Call for proposals 

spotlight on Student work in museums (swim)

The Southeastern Museums Conference invites submissions for the Student Work in Museums (SWIM) poster and presentation session at the 2023 Annual Meeting in Louisville, KY.

8/21/2023: The application period for poster submissions for SEMC2023 is now closed. Those who submitted will be notified in the coming weeks of the outcome.

Questions? Contact Session Chairpersons’ Lana Burgess (lburgess@mailbox.sc.edu) or Katy Malone (kmalon15@utk.edu)

What is the SWIM (STudent Work in Museums) Poster Session?

The SEMC SWIM poster sessions happen in two formats.

First, during daily coffee breaks at the annual meeting, presenters share their projects with attendees in the form of a poster. SWIM participants can share their work through one-on-one discussion, can be especially useful for works-in- progress, and may be a particularly appropriate format for presentations where visual or material evidence represents a central component of the project.

Second, SWIM participants will participate in a presentation session. Each participant or group will give a short presentation during the same 50-minute block. The duration of each presentation will be about 10 minutes, though this depends on the number of projects. Here, SWIMers get the chance to have experience with presenting at a professional conference for future colleagues. 

Student presentation at SEMC2019 in Charleston, South Carolina 

Purpose of the SWIM Poster Session

• To showcase projects and research by students or a group of students in museum studies programs or related academic programs who have conducted museum-based projects.
• To provide an opportunity for students to obtain new insights, share ideas and projects, and network with museum colleagues in an informal setting.
• To experience a professional level presentation of student’s work and for colleagues to learn about emerging trends from our region’s academic institutions.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

• Undergraduate and graduate students as individuals or collaborators.
• Recent graduates whose graduation date is within one year of the 2023 Annual Meeting.
• Higher-learning students who participated in an applied internship, practicum, integrated, or experiential learning assignment, research endeavor, or activity at a museum in the SEMC region.

Note that group proposals must include names, majors, and intended degrees of all group members, but designate one person as the primary session contact. 

When is the Poster Session?

The poster sessions will take place during SEMC’s annual meeting in Louisville, KY. Specific details are to follow.

How to Submit a Proposal

Please fill out the online form via the link below. Provide contact information, a brief (maximum 300 word) explanation of your poster, and a one-page resume for each presenter. 

When is Your Proposal Due?

Poster proposals are due August 1, 2023. You will hear back about the status of your proposal by early September 2023.

If accepted to the poster session, students will receive complementary conference registration. You will receive a special registration code with your acceptance letter. Accepted poster presenters must register for the conference by October 1.

Evening events and receptions are included with your registration. Professional Network and Affinity lunches, the Annual SEMC Awards Luncheon, and any pre-conference or post-conference tours are not included and must be paid for out-of-pocket when you register for the conference.

Why is the Poster Session Important?

Posters are an interactive and collegial format for displaying and discussing project-based work and for showing off visual and material approaches. We understand that most posters for this conference will represent work that is complete, but we encourage students and advisors to present work as part of multi-year or ongoing projects so they can solicit advice and resources at the conference. 

Why is the presentation important?

As emerging professionals, it is important to learn how to present your work to colleagues in a professional format. Also, the presentation allows conference attendees to benefit from fresh ideas from collaborations between premiere academic institutions and our regional museums.

Important Guidelines for Poster Sumbissions

Students present their posters at SEMC2022 in Northwest Arkansas.

SWIM is sponsored by AAMG and COMP