ISA events for fall 2025 and spring 2026

We hope your academic year is off to a great start! The rest of this academic year’s activities, listed below, are guided by a theme: Building Connections through Structures, Stories, and Science.

• Structures are the frameworks, skills, and networks that support your growth as a scholar.
• Stories are the ways we build community and share our experiences in science.
• Science is the knowledge we create, communicate, and connect with the world.

This theme reminds us that science is not only about results, but also about the people, ideas, and connections that make discovery possible.

Workshop: Building Your Professional Blueprint
Monday, October 14 | 5:30–6:30 PM | 106 Biology Building East (BBE)

Join us for a panel discussion featuring three accomplished scholars who will share insights into their journeys through graduate school, research, and leadership. All ISA students are required to attend—and yes, dinner will be provided!
Panelists include Dr. Darren Hoffmann, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology and a nationally recognized educator in biomedical sciences; Jacob Payne, a PhD candidate in Physics & Astronomy whose work bridges space navigation and student advocacy; and Dr. Katheryn Rothenberg, Assistant Professor of Biology studying cellular communication and migration. Come prepared with questions about graduate school, postbac programs, mentorship, and the unexpected turns that shaped their careers.

Paper Pop-Up Crafternoon: Botanicals, Bugs, and Biology
Tuesday, November 12 | 12:00 - 2:00 PM | Main Library Exhibit Gallery (North Entrance)

Learn to make easy pop-up cards featuring natural beauty such as flowers and plants, insects, and more. Drop in any time between Noon - 2:00 PM for this casual event. (ISA students are invited by not required to attend).

Plus learn about library resources that explore your favorite topics in biology and check out the Main Library Gallery's fall exhibit, Paper Engineering, in Art, Science, and Education. Learn how paper has been used to communicate scientific and artistic ideas through flap books, pop-ups, tunnel books, volvelles, and more. This exhibit may be especially interesting to students who are in LATH:3000 and looking for inspiration for planning their outreach projects, as well as for any students generally interested in science outreach and education. 

Fall Undergraduate Research Festival (FURF)
Wednesday, November 19 | 3:30–6:00 PM | University Capitol Centre (UCC), 2nd Floor Hallway

All students involved in mentored research or creative work are invited to present their projects using posters or visual displays. The registration deadline is October 24, 2025. ISA will cover poster printing costs—students must submit posters by Friday, November 14. Instructions for printing will be sent in advance. For more information, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research FURF website.

ISA Cocoa & Cookies Open House
Tuesday, December 10 | 2:00–4:00 PM | Location TBA

Take a break from the books and join us for ISA’s Cocoa & Cookies Open House! Enjoy warm cocoa, cookies, and chat with friends and ISA program staff. ISA invites all current students to stop in for a snack, and we invite any undergraduate student who is interested in learning more about ISA’s programs and the funding opportunities that will be open for application in Spring 2026. Come and go as you like between 2:00 and 4:00 PM.

ISA Scholar Symposium
Friday, January 31 | 10:00–12:00 PM | 101 BBE (Kollros Auditorium)

Senior ISA students will present 5-minute talks on their research, representing a wide range of disciplines and methodologies. This event provides a supportive space for ISA students to practice oral presentations and share scholarly work with peers and mentors. This event is required for ISA seniors.

Spring Undergraduate Research Festival (SURF)
Wednesday, April 29 | 3:30–6:00 PM | Location TBD

Mark your calendars! More information will be shared in early spring 2026.

11th Annual Latham Showcase
Saturday, May 2 | 9:30–11:30 AM | 101 BBE (Kollros Auditorium)

Join us for the Latham Showcase, where ISA students in the Latham course present their outreach and communication projects. These may include illustrated books, educational brochures, board games, videos, podcasts, and more! It’s a celebration of impact, and a powerful reminder that research doesn’t end in the lab—it begins conversations that matter.