Norma Slepecky Symposium

Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize

The endowed prize recognizing outstanding undergraduate research at Syracuse University.

The Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize is endowed in memory of Professor Norma Slepecky, a distinguished auditory neuroanatomist and a founding member of WiSE. It recognizes outstanding research by Syracuse University undergraduate students and is awarded each year as part of the Norma Slepecky Symposium. Women students are especially encouraged to apply.

Who is eligible: This prize is open to Syracuse University undergraduate students only, in any STEM field. Students from any institution can present a poster and be considered for the WiSE Research Poster Prize, but the Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize is reserved for SU undergraduates.

Submission deadline: Applications are due Friday, September 18, 2026, by 11:59 PM.

Documentation

What to prepare

Your research must be completed before the submission date, under the direction of a faculty member or research supervisor at Syracuse University. You will share documentary evidence of your research, and any one of the following is acceptable:

Thesis

An honors or senior thesis. A near-final draft is fine, with an expected completion date noted in your faculty letter.

Journal paper

A paper you submitted as senior author to a peer-reviewed journal. Your faculty advisor can confirm your senior authorship in their letter.

Conference abstract

A published or accepted abstract, plus the text of your oral or poster presentation. Posters can be PDFs, with hard-to-read charts added in an appendix.

A past prize winner may submit again only with new work and a new paper, not an expanded version of a previous submission. If you entered before but did not win, you are welcome to resubmit your earlier materials. Work published only through electronic publishing is not eligible as documentary evidence.

Faculty letter

A letter from your advisor

A letter from your faculty research advisor is required. It confirms that you are in good academic standing, that you contributed substantially to the research as a senior author, notes any awards you have earned, and offers their endorsement.

Your submission

What you will share

The application form will ask you to upload four items:

1. Research document(s) • 2. A short cover letter • 3. A resume or CV • 4. Your faculty letter

Your cover letter is a chance to introduce yourself and your work. Include your contact information, a brief introduction, an overview of your research, what you are presenting, a summary of your findings, and why the work matters. You can also note where the research has been presented or published.

Apply

Submit your application

Please have your research document, cover letter, resume or CV, and faculty letter ready to upload.

Apply for the prize

Questions? Email suwise@syr.edu.

Planning to present a poster too? Presenting is a separate step from this prize application. Register on the main symposium page to present a poster or a thesis pitch. To be considered for both prizes, complete both this application and the symposium registration. Go to symposium registration →