The Norma Slepecky Symposium is held in memory of Professor Norma Slepecky, a distinguished auditory neuroanatomist and a founding member of WiSE, whose family, friends, and colleagues endowed the lectureship and research prize in her honor. This year the symposium is growing into a regional event, and we would love for you to be part of it.

Who can take part

Who can take part

The symposium is open to all. Students and faculty from institutions across Upstate New York are welcome to attend the keynote lecture and join us for the day. Students, both undergraduate and graduate, are invited to present a poster or give a thesis pitch, and any STEM student can be considered for a research prize. Women in STEM are especially encouraged to take part.

When you register, you can choose how you would like to participate:

The research prize

Want to be considered for the prize?

Anyone presenting a poster can choose to be considered for a research prize. Two prizes are awarded: the Norma Slepecky Undergraduate Research Prize for undergraduate research, and the WiSE Graduate Research Prize for graduate research. If you opt in when you register, you will be asked to share a few additional materials about your research, listed below. Choosing to be considered is completely optional, and you are welcome to present without competing for a prize.

What to prepare

If you choose to be considered for the prize, you will share documentary evidence of your research. The research must be completed before the submission date, under the direction of a faculty member or research supervisor. Acceptable documentation includes any of the following:

An honors or senior thesis (or an equivalent graduate research document). If your thesis is not yet complete, a near-final draft works, with a note about the expected completion date in your faculty letter.

A paper you submitted as senior author to a peer-reviewed journal. Senior authorship looks different across disciplines; the idea is that you led the research and writing. Your faculty advisor can confirm this in their letter.

A published or accepted conference abstract, along with the text of your oral or poster presentation. Posters can be submitted as PDFs with their associated text, and any charts that are hard to read at small size can be 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. Please note that work published only through electronic publishing is not eligible as documentary evidence.

Faculty letter

If you are being considered for the prize, a letter from your faculty research advisor is required. The letter 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. A faculty member or mentor can also submit your registration on your behalf if you prefer.

What you will share

If you opt in to the prize, the registration form will ask you to upload:

• Your research document(s)
• A short cover letter
• A resume or CV
• 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.

Take part

Register for the symposium

Registration is quick. If you are also being considered for the prize, have your research document, resume or CV, and faculty letter ready to upload.

Register here

Questions? Email suwise@syr.edu.