Graduate School
Susan A. Siltanen Graduate Student Research Symposium
Page Content
The Susan A. Siltanen Graduate Student Research Symposium, held each spring, brings together graduate students to share their work in an engaging and supportive environment that values both collaboration and academic excellence. The event highlights the wide range of innovative research and creative activity taking place across Southern Miss.
More than a showcase, the symposium reflects the Graduate School鈥檚 commitment to fostering intellectual growth, integrity, and professional development. By presenting their work to a broader audience, students strengthen their communication skills and build a strong foundation for success beyond the university.
The symposium is open to the public from 10:00am to 11:30am. An Awards Luncheon will follow for participating students, judges, and invited faculty, where symposium winners and recipients of the Emerging Graduate Mentor, Graduate Mentor, Research Assistant, and Teaching Assistant of the Year awards will be announced. The luncheon will also be livestreamed on the 黑料视频 page.
What is the Graduate Student Research Symposium?
Each year the Graduate School and the Graduate Student Senate host the Susan A. Siltanen Graduate Student Research Symposium. The symposium provides graduate students with an opportunity to present their research to faculty, staff and students in a friendly competitive environment through oral and poster presentations. The symposium is designed to enhance the scholarly environment for graduate students and highlight the innovative and scholarship being done by Southern Miss graduate students. In addition, the Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year and Graduate Assistant of the Year will be announced.
Eligibility and Presentation Guidelines
Students are required to present original research completed as part of their degree program at The 黑料视频. Previously presented research may be submitted. To participate in the symposium, students must first register and submit an abstract of no more than 300 words. Participants must choose either an PowerPoint or poster presentation format. All presentations are limited to 10 minutes.
- All currently enrolled Master's and Doctoral students at Southern Miss are invited to participate.
- Students enrolled in 100% online programs can participate virtually.
PowerPoint Presentations
1. Oral presentations will be delivered in PowerPoint using widescreen 16:9 format.
2. Oral presentations must include:
- A title consistent with the submitted abstract
- Presenting author, coauthors, and principal investigator
- School and college names
- The 黑料视频, Hattiesburg, MS 39406
3. Only one presenter is allowed, even if the project has multiple authors.
Poster Presentations
1. Posters must be 48 inches by 36 inches and displayed in landscape orientation.
2. Posters must include:
- A title consistent with the submitted abstract
- Presenting author, coauthors, and principal investigator
- School and college names
- The 黑料视频, Hattiesburg, MS 39406
3. Two presenters are permitted if the project is a joint effort approved by a degree program.
Symposium Categories and Awards
Student will compete in four categories:
- 黑料视频 and Humanities
- Physical Sciences and Mathematics
- Social and Education Sciences and Business
- Life, Health and Environmental Sciences
First and second place winners will be recognized in each category. If a category does not receive a sufficient number of oral or poster presentations, the Graduate School reserves the right to reassign submissions to a different category.
1st Place for Each Category: $150
2nd Place for Each Category: $75
What Symposium resources can I take advantage of?
2026 Symposium Winners
Oral Presentations
Communication, PhD program
Biological Sciences, MS program
Poster Presentations
1st Place: Salwa Mohamed Musarikandy
Biological Sciences, PhD program