On Thursday 30th May 2019, students and staff from across Keele University gathered together for the JADE Student Learning Undergraduate Conference, jointly arranged by the Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences (ILAS) and the Keele Institute for Innovation and Teaching Excellence (KIITE).

Over 40 students presented their work, with many students and staff attending the conference to support one another, and learn more about undergraduate research at Keele.

The annual event, held at Keele Hall, is now in its fourth year. Its mission is to provide a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to gain first-hand experience of presenting at an academic conference.

Students are invited to present oral presentations, lightning talks or posters on any topic of their choice.

Sarah Winchester and Deborah Powell, both first year History students, who attended JSLUG for the first time this year commented:

“We have enjoyed the variety of topics covered and the passion with which the presentations were delivered. The atmosphere has been engaging and positive. It’s been good to spend the day with like minded people...we will come again!”

Owen Brown, a second-year History student presenter added:

“I found it to be a perfect opportunity to learn and to educate others.”

Dr Chris Little, Learning Developer in KIITE and co-organiser of the event, commented:

“The JSLUG conference is my favourite part of the academic year, and this year was no exception. The papers this year were incredible and a real showcase of the immense quality and passion our students gain throughout their studies here. The event sees every faculty at Keele represented and allowed me to sit back and learn about oncology therapies, altitude sickness and the intelligence of birds to name just a few. Bring on next year!”

During the conference, delegates were asked to vote for the best oral, lightning and poster presentations. The winners of the awards, sponsored by KIITE, were:

KIITE Award for Best Oral Presentation (three winners):

• Masculinity and male mental health - Shahnaz Ruksana Khan Iqbal, Year 1 Neuroscience and Psychology
• As bad as Auschwitz? British concentration camps during the Second Boer War and modern-day equivalence to the camps of the Nazi regime - Owen Brown, Year 2 History
• "My voice should still be heard": Changing the approach to the consent of mental health patients - Charlotte Hill, Year 3 Law

KIITE Award for Best Lightning Talk:

• The grief exclusion: Pathologising personhood - Kate Dickens, Year 2 Chemistry

KIITE Award for Best Poster Presentation:

• Moving towards a General Duty: An analysis of the Duty to give reasons in Uk administrative law - Luke W Griffiths, Year 3 LLB Law

Each of the winners of the KIITE Awards receives £100 in vouchers and their presentations can be seen on the conference website.

All students get their abstracts and posters published in a special Student Edition of the Journal of Academic Development and Education (JADE). Many students will also work their presentations up into full peer-reviewed journal articles for the next JADE Student Edition - due for publication later this year.

For all of the videos from the conference, visit the JSLUG Conference website.