Student Research Days

Apply Now for Student Research Days 2026

Student Research Days takes place on Wednesday, April 8 at the Coquitlam campus and Thursday, April 9 at the New Westminster campus. Apply to participate now!
Apply now!

Important note: 

  • All applications are subject to an adjudication process. Acceptance will be primarily based on the quality of the abstract submitted.

About Student Research Days

Douglas College Student Research Days is an annual event where students showcase their hard work and discoveries from individual or group research projects.

Students can submit work and win a prize in one of three categories.

Research proposal

Apply in this category if you have planned a research project but have not yet collected and analyzed data OR if your project data are primarily secondary in nature, e.g., not data arising from your own original research. This category is appropriate for students who have taken research methods courses whose summative assignment is a research proposal or other research project that does not involve collecting original research data. You will be invited to explain your proposal / secondary research project to the judges. Submissions should take the form of a poster. Posters should measure 48"x36".

Research poster

Apply in this category if you have designed a research project and collected and analyzed data. You will be invited to explain your project and findings to the judges. Submissions should take the form of a poster. Posters should measure 48" x 36".

Research paper

Apply in this category if you have written a research essay. You will be invited to present a fifteen-minute version of your essay in a conference-style panel presentation. 

Prizes in each category:

  1. First place $500
  2. Second place $300
  3. Third place $150

Eligibility

  • Douglas College student at the time that the research was conducted or the proposal prepared. We will be accepting students from the Summer 2025, Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 term.
  • Must be able to present on one of the Student Research Days events.
  • Your project does not need to be completed at time of application. It should be completed by the deadline for submission of your final project - see Step 4 in the Timeline below.
Judging Criteria

Judging requirements are subject to change.

 

4

3

2

1

Grasp of topic and the research process
  • Poster contains ALL necessary components to convey a complete picture of the proposed study
  • Excellent use of research terminology
  • Conveyed sophisticated understanding of the topic
  • Demonstrated excellent grasp of key research concepts and processes
  • Poster contains enough components to convey a mostly complete picture of the proposed study
  • Good use of research terminology
  • Conveyed good understanding of the topic
  • Demonstrated good grasp of key research concepts and processes
  • Poster contains enough components to convey an adequate picture of the proposed study
  • Adequate use of research terminology
  • Conveyed adequate understanding of the topic
  • Demonstrated adequate grasp of research concepts and processes
  • Poster contains multiple missing components so it is hard to understand the proposed study
  • Poor use of research terminology
  • Conveyed weak understanding of the topic
  • Struggled to convey key research concepts and processes
Poster formatting
  • The poster is compelling, easy to read, and invites the reader through poster colours and formatting
  • Visuals and graphics effectively communicate key aspects of the research project
  • The poster is well organized and has a logical flow
  • The poster has an appropriate amount of text, is well written with no spelling or grammar errors
  • References are included 
  • The poster is easy to read and invites the reader through poster colours and formatting
  • Visuals and graphics are mostly effective in communicating key aspects of the research project
  • Some adjustments to the formatting are recommended
  • The poster is mostly well organized and has a logical flow
  • Text on the poster is mostly clearly conveyed
  • Some grammar or spelling mistakes
  • References are included
  • The poster is somewhat hard to read or somewhat uninviting
  • Visuals and graphics are not effective in communicating key aspects of the research project
  • There are notable formatting problems
  • The poster is disorganized or is difficult to follow
  • Text on the poster lacks clarity in some places
  • Frequent grammar or spelling mistakes
  • References are not included
  • The poster is very hard to read and uninviting
  • Visuals and graphics are unrelated to the research project
  • Poster formatting requires significant revisions
  • The poster is disorganized or is difficult to follow
  • Text on the poster lacks clarity in many places
  • Multiple grammar or spelling mistakes
  • References are not included
Presentation style
  • Presented engagingly, articulately, and with enthusiasm
  • Conveyed relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • The ‘so what’ of the study is clear and compelling
  • Maintained eye contact
  • Presentation style was effective, clear, and engaging
  • Conveyed relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • Maintained eye contact
  • Presentation style was at times effective, clear, and engaging
  • Struggled to convey relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • Intermittent eye contact
  • Presentation style lacked clarity and was difficult to follow
  • Little to no eye contact

 

4

3

2

1

Presentation content (grasp of topic and research concepts) 
  • Excellent use of research terminology
  • Conveyed sophisticated understanding of the topic
  • Demonstrated excellent grasp of key research concepts and processes
  • Good use of research terminology 
  • Conveyed good understanding of the topic
  • Demonstrated good grasp of key research concepts and processes
  • Presentation style was at times clear, effective, and engaging 
  • Struggled to convey relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • Intermittent eye contact
  • Poor use of research terminology 
  • Conveyed weak understanding of the topic
  • Struggled to convey key research concepts and processes
Presentation style
  • Presented engagingly, articulately, and with enthusiasm
  • Conveyed relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • The “so what” of the study is clear and compelling
  • Maintained eye contact
  • Presentation style was clear, effective, and engaging 
  • Conveyed relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • Maintained eye contact
  • Adequate use of research terminology 
  • Conveyed adequate understanding of the topic
  • Demonstrated adequate grasp of key research concepts and processes
     
  • Presentation style lacked enthusiasm
  • Did not reach an interdisciplinary audience
  • Little or no eye contact
Poster formatting
  • Poster colours, formatting, and use of visuals and graphics effectively conveys the research project
  • The poster is well organized and has logical flow 
  • Poster colours, formatting, and use of visuals and graphics effectively are mostly effective
  • Some adjustments to the formatting are recommended
  • The poster is well organized and has a logical flow 
  • Poster formatting requires revisions
  • The poster is disorganized or is difficult to follow
  • Poster formatting requires significant revisions
  • The poster is disorganized or is difficult to follow
Poster content
  • The poster has an appropriate amount of text, is well written with no spelling or grammar errors
  • All components of the research study are included
  • References are included 
  • Text on the poster is mostly clearly conveyed
  • All necessary components of the research study are provided
  • Some grammar or spelling mistakes 
  • References are included 
  • Text on the poster lacks clarity 
  • Some components of the research study are missing
  • There are some grammar or spelling mistakes and/or references are not included 
  • Text on the poster cannot be understood
  • References are not included 

Judging requirements are subject to change.

 

4

3

2

1

Presentation style
  • Presentation style was effective, clear, engaging, and delivered with enthusiasm
  • Maintained eye contact
  • Presentation style was effective, clear, and engaging
  • Maintained eye contact
  • Presentation style was at times effective, clear, and engaging
  • Intermittent eye contact
  • Presentation style lacked clarity and was difficult to follow
  • Little to no eye contact
Originality and exigency of project
  • Conveyed relevance of research topic to an interdisciplinary audience
  • The “so what” of the study was clear and compelling
  • Conveyed relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • The “so what” of the study was apparent
  • Struggled to convey relevance of research topic to interdisciplinary audience
  • Did not reach an interdisciplinary audience
Content of research essay
  • Used appropriate methodology according to discipline 
  • Presented a compelling argument and developed it persuasively with reference to relevant evidence and sophisticated analysis
  • Conveyed wider significance of findings
  • Used appropriate methodology according to discipline 
  • Presented an argument and developed it with reference to evidence and analysis
  • Conveyed significance of findings
  • Methodology was not clearly suited to the research project
  • Aspects of an argument were supported by some evidence and analysis 
  • Did not convey significance of findings
  • Methodology was unclear
  • Little detectable argument
  • Did not convey significance of findings

Timeline

Step 1. Apply and submit your abstract by March 16, 2026.  

Step 2. Receive a notification of results on March 18, 2026.  

Step 3. Submit your DOOR Licence and Submission agreement to door@douglascollege.ca (every member of your group is required to sign) by March 20, 2026. 

Step 4. Submit your final project: 

  • For a Research Proposal or Research Poster that you would like printed by us, use the link provided in your results email (don't forget to remove your student ID number) by March 20, 2026. 

  • For a Research Proposal or Research Poster that you will print yourself, use the link provided in your results email (don't forget to remove your student ID number) to provide a digital copy by April 3, 2026. 

  • For a Research Paper, use the link provided in your results email (don't forget to remove your student ID number) by April 3, 2026.

Step 5. Join us on the event day – April 8, 2026 (Coquitlam), April 9, 2026 (New Westminster).  

Step 6. Find the final results on the Douglas College Website.  

Research poster “How-to” guides

For help with planning, organizing and designing your research poster, visit the the link to our own DC guide to student research posters: Library’s Student Research Posters Presentation guide.

Other useful guides include:

Frequently Asked Questions

Posters should measure 48"x36".  

Posters can be printed on standard poster paper/cardstock. They will be displayed on bulletin boards during the event using push pins, which will be provided.

You may include a Douglas logo on your poster, but it is not required.

You can find out more guidelines, tips, templates and more about how to create an academic research poster on our Student Research Poster Presentations Guide. 

  1. If you are submitting a research proposal, you will be invited to explain your proposal or secondary research project to the judges. There is no specific time limit for this, although it should be between 3-5 minutes. Judges will ask you questions about your research. The best way to be prepared is to know your topic well and to review the full judging rubric to see what the judges will be looking for. 
     
  2. If you are submitting a research poster, you will be invited to explain your research project to the judges. There is no specific time limit for this, although it should be between 3-5 minutes. Judges will ask you questions about your research. The best way to be prepared is to know your topic well and to review the full judging rubric to see what the judges will be looking for. 
     
  3. If you are submitting a research paper, you will be invited to give a 15-minute presentation to a panel of judges and other attendees. Judges will ask you questions about your research. The best way to be prepared is to know your topic well and to review the full judging rubric to see what the judges will be looking for. 

    You may prepare a slideshow to highlight key points and create a visual element for your presentation. Keep in mind the same principles listed under What is a research poster? on the Library's Student Research Poster Presentations Guide as you create your slideshow. 

    If you wish to include a slideshow as part of your research paper presentation, it should be submitted with your final research project on April 4, 2026. You may bring an updated version with you on a USB stick on the day of your presentation. 

Yes. If you have conducted research, written a research paper, or created a research proposal that was not part of your coursework at Douglas, and would like to submit your project or paper, you may apply to participate. You must have been a Douglas College student at the time the research was conducted. For 2026 Student Research Days, we will be accepting students from the Summer 2025, Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 terms. 

You will be subject to the same adjudication process as all applicants. 

In order to be eligible, the research needs to have been part of a course during one of the following semesters: Summer 2025, Fall 2025 or Winter 2026. 

You can choose to participate at either campus based on your preference or convenience. 

A DOOR non-exclusive license and submission agreement is required for the library to upload and post your work in the DOOR (Douglas Open Repository) Student Research Days collection, which is publicly available on the web. 

The Library needs your permission to host your research and scholarly work. The license and submission agreement also affirms that you are the author of the work and have the right to give permission for us to host it and make it publicly available to others in DOOR (Open Douglas Repository).

If you worked on a research project with a group, all members of your group are considered authors and will need to sign and submit a DOOR license and submission agreement. 

It is also important to know that by signing the DOOR license and submission agreement, you are not relinquishing copyright. You are giving the Library permission to make your work available for non-commercial and educational use. 

Uploading all of the submissions from Student Research Days into DOOR can be a lengthy process. It may take several weeks for it to become available in DOOR. You are welcome to check in if you don't see your submission uploaded by May 15, 2026 by sending an email to door@douglascollege.ca.

Yes, you can submit a thesis essay to DOOR as part of the Student Research Days collection. The thesis process is separate from the research proposal, poster or paper process. You can find thesis templates and information on how to submit your thesis here, in the box under the heading Applied Thesis Templates.

There is an FAQ page on DOOR. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, please email door@douglascollege.ca.

Winners are announced after the event, usually within 3 weeks. 

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Sim.
Contact us

2025 Student Research Days winners

Congratulations to all who participated in the 2025 Student Research Days! You can read more about the 2025 winners on the Douglas College 360 Blog.
View 2025 entries Read a blog article about 2025 winners

2025 Winners

Posters: 

  1. Sophia Wong, Psychology – AI-Powered CBT: Investigating the Impact of Voice-Based Generative AI on Reframing Anxious Thoughts  
  2. Namesh Mathara Arachchi Vidanalage, Computing Studies & Information Systems – An Automated Product Inquiry Response System for Light Recycling Program
  3. Berntina Hambly, Interdisciplinary Science – A Microbial Perspective: Exploring the Impacts of Invasive Himalayan Blackberry on Soil Bacterial Diversity in Temperate Rainforests

Proposals: 

  1. Neda Samarbaf-Zadeh, Social Work – Are BC’s settlement service agencies meeting the needs of Middle Eastern refugees?
  2. Khanh Nguyen and Sophie Hoang, Health Information Management – Awareness and Understanding of Indigenous Peoples: A Study of Douglas College International Students
  3. Simran Vanjara, Sociology – From Farm to Fork: Sustainable Plant-Based Eating

Paper Panel: 

  1. Eve Green, Child and Youth Care – Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Child and Youth Care Education  
  2. Elton Henrique de Oliveira Evangelista, Computing Studies & Information Systems – AI on the Road: The Role of Video-Capturing Technology in Improving Driver Safety and Accident Prevention
  3. Alanna Stockford, History – The Frailty of Justice: An Academic and Personal Reflection on Markus Kreitmair’s In Fear of the Frail: The Treatment of the Disabled at the Eichberg Asylum for the Mentally Ill in Nazi Germany