Highlights
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Student Research Week, which takes place March 23-27 this year, helps students build confidence, establish professional networks, and discover pathways to careers in industry, government, education and entrepreneurship.
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The week includes events like the Student Scholar Symposium and the Creative Scholarship Symposium, featuring more than 1,000 student presenters and over 200 faculty mentors.
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Sponsored by university units and community partners, such as Florida High Tech Corridor and UCF Student Government, the event highlights UCF鈥檚 commitment to research and inspires future scholars and innovators.
For twenty years, has highlighted the ambition, creativity and discovery that defines UCF, Florida鈥檚 Technological University.
What began as two modest research events has become a university-wide tradition. Now, Student Research Week brings together more than 1,000 student presenters and over 200 faculty mentors who serve as judges and contributors. It reflects how deeply exploration and innovation shape the student experience.
The week of activities also includes awards for student researchers, including the College of Business’ Yu-Shan Huang earning the 2025-26 Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching, and the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s Brent Pappas receiving the 2025-26 Award for Excellence by a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
A Commitment to Fostering Student Success
Student Research Week traces its roots to two early initiatives: the Graduate Research Forum, launched by the , and the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence established by the . In the early 2000s, these events provided a welcoming environment for students to share their research and creative work.
鈥淚t was the first time I shared my early research in a public setting, and the encouragement I received made me realize that academia was the path I wanted to take.鈥� 鈥� Reid Oetjen 鈥�02MS 鈥�04PhD, UCF alum and professor
In 2004, the inaugural Graduate Research Forum launched, featuring 76 student oral and poster presentations spanning disciplines across the university. The event created a campus-wide platform for graduate students to share their research and engage with faculty and peers.
Among them was Reid Oetjen 鈥�02MS 鈥�04PhD, then a public affairs graduate student defining his path. Today, he is a professor in UCF鈥檚 School of Global Health Management and Informatics and directs the master鈥檚 of health administration program. He has built a nationally recognized body of work on long-term care quality and advanced teaching in the field.
鈥淧resenting my research at the first Graduate Research Forum was an important milestone. It was the first time I shared my early research in a public setting, and the encouragement I received made me realize that academia was the path I wanted to take,鈥� Oetjen says. 鈥淚t is special to know I was there at the beginning, and I am proud to see it grow into what is now Student Research Week.鈥�
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e given the space to explore a question deeply and share that work with others, it builds the skills and confidence that carry forward into graduate study and the kind of thoughtful problem-solving our world needs.鈥� 鈥� Christine Dellert Mullon 鈥�06 鈥�15MA, UCF alum
Undergraduates gained experience in the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence, where they tested new ideas and strengthened their communication skills.
For Christine Dellert Mullon 鈥�06 鈥�15MA, presenting in 2006 proved pivotal. The then journalism studentshared her work with faculty and peers, building confidence and sharpening her ability to explain complex ideas. The experience helped lay the foundation for her later success as the founder of a communications strategy firm.
鈥淓arly research opportunities can be a turning point for students,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e given the space to explore a question deeply and share that work with others, it builds the skills and confidence that carry forward into graduate study and the kind of thoughtful problem-solving our world needs.鈥�
University leaders later unified the events under one banner, launching Student Research Week, now planned through the Offices of and . The initiative expanded visibility for student research and creative scholarship while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration among graduate and undergraduate students. Over time, the program grew in scale and participation. Today, every college contributes projects that explore pressing questions and new possibilities.
This Year鈥檚 Events
UCF launches the 20th anniversary of Student Research Week on Monday, March 23, celebrating two decades of student scholarship.
The week continues with the Research Impact Competition, presented in partnership with the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, where students explain the real-world significance of their work in five-minute presentations.
The Student Scholar Symposium scheduled March 25鈥�26 in the Pegasus Ballroom, will include six sessions featuring hundreds of posters. Judges will evaluate presentations and award scholarships at the conclusion of each day.
The Creative Scholarship Symposium, introduced in 2023, returns March 25 with interactive projects in the arts and other creative disciplines.
Building Skills and Community
Student Research Week plays a vital role in the academic and professional development of UCF students. Presenters gain valuable experience articulating ideas, explaining their methods and responding to questions. Judges provide feedback that strengthens projects before submission to conferences, publication of findings, or completion of theses and dissertations.
The event also connects students across disciplines, sparking new research directions and collaborations.
Community partners play an important role in supporting the week鈥檚 activities. This year鈥檚 sponsors include the Florida High Tech Corridor, Learning Institute for Elders at UCF (LIFE at UCF), the Parent and Family Fund, and Student Government. Many UCF colleges, schools and academic units also provide sponsorship and programmatic support, reflecting a shared commitment to student research across the university.
Forging the Future
As UCF continues to grow as a leading research university, Student Research Week reflects that momentum.
For many students, participation marks a turning point. They build confidence, establish professional networks, and discover pathways to careers in industry, government, education and entrepreneurship.
For more than two decades, Student Research Week has been a defining feature of the UCF experience. What began with poster boards filling campus ballrooms has evolved into a celebration of academic achievement, inspiring the next generation of scholars.
This year鈥檚 presenters continue that tradition of curiosity, rigor and opportunity, with even greater impact ahead.
