Learning at Luther Showcase

• 9–10:15 a.m. Session I
• 10:15–10:45 a.m. Community Gathering at CFL Stairs & Bentdahl Commons
• 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Session II
• Lunch Break
• 1–2 p.m. Session III
• 2:15–2:30 p.m. Hoslett Natural History Museum exhibit unveiling in Valders
• 2:30–3:30 p.m. Session IV
• 2:30–4 p.m. Poster Session in Valders/SHL concourse

Sessions I, II, III, and IV will be distributed throughout campus classrooms. Exact locations and titles for each presentation can be found in the complete program.

Scholarship takes many forms and occurs in every academic discipline. Therefore, the Learning @ Luther Showcase welcomes any work that presents an academic product of your field.

Examples of the kinds of work you can present that will be considered for inclusion in the showcase include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Original research focused on an issue or problem in your field, either completed on your own or as a part of a faculty research project
• A scholarly project you developed individually or as part of a small group
• A creative work that you will share as part of the showcase and/or describe your process for creating the work.
• An experiential-learning project that involved an evidence-based exploration of a question
• A mentored or internship experience that resulted in the creation of new knowledge or a new product

To present your work at the showcase, you will need to provide information about your work in the application. The application will ask you for:

• The names(s) of the presenter(s) for the work. Only one application needs to be submitted for each presentation, even if there are multiple presenters
• A title for your work. Make sure your title clearly and concisely indicates the nature of your work. Use keywords, but do not use abbreviations or acronyms
• An abstract or description of the project (depending on presentation type). See below for more information
• If your project is part of a course or has been mentored by a Luther College faculty or staff member, you will be asked for the name of this person. Please consult with your mentor before submitting your application

An abstract should include the following key pieces of information:

1. Introduction of the topic
2. Purpose for the work or research goals
3. The approach or methods employed
4. Outcomes of your work

An abstract should be concise and precise (200 words or less). Keep in mind that you will be presenting to a general audience and therefore need to broadly describe the topic. There is no need to be overly technical in your abstract. Depending on where you are in the process of your work, you may or may not have outcomes to include. If you do not have outcomes, instead include what you expect to produce or learn from your work.

Before writing your abstract, it can be helpful to look at some exemplary student abstracts from previous years. You might also consult your faculty mentor for feedback on your abstract.

You may also find it helpful to ask a writing tutor at the Barry Writing Center for feedback on your abstract. You may schedule an in-person appointment, an online appointment, or participate in eTutoring, where you can share your abstract draft and ask a specific question.

The project description requested for the lightning talks should include a brief overview of what you plan to present. It should be a maximum of 75 words.

• Prepare posters that can fit approximately a 3 foot x 4 foot poster space. You will be supplied with a poster board, a poster stand, and pins to mount your poster.
• Your poster must include: presentation title, names of presenters, and academic department. Include background information about your project as not everyone who comes to your poster will have read your abstract.
• Prepare for an audience of your peers or a faculty member outside of your discipline. Remember that many people who visit your poster will not be familiar with your field of study so be sure to fully explain your work to this target audience.
• Prepare and practice talking through the presentation of your work. You should spend no more than 3-5 minutes discussing your poster with any given individual. Please practice your poster presentation with your faculty sponsor and your friends.
• Prior to the poster session, you will receive a map to tell you where you will set up your poster at the session. Set-up your poster at your assigned location at least 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the poster session.
• You must display your poster for the entire session. We encourage at least one presenter to be at the poster at all times during the

• When the sessions are scheduled, you will be assigned the exact length of your presentation based on the number of presenters in the session. Plan the timing of your presentation to include ~5 minutes for questions after you finished your planned presentation.
• Each presenter in a session is expected to be at the entire session. If there is time at the end of the session, the group may engage in a collaborative discussion about the session theme.
• Prepare your presentation for an audience of your peers and faculty members outside of your discipline. To be an effective presenter, be sure to prepare for this target audience.
• Practice your presentation several times with your faculty mentor, friends, your peers, and on your own. Your presentation will be better the more you practice. If there are multiple presenters, clearly establish the roles of each presenter. Aim to practice enough that you can get away from prepared text and notes.
• Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your session’s start time. Introduce yourself to the moderator assigned to your session and clarify how to pronounce your name. Tell the moderator if there is any specific information you would like included in your introduction. Discuss your presentation format with the moderator and other presenters (i.e., slides presented from podium computer or own laptop) to clarify how transitions between presentations will take place.
• Remember that technology is not foolproof. If you are planning to use slides, make sure you have a back-up copy and test the technology you plan to use before the beginning of the session.
• The moderator will introduce each presenter, is responsible for keeping the panel on time, and will mediate questions and discussions after presentations. Moderators will not allow talks to run over the scheduled time so pay close attention to the moderator for timing cues.

• You will have up to 5 minutes for your presentation.
• If you plan to use slides for your presentation, there is a 7-slide maximum: 1 title slide, up to 5 content slides, and 1 references/acknowledgements slide. Do not exceed this limit.
• Prepare your presentation for an audience of your peers and faculty members outside of your discipline. To be an effective presenter, be sure to prepare for this target audience.
• Practice your talk several times. Your presentation will be better the more you practice. Aim to practice enough that you can get away from prepared text and notes.
• Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your session’s start time. Introduce yourself to the moderator assigned to your session and clarify how to pronounce your name. Tell the moderator if there is any specific information you would like included in your introduction.
• If you use slides, you will need to present from the podium computer to facilitate quick, smooth transitions between presenters. Load your presentation onto the podium computer before the session begins.
• Remember that technology is not foolproof. If you are planning to use slides, make sure you have a back-up copy and test the technology you plan to use before the beginning of the session.
• The moderator will introduce each presenter, is responsible for keeping the panel on time, and will mediate the discussion after presentations. Moderators will not allow talks to run over the scheduled time so pay close attention to the moderator for timing cues.
• There will be a panel discussion involving all presenters at the end of the session. Every presenter is expected to participate in the entire session.

Who can participate at the Showcase?
Any currently enrolled Luther College student.

Can I present ongoing research?
Yes. Posters, data stories, and talks can be presented at almost any stage of a research project. Presenting your work is an excellent way to get feedback on work “in-progress.” You are encouraged to discuss your research progress with your faculty mentor(s).

Can I present a project that I did last year?
Certainly, as long as it was work that was completed while you were enrolled as a Luther student.

Is the showcase competitive?
The showcase is inclusive. An application may be declined if the project is not an appropriate fit for the showcase, but we aim to accept as many applications as possible to provide each student the opportunity to share their work. The event offers an opportunity for students to come together to share and discuss their research with others in a supportive and respectful environment.

What is the application deadline?
The deadline to submit all applications to present at the Learning at Luther Showcase is March 31st.

May I present a project with my friends?
Yes, up to three people may present a project. If you are or have been working together on a class project or share an academic interest with friends with whom you can prepare a presentation. In the case of student organizations, it is likely that a group of students will together participate in a presentation.

Can I submit multiple applications to present?
Yes, you may submit multiple applications, but each must be for a unique project, the same project cannot be presented multiple times. An effort will be made to arrange the schedule so that you can make more than one presentation, but it is possible that only one of your presentation abstracts submitted will be accepted. Preference will be given to students making only one presentation if the abstracts are judged equally meritorious.

Can I make changes to my title or abstract?
We can accommodate changes in titles and abstracts up until the application deadline. Requests for changes should be sent to learning@luther.edu.

How will I know if my application was accepted, and I qualify to present at the Learning @ Luther Showcase?
Your application will be read by the committee. You will be contacted directly if there are questions or minor edits are necessary.
You will receive a decision email notifying you about your presentation. We expect to notify applicants of our decision by mid-April.

How do I print a poster to display at the poster session?
Before submitting an abstract for a poster presentation, discuss the process and costs for printing a poster with your faculty mentor. The faculty should complete the Request Access to Valders Poster Printer Form on the student’s behalf.

Who can attend the showcase?
The showcase may be open to the public. Feel free to invite family and mentors to view your presentation.

Will the sessions be live-streamed or recorded?
No, the sessions will not be live-streamed or recorded.

Whom should I contact if I have questions?
Email your questions to learning@luther.edu.