Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs

What is the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference?
The Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference is an opportunity for undergraduate students to share their research and creativity with each other and the community. This year’s event is the 21st annual conference sponsored by the Higher Education Council of Berks County (HECBC), which comprises Albright College, Alvernia University, Kutztown University, Pennsylvania State University (Berks) and Reading Area Community College.

When is the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference?
The Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2020.

Where is the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference?
Each year the conference is hosted by one of the HECBC schools. Albright College will host the 2020 conference.

Who may participate in the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference?
The conference is open to all undergraduate students.

What may I present at the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference?
You may present/exhibit work in all disciplines and formats:

paper presentations
poster displays
art exhibitions
performances

You may not present work that you have previously presented at this annual conference.

Why should I participate in the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference?

Participation can offer many benefits:

sharing your expertise with other scholars
showcasing your scholarly and creative work
working closely with a faculty mentor
networking with others in your field of interest
refining presentation skills
enhancing your resume

How do I participate in the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference?
Select scholarly or creative work that you have completed in the past year and would like to share with other students and faculty. Meet with a faculty member who has helped or would help you with this presentation and who will serve as your sponsor. Work with this faculty sponsor to discuss and propose an abstract describing the work. Complete the proposal form, making sure that you include contact information for your faculty sponsor.

Does the conference have a registration fee?
Berks County college students are free of charge. Students from other colleges will have a nominal fee of $15 due the day of registration. This fee includes lunch.

I would like to change my proposal from poster to oral or vice versa. Can I do this?
The deadlines for format changes is April 1. Please send an email to HECBC@albright.edu and we will try our best to accommodate your request.

Do I need to bring an easel for my poster?
No, a backer board and clips will be provided for you so there is no need to bring an easel unless you have a special type of artwork to display. The boards are 48″ wide x 36″ tall so please keep this in mind when printing posters.

I noticed that I made an error in my abstract. Can I please correct it?
Yes, please send your corrected abstract by email to hecbc@albright.edu with the subject line as: HECBC ABSTRACT CHANGE. Please note your name and school. We will replace your old abstract with your corrected one dependent upon the program printing schedule.

Can I request a timeslot for presenting?
While we will consider special requests, we cannot guarantee that you’ll be able to get a preferred slot. Please send an email to HECBC@albright.edu after your submission and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Keep in mind the presentations are grouped by content in most cases so requests can be difficult to honor. No changes can be made after April 1.

I have submitted two different abstracts for two different presentations. Can you please be sure they do not overlap?
Yes, we try hard to make sure the presentations will not conflict. Please indicate on the registration form if you have submitted more than one abstract.

Virtual Conference FAQs

I’ve been accepted to the conference. How do I choose to present live via Zoom on April 18?

You should have receive an email from HECBC@albright.edu with the link to the HECBC Presentation Form. Click through to the form to select how you want to present. Please check your email and/or check with your faculty sponsor to find the link. If you are unable to find it email HECBC@albright.edu. You will need to complete the form by April 7. Further instructions will be sent to you prior to the conference for joining your panel on the day of the conference.

What does it mean to present synchronously? What about asynchronously?

Synchronous presentations happen in real time. The “live” Zoom presentations that will occur on April 18 at scheduled times are synchronous. Asynchronous presentations will happen in advance of the conference. The PDFs and YouTube video uploads are uploaded in advance and available for viewing all day during the conference and for a short time afterwards. Viewers can click through at their leisure to view them. If you are worried about the quality of your connectivity or quality of internet access, asynchronous would be a good option because it allows you to record, upload and check the quality before the presentation is available for viewing.

I’ve been accepted to the conference and want to upload my presentation in advance. How do I upload my presentation?

You should have receive an email from HECBC@albright.edu with the link to the HECBC Presentation Form. Click through to the form to select how you want to present and upload your presentation. Please check your email and/or check with your faculty sponsor to find the link. If you are unable to find it email HECBC@albright.edu. You will need to upload your presentation by April 13.

How do I upload my presentation on YouTube?

You can find instructions for uploading a YouTube presentation here. Once you have uploaded your presentation you will need to go to the HECBC Form (link to form is in your conference acceptance email) and select, “I will upload my presentation for viewing on the HECBC Conference Website. I will submit this form by April 13 with my PDF or link to video presentation.” Then when asked, “Which will you be presenting?” select, “Link to Presentation….” Copy and paste the link to your video in the box.

I have created my poster presentation in PowerPoint. How do I upload it to the website?

First you’ll need to save your poster as a PDF document. Next, you’ll click the link from your conference acceptance email to go to the HECBC Form. Select that you will be uploading a PDF. Click or drag file to upload. Check that it uploaded properly and click submit. The conference organizers will load your document to the conference website.

I received notification that I was accepted to the conference but things have changed and I can no longer present.

You should have receive an email from HECBC@albright.edu with the link to the HECBC Presentation Form. Click through to the form to select that you will no longer present. Please check your email and/or check with your faculty sponsor to find the link. If you are unable to find it email HECBC@albright.edu.

I am presenting a paper (oral) presentation. What are my options?

OPTION 1: Asynchronous Presentation with video

(Upload by April 13, a link to your video presentation (10 minutes maximum). You can upload this to YouTube or another platform. Your presentation will be viewable on the conference website at any time during the conference and for a period of time afterwards.)

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

Select, “I will upload my presentation for viewing on the HECBC Conference Website.”
You’ll see a new question: “Which will you be submitting?”
Select, “Link to Presentation”
Paste link to your presentation here from YouTube or other platform
Click “Submit”

OPTION 2: Synchronous Presentation on Saturday, April 18

(“Live” presentation via Zoom in a virtual room with four other student presenters. You will have 10 minutes to present and 5 minutes to field questions. This is most similar to the traditional, in-person conference presentation.)

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

Select the Live Presentation Saturday, April 18 option –Students need to submit form by April 7 for this option.
Click “Submit”
Student will receive a panelist link from Zoom to their email address with their specific presentation time by April 13.
- Student should click the link a few moments prior to their assigned time on April 18
- Student will be able to share their screen with power point or other presentation and take questions through this platform
- Moderator will help students before and during the presentation

I am presenting a poster presentation. What are my options?

OPTION 1: Asynchronous Presentation with PDF

(Upload by April 13 a PDF of your poster or artwork. Your presentation will be viewable at any time during the conference and for a period of time afterwards.)

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

Select “I will upload my presentation for viewing on the HECBC Conference Website.”
You’ll see a new question: “Which will you be submitting?”
Select “PDF”
Click or drag a file to upload
Click “Submit”

OPTION 2: Asynchronous Presentation with video

(Upload by April 13 a link to your presentation with audio or video explanation (3 minutes maximum). You can upload this to YouTube or another platform. Your presentation will be viewable at any time during the conference and for a period of time afterwards.)

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

Select “I will upload my presentation for viewing on the HECBC Conference Website.”
You’ll see a new question: “Which will you be submitting?”
Select “Link to Presentation”
Paste link to your presentation here from YouTube or other platform
Click “Submit”

I am presenting a performing arts presentation. What are my options?

OPTION 1: Asynchronous Presentation with video

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

Select, “I will upload my presentation for viewing on the HECBC Conference Website.”
You’ll see a new question: “Which will you be submitting?”
Select, “Link to Presentation”
Paste link to your presentation here from YouTube or other platform
Click “Submit”

OPTION 2: Synchronous Presentation on Saturday, April 18

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

Select the Live Presentation Saturday, April 18 option –Students need to submit form by April 7 for this option.
Click “Submit”
Student will receive a panelist link from Zoom to their email address with their specific presentation time by April 13.
- Student should click the link a few moments prior to their assigned time on April 18
- Student will be able to share their screen with power point or other presentation and take questions through this platform
- Moderator will help students before and during the presentation
- Students will be able to share their screen during the presentation

I am presenting a Visual Arts Presentation. What are my options?

OPTION 1: Asynchronous Presentation with PDF

(Upload by April 13 a PDF of your poster or artwork. Your presentation will be viewable at any time during the conference and for a period of time afterwards.)

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

· Select “I will upload my presentation for viewing on the HECBC Conference Website.”

· You’ll see a new question: “Which will you be submitting?”

· Select “PDF”

· Click or drag a file to upload

· Click “Submit”

OPTION 2: Asynchronous Presentation with video

On the form (link to form is in your acceptance email):

Select “I will upload my presentation for viewing on the HECBC Conference Website.”
You’ll see a new question: “Which will you be submitting?”
Select “Link to Presentation”
Paste link to your presentation here from YouTube or other platform
Click “Submit”