The Paper Trail UG Research Symposium

The Paper Trail is an online, open-community journal club. Their mission is to create an informal space for scientists to discuss recent, groundbreaking studies with people of all ages and backgrounds.


The Paper Trail Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held virtually on November 1, 2023. It is an opportunity for undergraduate trainees to share their work, with a particular focus on trainees from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM.

This symposium is for undergraduates who are planning to apply for graduate school* to share their research with an audience that includes professors looking to hire new graduate students.

*with the intention of starting grad school in Fall 2024

The event will include undergraduate research presentations, as well as timeslots for short lab overview presentations from faculty members interested in recruiting new graduate students. An event schedule is available on the symposium webpage.

Another goal of the symposium is to serve as an alternative to large society meetings that happen this time of year (e.g., BMES and AIChE) but are often difficult to attend because of any number of financial, personal, familial, or professional hurdles. There is potential for vouchers for graduate school application fees. Presenters will also be offered gift cards for lunch.

The deadline for abstract submissions is Thursday, October 12 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Ohio State National Security Simulation

Held every other year in the fall, the Ohio State National Security Simulation is an two-day, real-time role-play and professional training experience. It bridges academic learning and the work world. Participants role-play alongside invited practitioners from government, journalism, and business to devise solutions in a fast-paced crisis environment. Participating in the Simulation is very much like your first two days in an exciting new job. Suit up in professional attire and go to work!

The Simulation takes place November 3rd and 4th on campus. Applications due September 27th.

Available roles include (but are not limited to):

  • Intelligence analysts
  • Policy advisors to U.S. Senators
  • Policy advisors in Executive Branch agencies including the Departments of Defense and State
  • Policy advisors to the Governor of Ohio and Mayor of Columbus
  • C-suite corporate officers at the Simulation’s private sector entity, Nationwide Insurance

The Simulation allows students to network while also building their professional skills in multiple areas: working with busy senior leaders, role assumption, making their knowledge useful to people in other fields, prioritization, decision-making, crisis management, use of processes to generate policy and decisions, and written and oral communication.

Who is Eligible: All OSU students with a serious interest in national security, public policy and governance, crisis management, and related issues.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 27, at 8:00 PM

Diversity Case Study Competition

Participate in the 4th Annual Career Success Diversity Case Study Competition on Saturday, September 30th from 9 AM – 4 PM.

The Career Success Diversity Case Study Competition brings together top-level, diverse talent from the College of Arts and Sciences to conduct strategic analysis and offer solutions to a diversity-focused organizational problem.

Participants will be assigned to a team of four. The team will have one week to review the case, develop innovative solutions to the problem, and create a PowerPoint presentation.

The teams will present their solutions at the competition (Saturday, September 30th). Presentations are evaluated by a panel of employer judges on the overall quality, effectiveness, and feasibility of the case presentation. Judges are from a variety of employers, industries, and roles. More to be announced!

The competition is a resume booster that students can discuss during interviews. It is also an opportunity for students to with employers who value diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence. All ASC majors are welcome to participate!

You must attend an info session to be eligible to apply.

Attend one of two virtual info sessions on Tuesday, September 5th (2pm) or Thursday, September 7th (6pm) to learn more about the Competition, receive the application form, learn about the employer partners for the event, and ask questions before applying to participate.

If you are interested in the Competition, you must apply by Monday, September 18th at 11:59pm. Selected participants and teams will be announced on Wednesday, September 20th.

Please feel free to contact me (Barbara Harvey) at harvey.669@osu.edu with any questions about the upcoming Competition.