impact

THE OFFICIAL ICUR NEWSLETTER

ICUR16
Reflections on the 2016
International Conference of
Undergraduate Research

BIG AMBITIONS
FOR COMPASS
The success
of the Compass Program in
2016 and its international
future

SPACES OF ICUR
Meet the institutions at the
heart of our partnership
PARTNERS AND PARTICIPANTS

The Oculus at the University The Hive at Nanyang New Horizons at Monash
of Warwick. Technological University. University.

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 EDITORS'
Welcome to our January issue of
the ICUR Newsletter, impact.
NOTE
This bi-monthly publication brings into focus
the efforts, activities and programs that occur
throughout the year in the lead up to ICUR in
September. It is dedicated to the initiatives
and research of undergraduates. As ICUR
enjoys the support and contributions from
three partner institutions, namely, Monash
University, the University of Warwick and
Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the
issues of this newsletter will be produced and
edited by its 2017 Student Directors.
Throughout the year, we will share stories
from all three universities and collate stories
from ICURs participant institutions. This
issue has been compiled by the Monash
Student Directors, Hannah Duffus and
Hannah Skipworth.

In beginning this issue, we quickly realised

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 ICUR16
AWARDS SEASON

One of the most energising aspects of working with ICUR is hearing first-hand from students
how the conference has enriched their experiences as undergraduates. Our conviction
was strengthened during the final months of 2016, in which the International Conference of
Undergraduate Research (ICUR) received several awards for innovation in international education.

In November, the Alliance was awarded The Australian Financial Review's Higher Education Award
in the category of International Education for its highly impactful and ever-expanding ICUR program.
The conference also received the Victorian International Education Awards in category of Excellence
in Innovation in Partnership and International Engagement. In December, ICUR received a High
Commendation for the International Institute of Education's Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in
International Education. During this event, the judges emphasised how "the unprecedented breadth
and depth of the alliance between Monash University and the University of Warwick has already
won it considerable international admiration and prestige. Delivering a huge sweep of benefits for
both partners, the alliance constitutes an outstanding model for global partnerships and the
internationalisation of education."

We are ever grateful to all Student Directors, Ambassadors, MCs, Compass Mentors and
Reinvention Journal Editors for their contributions to the success of the program.

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 ICUR16
HIGHLIGHTS
For those who take part in comradery and connectedness
ICUR, the 27th and 28th to the event.
September bring many
memories to mind. Some Attending as many papers as
highlights for us include: possible is key to having a
rewarding ICUR experience. It
Making friendships with is amazing to find that
peers from your institution, undergraduates in, for example,
especially with people who the UK, US and Malaysia, are
usually study in separate working on similar projects to
faculties. There is real nostalgia us at Monash. And conversely,
to be found between alumni getting a taste of the radically
presenters, as they reflect on different research some
the busy and stimulating two students are undertaking is
days. important to personal growth
as a globally-minded
Watching participants grow researcher.
in their ability and desire to ask
questions of their fellow Seeing academics attend
presenters. The interesting papers and grow excited by the
ideas that come out of these ideas and rigour of the young
conversations are a pleasure to researchers in the room.
behold.
The surge of activity on the
Seeing on screen the Student social media pages, especially
Directors from NTU and the Twitter and Facebook is
University of Warwick that we something we loved
had met earlier in the year at contributing to and is an
their home institutions gave a awesome tool for reflecting on
real sense of international the conference.

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 ICUR16
MONASH MOVIE
CHALLENGE WINNER
Today were bringing
together hundreds of
students from many
different campuses, from
many different
countries
2 days, 7 countries, 5
continents
bringing together the
best of undergraduate
research.

Students attending the 2016 Like many of the students who After Day One. Hana
International Conference of were part of ICUR16, Hana's comments in her video "its
Undergraduate Research at ICUR Experience combined the been a very interesting day so
Monash University were given roles of audience member and far and Im interested in
the opportunity to create a presenter. On Day One of the listening to a lot more." One of
short film documenting their Conference, she presented her her favourite aspects of ICUR
ICUR Experience. Fourth-year own research into the capacity of is that it "brings people
Pharmacy student Hana glitazones (a type of medicine together." We couldn't agree
Melhem's winning entry usually used to treat Type 2 more!
celebrated the diversity Diabetes) to provide treatment
of student research projects for diseases of the central You can find Hana Melhem's
and ICUR's international nervous system such as brain winning entry in the ICUR16
scope. tumours and Parkinson's Disease. Movie Challenge on the ICUR
Students Facebook Page.

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 ICUR16
COMPASS IN 2016 AND
FUTURE DIRECTIONS

One of the pillars of the conference is its capacity to share new knowledge between vast and
diverse people. But the two days of the conference are not the only opportunity for this sharing of
experience and ideas. In 2016, Monash University devised and trialed the Compass Program, in
which an experienced ICUR presenter was paired with a small group of presenters and functioned
as their mentor for the eight weeks leading up to ICUR.

The main role of the mentor was to facilitate fortnightly workshops, so that by the arrival of ICUR,
each presenter in the group had submitted their paper irrespective of its completeness to their
peers, received constructive feedback, and practiced it in front of an audience. This process helped
presenters recognise potential improvements, such as the reduction of jargon, clarifying of
structure and overall presentation techniques.

The Program was designed with many goals in mind. We hoped to ensure that new presenters had
a friendly and accessible figure to ask the questions that all secretly have but fear to ask. As well as
this relationship, we were excited to see bonds establish between the group members. They
provided constant encouragement, which continued into the conference itself and in some cases,
beyond.

Compass enables students to take on a mentoring role, which is personally rewarding and
increasingly a sought-after skill. Our mentors can draw upon their experiences in job interviews,
articulating their ability to organise individuals whose schedules and priorities usually do not align,
ensure work is produced to deadline, negotiate group dynamics, provide critical feedback in a
sensitive way, and more.

We were thrilled with the success of Compass in 2016. Our presenters were more connected and
engaged than in previous years, with many showing interest in being mentors in the future. We are
excited for the University of Warwick to trial the Compass Program in 2017 as part of their ICUR
experience.

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impact
THE OFFICIAL ICUR NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 01 | JANUARY 2017

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