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Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Volunteer at the High School Research Symposium

If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a poster judge (faculty, staff, or graduate students only) or general assistant (faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students) please complete this online volunteer sign-up form.

Volunteer registration closes Monday, April 15, 2024.

Due to the University's new Protection of Minors Policy, all faculty, staff, students, student employees, and volunteers who work in activities and programs with minors must complete a background check and crime reporting training. Background checks are completed online and are no cost to the individual. Additional information about this process will be emailed to you after the volunteer registration period closes.

Contact Information

Ashley Waring-Sparks, PhD
STEM Program Coordinator
alwarin@IllinoisState.edu
(309) 438-3089

Photo/Video Release - Photographs and/or video will be taken during the 23rd Annual High School Research Symposium at Illinois State University. Your registration gives consent for any such photographs/video to be used for advertising and publicity purposes by Illinois State University, its licensees, and/or member organizations, and you waive all claims for any compensation for such use or for damages. If you object to the foregoing, please contact the Illinois State University Center for Mathematics Science and Technology (CeMaST) at (309) 438-3089 or cemast@IllinoisState.edu.

We are in need of two types of volunteers for the ISU High School Research Symposium:

  1. General Assistants— ISU faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students, as well as community members, may serve as general assistants. These volunteers will assist with a variety of Symposium tasks including: event set-up, staffing the check-in table, taking photographs, timing student presentations, etc. ISU Faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students may serve as general assistants.
  2. Poster Judges— ISU Faculty, staff, and graduate students may serve as poster judges. These volunteers will judge high school student research posters/presentations using a 1-page judging form. The poster judging process is as follows:
    • If a student would like to have their poster judged, the student must indicate this on their online registration form.
    • Each student that would like to have their poster judged will be judged during their poster time slot.d.
    • Students will begin their presentation with a 3-4 minute oral summary of their research. This will be followed by 3-4 minutes of questions and comments from the judge.
    • Judges will complete a 1-page judging form, which includes written comments and the student’s division rating (I, II, III, or IV).

When you register to serve as a General Assistant or Poster Judge, you will be asked to indicate your availability during the event.

Volunteer Sessions for General Assistants (select any or all sessions):

  • Session 1: 7:30 - 8:50 AM
  • Session 2: 9:00 - 11:50 AM
  • Session 3: 12:00 - 1:30 PM

Volunteer Session for Poster Judge

  • 9:00 - 10:30 AM
  • 10:30-11:30 AM