What is the STARS Symposium?
UIS has a tradition of celebrating our students’ talents. Each year, we invite our graduate and undergraduate students from all academic disciplines to showcase their scholarly and creative works at the symposium. At STARS, students experience an opportunity to professionally present their work, interact with other scholars, and engage with UIS and surrounding community members and invited speakers.
- Student researchers, under the guidance of faculty, will present at STARS in conference-style format on a variety of topics related to business, the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and technology.
- Students of visual arts, under the guidance of faculty, will display and discuss their creative scholarly projects in an exhibition format.
- Student musicians, under the guidance of faculty, will offer live concert performances.
All students (graduate and undergraduate) involved in research or creative works are invited to participate in the 2026 STARS event on April 9th and 10th 2026. You can elect to give a short oral presentation, a poster presentation, an art exhibition, or a performance of your work. STARS will be in-Person this year, but we are open to online presentations for online students.
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 15, 2026
STARS 2026 Registration Deadline: March 15, 2026
STARS 2026 Photo Contest Deadline: Submissions Closed
Student presenters, faculty, judges, and STARS committee members must fill out the registration form above. Attendees who do not fall into those categories do not require registration.
STARS Core Planning Team
Jessica Flynn (2026 Chair), Director of the Office of Engaged Learning
Lucia Vazquez, Associate VC for Research & Innovation, Professor of Biology
Sahar Farshadkhah, Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems
Te-wei Wang, Professor of Management Information Systems
Anne-Marie Hanson, Associate Dean, College of Health Science and Technology
Yuan Wen, Assistant Professor of Management, Marketing, and Operations
Carissa Isenberg, Associate Director of Pre-Award
Eric Hadley-Ives, Associate Professor of Social Work
Isabel Skinner, Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs
Hua Chen, Professor of Ecology
Cheng-Chia (Brian) Chen, Associate Professor Public Health
Hannah Karl, Graduate Assistant for Research & Innovation
Hamza Azhar, Graduate Student, Research Society Representative
Jacqueline Maravilla-Montano, Undergrad Student, Research Society Representative
FAQs
What does STARS stand for?
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Student Technology, Arts and Research Symposium
When are abstract submissions due?
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The final deadline for your abstract submission is 5:00 p.m., March 15, 2026.
I’ve never presented my research before - is STARS a good “first” symposium?
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Yes! This is a great chance to practice your presentation skills in a supportive environment. We strongly encourage all first-time presenters to submit an abstract.
Who should submit?
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Any student (undergraduate or graduate) doing research or creative works with a professor should participate! Students can elect to give a short oral presentation, a poster presentation of research, a performance, or exhibition of creative work.
Can graduate students present?
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Yes. STARS will honor both graduate and undergraduate student achievement.
Can online students present?
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Yes, STARS will honor online student achievement. Electronic presentation options will be available.
Can recent graduates present?
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Students who graduated in August or December of the previous year are welcome to present, provided that the work was done while they were enrolled as UIS students.
What do I get out of presenting?
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There are many benefits to presenting. For example, a presentation is a good way to build your resume/CV or graduate school application. A presentation allows you to show off your creative ability, and to discuss your ideas with other scholars. Ideas for new projects often come out of questions you are asked, and opportunities for new collaboration are often found.
Is ongoing work eligible for presentation, or is the conference just for completed work?
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Yes, ongoing work may be presented, but it must have reached a level that your faculty mentor is comfortable with and will approve. If there is any question, please discuss this with your faculty mentor.
How do I submit?
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Students’ abstracts must be reviewed and approved by their faculty mentor(s), who will then submit the abstracts for the student(s). Abstracts are limited to a maximum of 250 words and will only be accepted from individuals who hold faculty/instructor appointments.
What is the required format for posters?
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The dimensions of your poster should be 46 inches (width) x 36 inches (height). To set your poster dimensions in PowerPoint, go to the “Design” menu item and select “Page Setup”.