2017 McNair Conference

The 19th Annual Texas National McNair Research Conference will be held Thursday, February 16 through Sunday, February 19, 2017 at the University of North Texas (UNT).

Sponsored by the UNT McNair Scholars Program, the 2017 conference will provide expanded opportunities to McNair Scholars. They will have the opportunity to:

  • Present their research (either oral or poster format) in a low-pressure, professional, and  academic setting; UNT faculty members will review and provide feedback for all presentations;
  • Visit with graduate school recruiters from a wide range of institutions at our national graduate school fair;
  • Meet, network, and socialize with McNair Scholars from across the United States;
  • Participate in a variety of panel discussions relevant to preparing for graduate school and ongoing research.

McNair staff that attend will have networking opportunities and are invited to participate in all conference events and activities. McNair staff will also have opportunities to learn more about graduate programs at the University of North Texas.

Registration 

Registration rates include conference program, wireless access in conference rooms, and access to all conference events including food events (Thursday social; Friday lunch and dinner; Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Sunday breakfast).

Regular registration is the deadline for presenters.

  • Early registration: Starts Now. Ends January 4, 2017, 11:59 PM CST
    • ​Scholar: $165      Staff: $249
  • Regular registration: Starts January 5, 2017. Ends January 15, 2017, 11:59 PM CST
    • Scholar: $199      Staff: $279
  • Late registration: Starts January 16, 2017. Ends February 10, 2017, 11:59 PM CST
    • Scholar: $229      Staff: $329
  • Recruiter registration: Starts Now. Ends January 15, 2017, 11:59 PM CST
    • ​Full Conference w/ Half Page Ad: $399    
    • Fair Only: $199     Additional Recuiter: $75
  • Conference Program Advertisements: Starts Now. Ends January 15, 2017, 11:59 PM CST
    • ​Full Page: $220     Half Page: $140     Quarter Page: $85

You will be able to pay the registration online via credit card or through a purchase order.

Cancellation and Refunds
We will accept cancellation of a registration through January 15, 2017 with 100% refund. No refunds will be issued after January 15, 2017. 

Scholar Research Presentations

McNair Scholars are encouraged to present at the conference. If you plan to present, the requirements to present are simple:

  • Register for the conference at the Scholar rate;
  • Submit an abstract of your research not later than January 15, 2017. Indicate whether your will do an oral presentation or present a poster (details on the format of the abstract and submission process are forthcoming);
  • If presenting a poster, follow the guidelines for size of the poster (details forthcoming) and be at your poster during the poster review and presentation on Friday;
  • If doing an oral presentation, bring a copy of your presentation on flash drive or have it accessible via the internet;
  • Oral presentations are limited to 12 minutes with 3 minutes for Q&A, and the time limit is enforced;
  • Poster size: No wider than 42 inches and no longer than 60 inches.
  • Oral and poster presentations are reviewed by a UNT faculty member, who will provide constructive feedback and responses to each presenter.

Key Conference Events By Day (Preliminary)

  • Thursday February 16, evening: Welcome reception and social with food;
  • Friday February 17, all day and evening: Panel discussions, lunch, poster presentation, graduate school fair, opening dinner;
  • Saturday February 18, all day and evening: Oral presentations, breakfast, lunch, and celebration dinner;
  • Sunday February 19, morning: Farewell breakfast

Attire

  • Thursday evening: Casual
  • Friday: Business professional
  • Friday dinner: Business Casual
  • Saturday and Saturday dinner: Business professional
  • Sunday breakfast: Casual

Weather

  • We have no control over individual room temperatures. Please come to the presentations prepared for either extreme.
  • February in Denton can be warm or chilly, so please plan to bring a jacket or sweater.
  • Historically, there is a greater than 60% chance of the temperature being greater than 60°F and less than an 8% chance of precipitation.

Flying

  • Dallas/Ft.Worth (DFW)
    • approximately 30-45 minutes from Denton
    • an American Airlines hub
  • Dallas Love Field (DAL)
    • approximately 45-60 minutes from Denton
    • Southwest Airlines operates out of DAL
  • If you are flying into DFW or DAL, we suggest renting a vehicle because airport shuttles and taxis are quite costly (shuttle average of $75/person/one way w/$15/person for each additional passenger).
  • Hospitality Hill Hotels (Best Western Premier, Hilton Garden, and Courtyard by Marriot) are 3.7 miles from the building where the conference will be held. Shuttles from the hotels to the university will be available,but at set times only.

Driving

  • Denton lies at the top of the "Golden Triangle" whose other vertices are Dallas and Fort Worth. In other words, Denton lies where I-35E (from Dallas) and I-35W (from Fort Worth) come up from the South to rejoin into I-35, which continues north to Oklahoma City. The university itself is off of I-35E, about 1/2 mile south of the I-35E/W split.
  • Plan your drive on http://maps.unt.edu.