The Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creative Activity (UGS) at Southern Miss is an annual conference showcasing the outstanding research and creative work of undergraduate students across the campus. 

UGS 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026. 

Judging process:

- Abstracts submitted will be judged by a group of Southern Miss faculty who will choose the projects accepted for presentation at UGS. You will be notified by March 11 about your abstract's acceptance. 

- If accepted to the symposium, your presentation on the day of UGS will be scored by a team of faculty, postdoctoral, and staff judges, and winners will be chosen for each category. 

A few helpful hints: 

You must apply  title capitalization rules to your abstract title.

If you indicate a preferred name, your presentation will be listed in the program under that name. 

If your poster or oral presentation involves co-presenters, complete ONE application on behalf of the team. You are allowed up to ten co-presenters. The person completing the application (listed as "presenter" or "applicant") will be the primary contact for the entire team.  All communication from the committee about the application and symposium will be sent to the primary presenter/applicant. This primary contact person will be responsible for disseminating any information to the rest of the team. 

You will not be able to make changes to your preferred name, project title, or presentation format (oral or poster presentation) after submitting your abstract, so choose these things carefully. 

If you have questions about the symposium or the submission process, please contact the UGS administrators at ugs@usm.edu.