At Huron University, Research is More Than Coursework
Each year, CURL’s Fall Exhibition and Spring Conference showcases the breadth of intellectual curiosity on campus, offering a platform for students to present projects, spark meaningful dialogue, and discover new avenues for collaboration.
Mission & Objectives: ‘A Chance to Celebrate Student Work’
When Dr. Christine Tsang, Chair of CURL and the Psychology Department at Huron, describes the Centre’s mission, her enthusiasm is palpable:
“It’s an opportunity to celebrate student work—work that students conduct over the academic term—and a way to allow faculty and students who aren’t part of that specific research or class to see what others are doing. If they’re interested, they can chat with the presenter, see what synergies or collaborative opportunities might result.”
Dr. Michael Kottelenberg, this year’s conference lead, emphasizes the communal spirit behind the event:
“It’s a place to build general connection. There are spaces for students to connect, but also for faculty. We get to see what each other is working on, share ideas, and maybe spark something new.”
Fostering an Interdisciplinary Community
One of the conference’s key strengths is its interdisciplinary nature. Projects span economics, literature, psychology, global displacement studies, activism, and beyond. As Dr. Kottelenberg notes:
“Students are the most interdisciplinary of us all. They’re taking multiple classes across different disciplines. By bringing them together at a conference, we see students with a range of perspectives—and for faculty, it’s a reminder that our own research might benefit from viewpoints outside our usual wheelhouse.”
That crossover is exactly what makes the conference unique at Huron. Dr. Tsang points out that unlike department-specific conferences, CURL encourages faculty and students from all fields to engage in the same space:
“It’s really unusual to see, for example, an economics talk followed by an English lit talk and then a psychology poster session, all in the same hour—with all those faculty members actually there, asking questions.”
How Presentations Come Together
Rather than selecting or rejecting proposals, CURL operates on an inclusive, facilitative model. Dr. Tsang describes it as “people indicating they want to participate, and the committee facilitating that participation.” Some students present final course projects, while others develop posters to share emerging findings. There’s also room for novel session formats—such as student panels or Instagram-based research showcases—all designed to accommodate varying presentation styles. Dr. Kottelenberg underscores that “it’s not so much a selection process, but rather: How can we help bring your work to life during the conference?” This results in an event that reflects the full spectrum of undergraduate research at Huron.
Faculty Mentorship & Mutual Inspiration
For many students, preparing to speak at an academic conference can be daunting. Yet Huron’s smaller class sizes and close-knit campus lend themselves to highly personalized mentorship. Faculty involvement ranges from reviewing draft slides or conducting practice sessions to simply cheering from the audience:
“Sometimes students just want to present—they feel confident and ready,” says Dr. Kottelenberg. “Other times, they need more guidance, so we’ll read their slides, talk about time management, or do practice talks. It all depends on that student-faculty relationship.”
Interestingly, this mentorship isn’t one-sided:
“Students come with interests that spark faculty curiosity,” says Dr. Tsang. “I’ve ended up reading activist methodologies I never would have otherwise, simply because a student brought it into the conversation. It’s mutually beneficial—it can even be more interesting than my ‘main’ research line.”
Seeing Students as Knowledge Producers
A major theme both Dr. Tsang and Dr. Kottelenberg highlight is the importance of students viewing themselves as researchers and knowledge producers—not just learners completing assignments.
“We want them to see they’re participants in a broader conversation,” Dr. Kottelenberg explains. “When they present their work and answer questions, they’re stepping into that role of active contributor—and that skill carries over into life after Huron.”
Dr. Tsang puts it succinctly:
“Research is social. It’s iterative and dynamic. It’s not just sitting alone in a library—at some point, you share your findings, answer questions, and spark new ones. That’s what the conference helps students do.”
Accessibility & EDI: Making Space for Every Researcher
The conference also aims to prioritize accessibility and inclusive practices. From virtual participation opportunities (such as Instagram-based exhibitions) to offering non-presenting roles (like conference administration), CURL ensures that everyone can engage in ways that suit their comfort and skill sets.
“Some students don’t want to be the headliner,” Dr. Tsang says. “But they want to help organize or run the event. Those behind-the-scenes roles are equally valuable. It’s all about creating multiple entry points into the research community.”
Measuring Success: The Ripple Effect
While there’s no formal metric for success, feedback indicates a growing culture of undergraduate research at Huron. The large faculty attendance—often sitting in on student talks from start to finish—speaks volumes about campus-wide support. Dr. Tsang recalls students who once wandered in to “see what’s going on” and ended up presenting their own research the following year. For Dr. Kottelenberg:
“That’s the best kind of impact—when curiosity becomes contagious. When students watch their peers present, they’re thinking: ‘I could do that too. How do I sign up?’”
Looking Ahead: An Open Invitation
As the annual CURL conference continues to evolve, Dr. Tsang and Dr. Kottelenberg hope to preserve its core spirit: celebrating knowledge, fostering curiosity, and building community. They invite everyone at Huron—whether first-year students or long-time faculty members—to explore the fascinating range of undergraduate research, connect with peers, and maybe even find a new research direction.
“The best thing you can get out of your degree,” Dr. Tsang says, “is being able to formulate good questions. CURL is one small but powerful way we help students—and ourselves—learn to do exactly that.”
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Keep an eye out for CURL announcements and conference dates. Whether you want to present, organize, or simply attend, there’s a place for everyone at Huron’s CURL Undergraduate Research Conference.