MERIC One-Day Conference
A welcoming conference for scholars at every stage of research
Saturday, September 12, 2026 @ Millsaps College
Interdisciplinary | Networked | Discovery-Driven
The Mississippi Emerging Research Institution Council (MERIC) advances knowledge and innovation by fostering collaboration across disciplines and institutions. We empower faculty and researchers at institutions where research is not the primary mission by sharing resources, creating partnerships, and advocating for their work.
What Makes the MERIC Conference Different?
Networking Focused
Unique discussion and networking built into the conference agenda.
Interdisciplinary
Social sciences, STEM fields, mathematics, engineering, psychology, and more.
Future Scholars
Present the research you’ll be doing and not just the research you’ve already completed.
No Judging
No competition. No awards. No pressure. Designed to encourage scholarship, collaboration, and professional growth.
Present Your Work
Traditional Research Presentations
- Completed or ongoing research projects
- Poster Presentations
- Oral Presentations
- Research from any scientific discipline
Future Scholar Presentations
- Present research you plan to conduct
- Share your research question, methodology, and anticipated impact
- Gain valuable presentation experience before beginning your project.
- Perfect for first-time researchers.
Who should attend?
Open to Scholars at Every Level
Undergraduates
Graduate Students
Faculty & Researchers
Broadly Defined Sciences Welcome
- Life Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Applied Sciences
- Mathematics
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Health Science
- Interdisciplinary Research
If your work advances knowledge through inquiry, it belongs here.
This is a draft of the conference agenda. Finalized agenda will be emailed to all registrants and updated here.
Registration is FREE and includes lunch on the day of the conference
There are many presentation types at the MERIC Conference. Please refer to your session for specific information.
All Posters
We recommend that printed posters keep to a 48″x36″ size.
Traditional Research Oral Session
Traditional research oral presentations will be 12 mins in length with a few minutes for questions as time permits. Each oral session will have a moderator.
Future Scholarship Oral Session
If you are a student presenting in a Future Scholarship session, oral presentations will be limited to 5 mins. The intent is for students to quickly state the problem, the value, and the planned methodology.
Parking
Parking information will become available closer to the conference date. Please check back for details.
Hotels
If you plan to stay in the Jackson area Friday or Saturday night, we recommend the following nearby hotels.