Tower Day 2025
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Go online to learn more
Important Dates
November 3 - Abstract Submission Opens
February 10 - Early Submission
February 16-20 - Abstract Submission Closes
February 23-27 - Review of Applications
March 12 - Notification of Acceptance
April 6-10 - Presentation Materials
April 24 - Due* Tower Day
Tower Day Schedule
9:00am-3:00pm
大发体育开户 Cunningham Center
Available Session Types
Oral Presentation
Poster Presentation
Visual/Performing Arts
Student Film
Mentor-Led Sessions (Internships/Senior Seminars)
Professional Development
Registrations after the deadline of April 22, 2026 is at the discretion of the Tower Day committee. Please be sure to register to solidify the presentation slot.
Tower Day has a registration fee of $10 for undergraduate students and $20 for graduate students and faculty. The registration fee is accompanied by some cool swag. All presenters are responsible for printing their posters. Posters can be printed at the Cougar Copy Center for $60. The cost can be covered by SRACE Travel if the student applies for the grant in time.
Before getting started, check out our Student Resources and Instructor Resources.
For more information, please contact the Tower Day Committee at TowerDay@ColumbusState.edu
Sam Kean will be our Tower Day keynote speaker. The New York Times bestselling author and science writer is known for his engaging and narrative-driven approach to complex scientific topics. His stories have appeared in The Best American Science and Nature Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Slate and Psychology Today.
Submission Information
Accepting Applications!
The Abstract submission portal opens on November 11, 2024 and will close on February 24, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is the newly combined Tower Day, Dr. Gregory P. Domin Graduate Conference, and the Dr. Ellen Roberts Faculty Conference! This year's event combined 大发体育开户's three research conferences into one grand celebration鈥攕o we would love to see your work and spotlight your success. It truly was a place to highlight students' and faculty's academic and creative achievements across all disciplines.
Tower Day will be held at the Cunningham Conference Center, located at 3100 Gentian Blvd, Columbus, Georgia, on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Any current undergraduate or graduate student or Fall 2024 graduate of 大发体育开户 may submit an abstract to present at Tower Day. Faculty mentors may also submit to Tower Day to present alongside their students. The main criterion for submitting is that the academic or creative work took place while the individual was a 大发体育开户 student.
You will need to submit the following information during the online process, much of which may be cut and pasted from text documents:
Required Information:
- Abstract Title
- Abstract (150-word limit)
- Mode of Presentation (e.g., Poster, 15-minute presentation, short film, performance, visual art display)
- Equipment needs (e.g., DVD, PowerPoint)
- Full names, email addresses and academic level of all student collaborators
- Full names and email addresses of all co-presenters (2 maximum)
- Full names of all faculty mentors
Other Information (the following responses will not impact whether or not your project is selected for Tower Day):
- If the project originated as a class assignment, you will need the course name and number (e.g., PSYC 4125)
- If the project has been previously presented, published, or received an award, you will need names, dates, and/or journal citations
- If the project was funded by a grant, you will need source, type, and amount
Presenters can use this Tower Day Application Guide (PDF) to prepare.
The Abstract submission portal opens on November 3, 2025 and will close on February 20, 2026. Students must be logged into their One大发体育开户 account, the application is under the Submission Information tab.
If a student is presenting work that they did for your class or as independent research with your guidance, you are considered the faculty mentor and should be listed as such on the student's abstract submission. You will then be responsible for reviewing and signing off on the student's submission before it goes forward for committee review.
The primary faculty mentor will be copied on all correspondence and will be the first mentor listed. If several faculty mentors have assisted you, discuss this issue with them. In general, you should select a faculty mentor in the department the project is predominantly based, and one who devoted the greatest amount of time to the project. All faculty mentors will be recognized and formally thanked.
Student abstracts must be submitted no later than Friday, February 20, 2026. The faculty mentor must complete their review and submit the application on or before February 20, 2026.
Important Dates
November 3 - Abstract Submission Opens
February 10 - Early Submission
February 16-20 - Abstract Submission Closes
February 23-27 - Review of Applications
March 12 - Notification of Acceptance
April 7-11 - Presentation Materials
April 24 - Due* Tower Day
Presentation options include poster presentations, oral presentations, demonstrations, film, performances, and visual art displays.
Poster sessions consist of a collection of student projects presented concurrently in a room (in person) with projects from various disciplines. Students present their work on triboards or scientific poster and spend an hour talking to small groups who circulate throughout the room. This is a great way for students to interact personally with their audience and ideal for those who are hesitant to talk in front of a larger group.
Presentations may take the form of 15-minute lectures or performances, often utilizing PowerPoint technology. Student topic are arranged in sessions of 7 presentations and the presentation set is facilitated by a moderator.
If you are not sure whether a poster or a presentation is right for you, follow up with your faculty mentor.
Be sure to consider submitting a Travel SRACE. Application deadline is early Spring 2025 semester. To purchase a poster (~$60 and at cost of presenter), you can go through the Cougar Copy Center located on the ground floor of Davidson Student Center. You can also purchase a poster at a local office supply store.
Presenters are encouraged to be dressed in business casual attire. For more information about professional attire, please refer to the Center for Career Design's website.
Applications will be reviewed as soon as February 27, 2026. Notifications will be sent out as soon as March 12, 2026.
Students accepted to present at Tower Day will receive a letter of acceptance that includes the scheduled time commitment. Students are encouraged to share this letter with their faculty members as an excuse from class. Students wishing to attend the Tower Day event to support their peers should discuss this directly with the professor of the class where the conflict(s) occurs.
We would love your help as a faculty judge or reviewer! A form will be made available through the Kuali platform. Feel free to contact Dr. Kerri Taylor.
The event is open to the university and general public.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Kerri Shelton Taylor at taylor_kerri1@columbusstate.edu
Dr. Alicia Bryan at bryan_alicia@columbusstate.edu
For future updates, please follow our Instagram page:
2025 Winners
Undergraduate Poster
Julia Wise and Christina Wise
Investigating the Correlation Between Regular Moderate-Flow Menstrual Products Based on Brand and the Levels of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
Ericka King
Is Suicide Among the Elderly Population Warranted or Preventable?
Josh Adams
Investigating the Impact of Roundup Exposure on Hearing in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Undergraduate Oral
Collin Miller
Dissolved Heavy Metal Concentrations in the Muscle Tissue of Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) in the Chattahoochee River Drainage, Columbus, Georgia
Nylah Phillips
Identification of pathogenic bacterial strain of Aeromonas hydrophilia isolated from GreenSun Fish (Lepomis cyanellus) collected from Weracoba Creek in Columbus GA
Aleha Korzen
Effects of riparian floral invasive diversity on aqueous chlorophyll a in the tributaries of the Chattahoochee River, Columbus, GA area
Taylor Wicklund
The Relationship Between Heterophil鈥恡o鈥怢ymphocyte Ratios and the Reproductive Success of Female Eastern Bluebirds
Kaylan Moudy
Georgia vs. Alabama: How the State鈥檚 Response to the Dobbs Decision Affect Women鈥檚 Prisons
Graduate Oral PPT
Arpan Bosmia
Exploring New Teachers鈥 Preparedness for Student Behavior Management
Sarah Braswell
SLO Down, I鈥榲e Got You in My "SI"ghts: Crafting Supplemental Instruction Outcomes for Student Success
Gaurob Saha
Optimizing Large Language Models: QLoRA-Based Fine-Tuning for LLaMA 2 Using 4-Bit Quantization
Graduate Poster
Lauren Bonicoro and Hollings Manderson
Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Inference Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy