MTSU students and their faculty mentors looking to showcase their academic research pursuits for the 14th annual Scholars Week 2020 must submit their abstract proposals by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 3.

Abstracts should be submitted online through  https://mtsuorsp.awardsplatform.com/.

Miranda McBride, 24, an MTSU geosciences graduate student from Nashville, Tenn., answers questions from judge Pete Neff, an aerospace professor, Tuesday (March 19) during the College of Basic and Applied Sciences Scholars Day poster session in the Science Building atrium.Students and their faculty mentors who are preparing for the 14th annual Scholars Week March 30-April 3 must submit their abstract proposals by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. (MTSU file photo by Randy Weiler)

Each online abstract submission will include a project title and 150- to 300-word summary of the research project. Only submissions with undergraduate and graduate students as first authors will be eligible for judging and prizes.

Applicants will be notified about acceptance decisions by Monday, March 9, said Jamie Burriss, program manager, MTSU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and a Scholars Week Committee member.

“As a comprehensive university with top notch faculty across disciplines, MTSU students have an opportunity to pursue a deeper understanding of their fields of study through activities such as Scholars Week and we continue to encourage more students to participate each year,” Burriss said.

Scholars Week will be held March 31-April 3. Events will include department and college activities in discipline-specific venues for presentation of graduate, undergraduate and faculty scholarship. Proposals for each college event have separate submission processes and deadlines.

Planned activities will include talks, readings, performances, posters and multimedia presentations.

The celebration of Scholars Week will culminate in a universitywide showcase of posters, multimedia and more starting a 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 3, in the Student Union Ballroom, and the public and MTSU community are invited. Judges will select the winners from each of the colleges. The awards ceremony begins at 2:30 p.m.

The Scholars Week Committee includes representatives from all of the colleges within MTSU. They help arrange the individual college Scholars Days during the week.

MTSU has more than 300 combined undergraduate and graduate programs.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)