Any UAF undergraduate student who is participating in, or has completed, their own mentor-supervised research or creative project can participate in RCA Day.

• Students from all disciplines and all UAF-affiliated campuses are invited to share their work at this event.
• Individual and group presentations are allowed.
• Students do not need prior affiliation with URSA in order to participate.
• Projects do not need to be completed works! In-progress projects showing their preliminary or anticipated results are also welcome.

Research and creative endeavours can range widely in form depending on the discipline. What is important is that your work was mentor-supervised, is original, and represents scholarly effort.

• Projects may take the form of the final product of an URSA award or UAF-affiliated research, a capstone course or senior thesis, or university-sanctioned project.
• If you have any questions regarding a specific project, please contact the URSA Office at ursa.uaf@alaska.edu.

Day of the event:

• Posters publicly displayed (10 a.m.):Posters will be hung on display beginning at 10 a.m.. Students are encouraged to be with their poster as their schedule allows from 10 a.m.-noon.
• Poster session (noon-2 p.m.): All participants are expected to be present with their display from noon-2 p.m. to answer questions. Please reserve time in your schedule to check in and orient yourself at the event prior to the poster session start time. Judging for the Dean's Choice Awards will take place during this time.
  • URSA will print all posters for free that are submitted prior to the posted submission deadline. We will print and hang the submitted posters on the boards prior to the event start.
  • If you have a poster printed from a recent conference, you may bring your own poster on the event day. Please indicate on your registration and submission form whether you plan to bring your own poster.
  • Poster boards will be supplied at the event. Students do not need to bring their own display board.
  • URSA encourages students to arrive by 11:30 a.m. to ensure their poster is hung properly and to prepare for the public session.
• Awards ceremony (3:30-5 p.m.): All presenters are expected to be present for the closing award ceremony and from 4-5 p.m. A closing reception with refreshments will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Please visit our presenter resources page for guidance on poster design, video recording and editing tools, and oral presentation resources on campus.

Posters submitted prior to the deadlines listed will be printed for free by the URSA office.

RCA Day awards will be presented at the award ceremony held at the end of the all-day event. We encourage all presenters and community members to attend.

DEANS' CHOICE AWARDS: $250

• Awarded by the Dean of each of UAF's eight colleges/schools to their top pick within their unit.
• Dean's will review and judge all projects within their unit during the two hour poster session and will announce one Dean's Choice Award.
• The Dean's Choice Award is a monetary prize and will be sent to the recipient's student account following the event.
  • Dean's Choice Awards for group projects will be split among all members.
  • Students must be registered for the spring semester to be eligible and receive a Dean's Choice Award.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: $150

• Awarded by the Dean of each of UAF's eight colleges/schools to a presentation within their unit.
• Dean's will review and judge all projects within their unit during the two hour poster session and will announce one Honorable Mention Award.
• The Honorable Mention Award is a monetary prize and will be sent to the recipient's student account following the event.
  • Honorable Mention Awards for group projects will be split among all members.
  • Students must be registered for the spring semester to be eligible and receive an Honorable Mention Award.

ATTENDANCE PRIZES: $500

• URSA will draw two names from those in attendance to receive a $500 door prize scholarship.
• Only current, registered, UAF students will be eligible to receive a door prize.
• Attendance prizes are monetary awards and will be sent to the recipient's student account following the event.

After the event:

• Participant names, project titles, posters, and presentation videos will be published on the URSA website.
• Posters are also archived with the UAF Elmer E. Rasmuson Library Scholarworks page.

See the URSA Research and Creative Activity Day archive for examples:

• 2023 RCA Day
• 2022 RCA Day
• 2021 RCA Day
• 2020 RCA Day