The ceiling of the capitol building.

Official Nomination Form: 2025 Research Day at the Capitol

About the Event

Research Day at the Capitol was established 30 years ago to showcase the outstanding undergraduate research being conducted at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities in the areas of science (including social science), technology, engineering, and mathematics. The prestigious event is sponsored by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (OK EPSCoR), and the National Science Foundation.

Timeline & Activities

  • September 30, 2024 - Deadline for nominations | Online submission per provided guidelines
  • November 4, 2024 - Student informational training session deadline | Online meeting; Student participation mandatory
  • November 20, 2024 - Revised abstract deadline
  • December 6, 2024 - Poster PDFs and final video presentations are due
  • January 6, 2025 - First Round of Judging Begins | Student video presentations picked for in-person second-round
  • January 29, 2025 - Finalists Contacted | Finalists for second round in-person judging contacted
  • February 28, 2025 - Student informational training session deadline | Online meeting; student participation mandatory
  • March 19, 2025 - Online registration closes (all attendees)
  • March 31, 2025 - Poster PDFs due | Note: Printed posters are also required for the event
  • April 14, 2025 - Poster and oral presentation judging | Students only; Location TBD, Oklahoma City, OK
  • April 15, 2025 - Research Day at the Capitol | State Capitol Building, Oklahoma City, OK
  • April 15, 2025 - Research Day at the Capitol Awards Ceremony | State Capitol Building, Oklahoma City, OK

Nomination Guidelines

Please read this carefully, as the 2025 Guidelines have changed. All Oklahoma colleges and universities are invited to nominate two outstanding research projects conducted by an undergraduate student who is currently enrolled at their institution; the student must remain enrolled as an undergraduate at the nominating institution for the entirety of the Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 semesters. OSU, OU, and TU are allowed additional nominations due to multiple campuses conducting research. (Important: Only one student may be nominated per research project!)

Nomination allocations for the 2025 event are as follows:

  • Oklahoma State University – 4
  • Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences – 1
  • University of Oklahoma-Norman – 4
  • University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – 1
  • The University of Tulsa – 2
  • All other institutions in the state – 2 each

Student Nomination Restrictions:

  1. The student must be enrolled as an undergraduate at the nominating Oklahoma institution of higher learning for the entirety of the 2024-2025 academic year.
  2. The student’s research must have originated from an OKLAHOMA institution of higher learning. Research performed at or through institutions outside of Oklahoma may not be presented.
  3. The student must be a legal resident of Oklahoma.

  4. The student must attend all sessions indicated below. Make-up dates will not be scheduled.

    • First-round informational training session: Presented via video; view in entirety by November 4, 2024. 

  5. Students selected to continue to the second round of judging must attend all sessions indicated below. Waivers will not be granted; make-up dates will not be scheduled.

    • Second-round informational training session: Presented via video; view in entirety by February 28, 2025.
    • Judging session: April 14, 2025, noon – 5 p.m., Oklahoma City, OK (individually scheduled times)
    • All scheduled Capitol activities, including poster exhibit and awards ceremony: April 15, 2025, 7:30 a.m. –noon

Informational Training Session

The informational training sessions are designed to inform students of the event’s guidelines and to provide recommendations for success. With respect to participants' varying degrees of Wi-Fi connectivity and students' classroom schedules, the sessions will be made available as pre-recorded video meetings. Students must have access to a full-size tablet or computer with audio and internet access to view the videos. Cell phones are not acceptable, as the slides include important content that cannot be read on a phone. Nominated students chosen for the second round of judging who view the video in its entirety by the deadline will receive a $250 stipend (by mail). The stipend is intended to offset any expenses they may incur as a participant in this event. Participation in all mandatory activities is required to retain the stipend.

Poster Competition and Awards
Students’ posters and oral presentations will be individually judged from noon – 5 p.m. on April 14, 2025, at a location TBD in Oklahoma City; only students may participate in the session. Poster competition winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at the Capitol the following day.

The top student researchers will be awarded the following:

  • Over-all Grand Prize: $500 award plus $4,000 summer research internship; $2,500 award to the sponsoring OK college/university lab to offset internship hosting expenses.
  • First Place ($500), Second Place ($250), and Third Place ($250) prizes will be awarded in each of these categories: (1) Research Intensive Institutions and (2) Regional, Community, and Tribal Colleges

The following documents must be included with the institution’s nomination package and uploaded at the time of submission. (All documents must be submitted accurately and completely to the official site.

  1. Abstract Form
  2. Student's Research Project Abstract (developed per Abstract Form guidelines)
  3. Financial Responsibility Form
  4. W9 Form

Nomination packages must be submitted online. Accuracy of the information provided, especially the students’ permanent home and school addresses, is essential, as the information will be used to identify students’ state legislators.

The submission deadline is September 30, 2024.

Files for Download

 For More Information

Contact the OK NSF EPSCoR Office at 405.744.7645 or email [email protected].

NOMINATING INSTITUTION
REQUIRED FILE UPLOADS

Instructions: Download the "Financial Responsibility Form" from "files for download" section above; save the file to your computer. Complete all form sections, including signature fields. Upload the completed form (with all information and required signatures) to this site and submit it with your nomination.

Instructions: Download the "W9 Form" from "files for download" section above; save the file to your computer. Complete all form sections, including signature fields. Upload the completed form (with all information and required signatures) to this site and submit it with your nomination.

Instructions: The Abstract Form must be completed by the student nominee and then submitted with the official nomination by the institutional representative. (If you do not have the form, it may be accessed via the "forms for download" section above.)

The abstract may not exceed 350 words and must be the work of the nominated student. Abstracts MUST INCLUDE the following components: INTRODUCTION/METHODS/RESULTS/CONCLUSION/RELEVANCE OF STUDY (separate/individual sections are not necessarily required, but each item must be specifically addressed); STUDENT'S NAME; and ABSTRACT TITLE. Name the file per the student's name. File must be uploaded in MS Word (.doc or .docx) format ONLY.

ABSTRACT INFORMATION

Important! The information provided here will be used in the event's formal Abstract Booklet unless the student provides revised information at a later date (Revision deadline: Feb. 1st, 11:59 p.m.).

Examples of Research Topics: fuel cells, water quality, cancer research

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT NOMINEE
Student's Name as it will Appear in Print Materials
Student Nominee's Permanent Home Address
The Permanent Home Address will be used to identify the student's "hometown" Legislators. In addition, the stipend check and awards must be mailed to the permanent address per State regulations.
Student Nominee's Temporary/Campus Address
Student Nominee's Contact Information
NOMINEE'S ADVISOR
SUBMITTOR

By submitting this form you confirm that you have received, from the nominating institution, permission to submit this nomination package on the institution's behalf. You further acknowledge that the nominated student meets the Nomination Guidelines as stated above.