Anthropology Research Symposium

Welcome to the website for the Cal Poly Humboldt Anthropology Student Research Symposium! Here you will find information on the symposium, including event details and how to participate by presenting your research!

The next Annual Cal Poly Humboldt Anthropology Student Research Symposium will take place:

April, 2026
Exact Date, time & location TBA

Featuring: Poster and podium presentations, raffle, and complimentary snacks and drinks!

The conference is open to all students, staff, and community members – there is no registration fee.

This year's symposium will be also be organized by students in ANTH 410: Anthropology Capstone

Instructions for submission of presentations:

Students are encouraged to present their original anthropology-related research, project, or theoretical paper at the symposium. Students may be on more than one poster/presentation, but in general each student should be first author on one presentation. 

Step 1: Abstract

To participate, the first step is to submit an abstract (summary) of your presentation with the information listed below. A link to a submission form will be available soon.

Title

Author(s) first and last names, with lead author first. 

Major and year (e.g., Anthropology Junior, Anthropology Graduate Student) 

Abstract (summary) of maximum 250 words. Please use standard margins, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font. For standard research projects, begin by introducing your project, then briefly summarize research questions, methods (if applicable), results (if known), and potential significance/implications. If your presentation is not based on research, modify accordingly so as to summarize your topic and main points/findings.

Specify preference on either poster, podium (slideshow), or video presentation (see below for information on each).

Tentative abstract deadline: February 2026 (exact date TBD)

*The above abstract deadlines are for presenters that will not be enrolled in ANTH 410 in Spring 2026. For students in ANTH 410, there may be alternate deadlines as part of the ANTH 410 schedule.

After Submission: Submitted abstracts will be reviewed by the department faculty and/or symposium organizers and returned to the students with editorial suggestions, generally no more than two weeks after the submission deadline. In general, all submitted abstracts are accepted into the review process. Occasionally, abstracts requiring major reformatting or revision of content are rejected or returned for student revision prior to editing. If you do not hear otherwise (usually within a few days), assume your abstract is accepted and under review.

After abstract submission, it is recommended that you promptly move forward with preparing your presentation (see below).

Step 2: Prepare your Presentation

If you indicated preference for either a poster, podium (slideshow), or video presentation upon submitting your abstract, prepare the format that you requested unless you are notified otherwise. If you did not specify which you prefer, please contact the symposium organizers (ANTH 410 instructor or Anthropology Department Chair) to ask which you should prepare.

General guidelines: Presentation organization is open to creativity. Presentations based on research generally contain the following basic sections: Introduction, methods, results, discussion with suggestions for future research, acknowledgements, references. This format is flexible, though, and you should use your judgment as to the format that best fits your presentation. For example, if you do not have results, you can discuss the methods and purpose/significance of the project. You can also discuss preliminary results or challenges you faced as a way to inform future researchers. A presentation can also be organized topically/thematically. Be sure your text is large enough to read from several feet away (at least 30-point font is recommended). Avoid too much text; instead, bullet-point or brief statements, graphics, charts, tables, and images are strongly encouraged. Be sure that your font style is readable, and that text and background color contrast well (i.e., avoid busy backgrounds, a dark background with dark text, or light background with light text). Include margins to ensure correct printing (1/2 to 1 inch recommended).

Please pay special attention to including only ethical and respectful content, as well as how your content might affect others – if in doubt, consult with faculty.

Please plan to submit a full presentable draft by mid March so that faculty have time to review. Additional details and instructions on where to submit will be provided at a later date.

Poster presentations: Posters can be prepared in Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, or a similar program by changing the dimensions of the slide/page. Other program such as Adobe InDesign or Illustrator can also be used as long as you can save the poster in a standard format for printing (e.g., a high-resolution PDF). Be sure to leave at least 1-inch borders. It is recommended to make use of visuals (images, charts, graphs) when possible. The required size of the poster and instructions on how to get your poster printed will be provided at a later date. 

Podium presentations: Prepare a slide show approximately 10-12 minutes in length. If you prepare your presentation on a Mac, please check it on a PC prior to the symposium. There will be a practice presentation session prior to the symposium.

Video presentations: Prepare video media (e.g., a voiceover slideshow),  to be played (automatically) on a monitor in the poster section of the symposium. Please use a standard format, such as .mpg4/mpeg.  Video should include sufficient subtitles / captions that it can be viewed without sound if needed. Video should typically be short to keep audience attention - aim for 5-10 minutes maximum.

Persons who require accessibility-related accommodations should contact the Anthropology Department at (707) 826-4124, or email anth@humboldt.edu as soon as possible.