SOTC Student Presenter Resources

Key logistics:

• The conference will be held at the Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, OR, on Nov 14-15.  
• You must register before you come to the conference. Use the code STUCOMP to waive your registration fee. 
• Please complete the student RSVP form  by 5 PM on Monday, November 3, to confirm your acceptance and attendance. 
• You are expected to attend the Friday evening event as well as the full in-person conference on Saturday. Contact us by November 3rd if this will not work for you.
• View this year's Program Here!

1. Friday: A reception for student presenters will be held on Friday, November 14th, from 4:00–5:30 PM at the conference venue in Umpqua Hall (same as Saturday’s poster session). This event offers student research and art presenters an opportunity to share their work with one another, as time on Saturday will be limited. Dinner will be provided. Afterward, everyone will join the conference reception, facilitated networking activity, and opening performance from 6:00–7:45 PM. 

Friday Night Lodging: To accommodate your participation, we are covering shared lodging on Friday night.  We are very grateful to our sponsors who have made Friday night lodging possible for student presenters at the Best Western in Coos Bay (411 N Bayshore Drive, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420) (includes a continental breakfast). There will be up to 2 people per room. Please use the student RSVP form to communicate lodging preferences; we will do the best we can to accommodate everyone. If you would like to let us know your preferred roommate, you can find a list of accepted student presenters in the RSVP form. If you are unwilling or unable to share a room, you can coordinate and pay for your own lodging.

2. Saturday: Check-in begins at 8:00 am  and the conference program starts at 9:00 am in the Hales Center. The student poster and art session will be held in the middle of the day, when you will be expected to stand by your poster or art. During that time, the conference attendees – a broad audience with various interests – will be able to view the posters and art and ask you questions about your research. All presenting students are eligible for awards, and you will be judged on your poster during this time.

For Presenting Research students: Poster Session Information

• Information on creating effective posters for a NON-Academic audience is widely available on the web. 
• Remember that the audience that attend this conference is from a range of backgrounds: public, fishermen, agency scientists and managers, academic and other scientists, business and government leaders, etc. 
• Posters will be attached with clips to a foam board that is 30” x 40”. PLEASE design and print a poster that fits on the foam board. The foam board can be arranged vertically or horizontally. 
• There will be someone to direct you to your poster location. Poster set-up is between 4:00-5:30 PM on Friday evening. Your abstract will be posted in the location where you can hang your poster. All necessary materials will be provided.
• When standing at your poster, please  be prepared to engage with attendees by explaining your research, answering questions, listening to comments, etc. in a manner appropriate for this non-academic audience. 

Posters will be judged on how well the information is communicated to this audience. Poster judges will be considering both the written form (the poster) and the verbal form (how you communicate with folks about your work) of engagement. Student poster awards will be announced at the end of the day. Good luck!

For Presenting Artists: Presentation of Your Art

Please prepare your work for professional display by framing it or otherwise ensuring high quality, effective display. Artists who submitted multiple works must select 1-3 pieces that can fit in a 4ft x 4ft space, and all work should arrive in a way that allows it to rest on a table or easel. Let us know as soon as possible if you have any special display needs (e.g., video, hangings, etc), and we’ll work with you.  If you have any questions, please ask. 

This conference is a professional development and networking opportunity for you as a rising artist. You are expected to be available and near your artwork during the Poster and Art Session on Saturday. You are expected to take part in the Friday evening networking session. You are expected to consider this an opportunity to engage with both other artists and scientists about the ocean, their work, and your own. You needn’t “dress up” but you should dress for the occasion. 

Summary

• Complete the STUDENT RSVP FORM BY 5pm November 3 (We need this for hotel rooms)
• Contact us ASAP if you do not plan to attend the conference at all
• Register for the conference Use the code STUCOMP. Case sensitive.
• Design a poster that fits 30” x 40” 
• Make arrangements to arrive at the Southwestern Oregon Community College between 4 and 5PM on Friday evening 
• Plan to stay in a shared room on Friday night at the Best Western in Coos Bay 

We are excited to have you participate and are looking forward to seeing you later this month! If you have any questions or if there is something that precludes you from being with us on both Friday evening and Saturday, please contact us immediately. 

Note that this is possible due to the generous support from our 2025 sponsors: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, OSU Marine and Coastal Opportunities (MACO), the OSU College of Liberal Arts, and the Pacific Estuarine Research Society