Date and Location

Oct. 17, 2024

9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Visual Arts Complex (VAC) Plaza

Rain Location: CU Art Museum, Education Room

Developed and hosted in听Boulder since听2018, UROP's Sidewalk Symposium invites undergraduates to create and share their research and creative presentations with chalk on campus walkways鈥攁ll in collaboration with a professional artist.

Call for Student Participants

UROP welcomes undergraduates at any stage of their project timeline听to participate in this year's Sidewalk Symposium by creating colorful visual presentations of their projects using nothing but chalk.听 Applications to participate will be reviewed for compliance with university policy and suitability for the event.

The sign-up form听asks students for the following information and sends project mentors email notifications inviting them to review submissions鈥攁nd contact UROP as needed.

Student's Information
  • Preferred First and Last Name
  • CU Boulder Email
  • Estimated Arrival Time (e.g. 9:00 am)
  • Will other students work with you? If so, provide full names in the space provided.
Project Information
  • Project Title
  • 150 Word Maximum: Describe your role in this project and explain when the project took place (or note if your work is ongoing).
  • Did the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) provide funding to support this project?
Project Mentor's Information
  • Preferred First and Last Name
  • Department or Program
  • CU Boulder Email

Liability Waiver

I exercise my own free and voluntary choice to participate in the designated activity. I understand and assume all associated risks of the designated activity. Despite careful and proper preparation, instruction, medical advice, conditioning and equipment, there is still a risk of serious injury when participating in any activity/program. Understandably, not all hazards and dangers can be foreseen. Participants in a CU sponsored program must understand that depending upon the particular activity may include but not limited to: dangers and injuries due to natural occurrences beyond human control or influence, exposures to community spread illnesses or diseases, trips, falls, sprains, strains, contusions, lacerations, fractures, broken bones, paralysis, concussions, and all other circumstances inherent to these activities. Use of a privately-owned vehicle, including the operation or as a passenger, may be an option while participating in the off-campus trip activity. The University of Colorado does not provide liability or physical damage insurance coverage on privately owned vehicles. The vehicle owner must provide the liability and physical damage insurance coverage for a privately owned vehicle. The University of Colorado does not provide health insurance for individuals participating in activities made available or sponsored by the University of Colorado. As such, you or your personal health insurance will be responsible for payment of medical services and care for any injuries sustained during the designated activity.

Contact us听if you have questions or experience issues submitting the form.

Get creative and consider including

  • questions your project seeks to answer or raise
  • thought-provoking or troubling facts, statistics, etc.
  • interesting or surprising outcomes, conclusions, etc.
  • diagrams of methods, relevant processes, etc.
  • illustrations of biological or chemical structures
  • drawings of mechanical components and designs
  • titles of creative or performance pieces
  • graphs, charts or tables of significant data
  • mathematical formulas, relevant theorems, etc.

Check out the galleries below for more inspiration!

Eligibility

  • CU Boulder undergraduates engaged in campus听research and creative projects are encouraged to participate.
  • Participants must be working (or completed work) under the supervision of a CU Boulder faculty or staff mentor.
  • UROP funding is not required to participate.
  • Students may participate听as a group and should submit the application听form once (with all students named).

Time Commitment

Event staff will be on-hand from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and participants may choose to create and share their chalk art any time throughout the event.听 UROP encourages participants to

  • Plan ahead by sketching your ideas on paper.
  • Start early and allow time to talk with visitors.
  • Consider breaking up your time to work around class schedules.
  • Recruit friends and mentors to help.
  • Keep your design simple if you have limited time.

Supplies

You may bring your own chalk, but UROP will provide听supplies for you.听 Though we can't guarantee that we'll have enough of the听color(s) you intend for your design,听we have a wide range of traditional "sidewalk chalk" and soft pastels鈥攁nd a few blending tools, such as sponges.听 We also have gloves, hand wipes and other cleaning supplies.听Take care of yourself and be sure to bring your own water, sunscreen and other protective gear. It can get hot on the pavement!

Chalking Policy

Participants are responsible for abiding by the campus chalking policy, which restricts chalking to concrete or asphalt exterior sidewalks that are exposed to natural elements.听Chalking must be done by using water-soluble stick-chalk that fades away with the natural elements within a few days. Use of other types of chalk, including but not limited to, spray chalk, chalk paint, chalk markers, and other forms of liquid or powered chalk is not permitted.听

Rain or Inclement Weather

In the event of rain or inclement weather, activities be relocated to the 鈥渞ain location鈥� noted here.听 Participants will be provided with sheets of 鈥渇elt roof underlayment,鈥� which simulates the texture of pavement.听

Artist Collaborator

Students will be joined by professional chalk artist Kyle Banister, who willl provide听assistance throughout the event.听 Kyle makes his living as an artist, creating work across the country,听and currently serves on the Artists Committee for the Denver Chalk Art Festival.听 His work for the Colorado Rockies, Denver Broncos and Denver Center for the Performing Arts has been featured in Denver for years. We're grateful for Kyle's continued collaboration and his many contributions to the development of this event.

Benefits

For Students For Programs

Participation has many benefits for students, and we discover more as they take the form in new and inspiring directions.听 We highlight a few here and encourage students to reflect as they get creative!

  • Centers students in the stories about their work鈥攔ather than project results
  • Enables students to think about their work in new and inspiring ways
  • Provides a fun and engaging mechanism for disseminating project results
  • Builds confidence and promotes belonging in the campus community

Campus departments, programs, centers and other communities can benefit from adapting the format to their purposes.听 We highlight a few here and invite you to connect with us as you experiment!

  • Creates accessible presentation opportunities for students new to academic life
  • Provides inclusive pathways for students to connect with the academic community
  • Supports sustainable environmental practices and budgetary strategies
  • Engages the campus community for partnerships and advocacy