WELCOME TO RESEARCH FEST 2025!

Research is something that everyone can do, and everyone ought to do. It is simply collecting information and thinking systematically about it.

– Raewyn Connell

October 10, 2025

Location: Graduate Students' Association at University of Saskatchewan
1337 College Dr, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W6

Welcome to the Fest

We are delighted to welcome you to the Research Fest 2025, also known as the 9th Symposium on Innovations in Computer Science and Applied Computing (ICSAC), a celebration of innovation, creativity, and academic excellence within the Computer Science and Bioinformatics research community. This event provides a platform for graduate students and researchers to share their work, exchange ideas, and inspire one another in advancing knowledge across diverse areas of computing and related disciplines. Research Fest 2025 is co-partnered by the Software Analytics Research (SOAR) and the Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan.

Event Categories & Awards

Category 1: Research Presentation

Requirements:

Published or under review work (conference/journal) or completed research study (i.e., ready for submission).
Submission of an extended abstract (maximum 2 pages, excluding references) summarizing objectives, methods, results, and conclusions.
A 10–15 minutes oral presentation followed by a Q&A session.
Research must have been conducted during graduate studies (Master’s or PhD).
Proper citations and adherence to academic integrity guidelines.

Awards: Sponsored by Software Analytics Research (SOAR)

First Place – $500
Second Place – $400
Third Place – $300

Category 2: Poster Presentation

Requirements:

Work-in-progress or new research ideas with well-defined motivation and rationale.
Submission of a 1-page abstract (excluding references) explaining background, objectives, and proposed methods.
Must clearly articulate potential contributions and next steps.
Participants must be available during poster sessions for interactive discussions.

Awards

First Place – $500
Second Place – $400
Third Place – $300

Category 3: Research Presentation: #WomenInSTEM

Requirements:

Open to women in a graduate program in Computer Science or Bioinformatics.
Summary of thesis goal (maximum 2 pages, excluding references) including research context, objectives, methodology, and contributions.
Curriculum Vitae (CV) highlighting academic achievements, publications, and research activities.
Support letter from supervisor(s) confirming eligibility and endorsing the academic performance and quality of research work.
A 15-minute oral presentation with a focus on the impact and innovation of the research.
Emphasis on leadership, outreach, or mentoring roles in STEM-related activities.

Awards: Sponsored by Dr. Aaron Genest, Siemens

First Place – $1500
Second Place – $1000
Third Place – $500

Competition Rules

Category 3 (#WomenInSTEM) is only open to women participants.
Summer interns supervised by graduate students are also eligible to participate in Category 1 and 2.
A participant may enter two or more categories; however, if they win multiple awards, they will only receive the highest valued award.
The CSGC and reviewers will jointly evaluate all submissions for eligibility and scope, and will notify submitters regarding their acceptance or rejection.
The CSGC and the advisory committee reserve the right to alter or withdraw any decision under exceptional circumstances.
All submissions must be the original work of the participant(s) and must not violate academic integrity or copyright laws.
Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.
Late submissions will not be considered unless explicitly approved by the committee.
Judges’ decisions will be final and not open to appeal.

Important Deadlines

Submission deadline: September 14, 2025
Notification of acceptance: September 30, 2025
Submission of presentation and poster: October 07, 2025
Research Fest: October 10, 2025

Research Fest is not only a competition. It is a community-driven platform where collaboration, curiosity, and innovation meet. We encourage all participants to network, explore interdisciplinary ideas, and inspire each other to push the boundaries of research. We wish all participants the very best and look forward to an exciting and intellectually stimulating event!