Fendt, M. (2025, March), Integrating Conference Poster Presentations into a Data Science Class  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference, Arlington, TX, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--55061

\bibitem{asee_peer_55061}
  Fendt, M. (2025, March), \emph{Integrating Conference Poster Presentations into a Data Science Class}
  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference, Arlington, TX, Texas.
  10.18260/1-2--55061

Matthew Fendt.  "Integrating Conference Poster Presentations into a Data Science Class".  2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference, Arlington, TX, Texas, 2025, March.  ASEE Conferences, 2025.  https://peer.asee.org/55061 Internet.  01 Jun, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_55061}
  Matthew Fendt.
  "Integrating Conference Poster Presentations into a Data Science Class".
  \emph{2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference, Arlington, TX, Texas, 2025, March}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2025.
  https://peer.asee.org/55061 Internet.  01 Jun, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_55061
author = "Matthew Fendt"
title = "Integrating Conference Poster Presentations into a Data Science Class"
booktitle = "2025 ASEE -GSW Annual Conference"
year = "2025"
month = "March"
address = "Arlington, TX, Texas"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/55061}
number = {10.18260/1-2--55061}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The Data Science degree at Baylor University trains our students to process, model, and apply data in a rigorous fashion.  In my mid-level theory classes, I also put special emphasis on having them address questions in their assignments like, “So what?” “Who cares?” and “What now?”  Through this, the students learn to become experienced problem solvers and communicators, and not just automatons that spit out code. 

Over the last two years, students in my mid-level Data Structures and Algorithms class have had the opportunity to reach a broader audience in one of their projects by presenting research posters at the Southwest Data Science Conference, which is hosted at Baylor.  Students work in pairs to use the same data processing and communication skills that they need for the other projects but also combine them with effective poster design and oral presentation.  During the conference poster session, students alternately stand by their displays and explain them to conference attendees, and then walk around and ask several small interview questions to their fellow classmates.  They also have the opportunity to attend the rest of the research conference for free to learn more about work that is done by professionals in their field. 

After the conference, the students are asked to fill out an anonymous survey about their conference experience.  The overwhelming majority say that they would either want to attend the conference again or would consider attending again in the future.  They also respond that the poster got them excited about data science research, that the presentation increased their understanding of the subject material, that talking to other students about their research was beneficial, and that the conference was a good resume builder activity.  These results are very encouraging as to the merits of this assignment. 

Additionally, I will explain the iterations I have made on this conference assignment, show further results from student feedback about the conference, preview changes I plan to make in the future, and discuss ways that you can adapt this assignment to your own STEM class, with or without a related conference in place.  By incorporating a conference presentation into your course, students can have the opportunity to move outside of the classroom, practice communicating with a variety of audiences, and meet academic and industry professionals. 
AU  - Matthew Fendt
CY  - Arlington, TX, Texas
DA  - 2025/03/09
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Integrating Conference Poster Presentations into a Data Science Class
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/55061
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--55061
ER  -