have any questions about submitting a film, please reach out to our film festival coordinator
Performing Art
Performing Art Submissions
- Performance Rubric
- Music Rubric
Who Should Submit: Students who have produced an individual performance piece or will be showcasing a piece written by another artist. Performance art may manifest in diverse mediums, including music, dance, opera, or theatrical works.
Submitters are asked to contact OURA staff (email [email protected]) as early as possible to ensure we are prepared to properly display your work.
Category Overview: Students will present their work during the in-person CURC event. Students will give a 10-minute presentation on their project. The performance will be followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. Students will be assigned to a presentation time session.
Students will need to submit a performance cover art or showpiece for the submission website.
Student Resources
What can I present?
What can I present?
- Participate
CURC supports showcasing a variety of student research and creative work. All projects, regardless of stage, are welcome. Submissions are encouraged whether it’s an idea, a work in progress, or a completed project. Categories for submission include: Research Posters, Community Engagement (Service-Learning) Posters, Visual Art, Performance Art, Oral Presentations, and Written Work (creative writing, nonfiction, scholarly articles, etc.). See our homepage.
How do I present?
How do I present?
All presenters must submit work to the submission website and present in person.
How do I register to present?
How do I register to present?
When you register,
you will be asked to include the following information:
• Name
• CSU ID Number
• College
• Presentation Category (see descriptions below)
• Mentor or Project Lead approval form(if applicable)
• Collaborators or Co-Presenters (if applicable)
• Presentation Title
• Abstract or Project Summary (250 words maximum) – uploaded as .doc or .docx
Note: You must submit an abstract or summary to register for this event!
What is the submission deadline?
What is the submission deadline?
See CURC Website for more information!
Note that Written Works submissions are earlier than all other submissions. Virtual submissions for Posters, Oral Presentations, Performing Art, and Visual Art are typically due at least one week before the in-person event. Students participating in the Oral Presentation, Visual Art, or Performance Art categories must send an email with necessary documents (e.g., presentation) or display/performance instructions and need to send an email to [email protected] at least one week before the event.
Do I have to register if I’m not presenting but still want to attend?
Do I have to register if I’m not presenting but still want to attend?
No! There will be free public access to CURC showcase material through the submission website starting a few days before the event. Campus community members and the general public are also welcome to attend the event in person at the Lory Student Center.
Are there awards?
The short answer is YES! This year’s awards are CSU Bookstore vouchers.
What should I expect from judging?
What should I expect from judging?
At CURC, expect to present your work—whether it’s research, visual arts, performing arts, or a written/oral presentation—to assigned judges and curious attendees, who may or may not be experts in your field. Keep your explanation clear and adaptable—start with a concise overview (1-2 minutes) and adjust based on the judge’s familiarity and interest. Whether you’re showcasing data, a painting, a performance, or a creative piece, stay confident, engage with enthusiasm, and be ready to answer questions or simplify complex ideas to make your work accessible!
Faculty and Mentor Resources
How can I participate?
How can I participate?
We hope all faculty, graduate students, and staff will encourage their undergraduate students to submit
research and creative work to present. Categories for submission include: Research Posters, Community Engagement (Service-Learning) Posters, Visual Art, Performing Art, Oral Presentations, and Written Work.
We also hope you will encourage students in your classes to attend the event in April. Lastly, you can register to judge for a variety of awards that are offered. Judges can register through the submission website when the registration opens.
How do I direct students to participate?
How do I direct students to participate?
Students must register in order to present; they do not need to register to attend. Registration is now open
on the submission website and it closes a few weeks before the event. We have all deadlines and dates on the CURC website: tilt.colostate.edu/oura/current-students/showcase/curc/
All-campus emails will be sent
out with more specific dates and information, so stay tuned! When they register, students must include a 250-word abstract of their work or project. Students must also submit a mentor approval form or attest that they do not have a mentor.
Final Written work submissions are due earlier than all other submissions, as judges need additional time
to review these works. Submissions for Posters, Oral Presentations, Performing Art, and Visual Art are typically due to organizers at least one week before the in-person event.
Why should I be a judge?
Why should I be a judge?
CURC relies on faculty, grad students, postdocs, staff, and community members to judge for various awards. As a judge, you get a front-row perspective on the incredible work produced by undergraduates at CSU. You will be assigned a manageable number of submissions to judge. Writing competition judges will get at least 2 weeks to submit their scores. All other judges are expected to attend the in-person CURC event and will complete all judging at that event.
How do I sign up to be a judge?
How do I sign up to be a judge?
Recruitment will open in early January! You will be able to indicate your preference for the category that you wish to judge (poster/art, oral, and/or written) and the times you are available.
Do I have to register if I’m not judging but want to attend?
Do I have to register if I’m not judging but want to attend?
No. The event will be open to the public and anyone can view the submitted material virtually on the submission website or in person at the LSC.
About CURC
The Celebrate Undergraduate Research and Creativity Showcase is an annual event held in April that showcases the creativity and scholarship of undergraduate students across various disciplines.
What can I present?
What can I present?
- Participate
CURC supports showcasing a variety of student research and creative work. All projects, regardless of stage, are welcome. Submissions are encouraged whether it’s an idea, a work in progress, or a completed project. Categories for submission include: Research Posters, Community Engagement (Service-Learning) Posters, Visual Art, Performance Art, Oral Presentations, and Written Work (creative writing, nonfiction, scholarly articles, etc.). See our homepage.
How do I register to present?
How do I register to present?
When you register,
you will be asked to include the following information:
• Name
• CSU ID Number
• College
• Presentation Category (see descriptions below)
• Mentor or Project Lead approval form(if applicable)
• Collaborators or Co-Presenters (if applicable)
• Presentation Title
• Abstract or Project Summary (250 words maximum) – uploaded as .doc or .docx
Note: You must submit an abstract or summary to register for this event!
Do I have to register if I’m not presenting but still want to attend?
Do I have to register if I’m not presenting but still want to attend?
No! There will be free public access to CURC showcase material through the submission website starting a few days before the event. Campus community members and the general public are also welcome to attend the event in person at the Lory Student Center.
Are there awards?
The short answer is YES! This year’s awards are CSU Bookstore vouchers.
Steering Committee
The CURC Steering Committee is composed of representatives from each college at CSU. The committee’s goal is to ensure that CURC is accessible and supportive of all creative and scholarly efforts of CSU undergraduates.
- CLA: Ellie Light
- WCNR: Chris Myrick
- WSCOE: Christie Peebles
- CNS: Nancy Levinger
- CHHS: Matt Hickey
- COB: Samantha Conroy
- CVMBS: Alan Schenkel
- CAS: Thomas Borch
- OURA: Louise Allen, Jenniffer Riley, Danyel Addes, Rachel Potter
History
CSU’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology was responsible for the first formal research symposium on campus. Over time, that event grew into a college-wide event for students in the College of Natural Sciences (CNS).
Around 1989-1990, the Office of the Provost began working with CNS to facilitate the expansion of their annual research poster session into the university-wide event that we know today as the Celebrate Undergraduate Research and Creativity Showcase. With the inclusion of all disciplines represented at CSU, CURC showcases much more than traditional research. Audiences attend CURC as much for the writing, artwork, music, and design projects as they do to observe the research presentations.
From a handful of students presenting their research from a single department decades ago, to over 500 students presenting their research from across the university today, CURC continues to be an evolving event that captures the spirit, creativity, and scholarship of undergraduate students at CSU.
Sponsors
CURC is generously supported by the Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry and TILT.
Each year various CSU units, institutes, and colleges sponsor student awards to recognize creative and scholarly excellence presented at CURC. Awards sponsors will be named soon.