Laura Kingsford CNSM Student Research Symposium

Symposium 2026

The Laura Kingsford CNSM Student Research Symposium is Friday, October 16 from 11:00am-1:00pm in the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid on campus. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the research that other students are doing at The Beach.

All are welcome to attend!

For Student Presenters

In order to participate in the Laura Kingsford CNSM Student Research Symposium as a presenter, you must be a declared/intended CNSM major(s). If you are planning to present one abstract in a group, only one group member needs to submit the registration form.

See How to Apply for more details.

Presenter Deadlines:

  1. Presenter registration is due 9/25.
  2. Abstract and poster file submission is due 10/2.
  3. Mentor approval is due 10/2.

Each fall semester, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM) along with the Jensen SAS Center provide an opportunity for its students to showcase their collaborative research with California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) faculty.

All CNSM students are encouraged to participate in the Symposium by getting an approved abstract from their faculty mentor and making a poster presentation. 

The entire CSULB campus community and friends of CSULB are invited to celebrate these students' accomplishments and examine their research.

Why Participate

The Laura Kingsford CNSM Student Research Symposium is more than simply a forum to present your research – it is an excellent way for CNSM students to connect and network with other CNSM students and faculty, foster their professional development through their presentation, and enhance their resumes. It also gives students the opportunity to experience the other research that is being produced around campus by their peers.

student research presenting their research poster to symposium attendees

About the Naming

The Laura Kingsford CNSM Student Research Symposium has been named with a generous, endowed gift from retired engineer and friend of the University, Mr. John E. Clark. John's late wife Elizabeth Clark obtained two degrees from CNSM, BS in 1980 in Medical Microbiology and MPH in 1985 in Nurse Epidemiology, which led her to a successful career as a nurse, working in infectious control at Torrance Memorial for more than 30 years. In Elizabeth's memory, John also supports two scholarships: the John and Elizabeth Clark Endowed Scholarship in Biological Sciences benefiting graduate students pursuing a Masters in Biology or Microbiology, and the John and Elizabeth Clark Endowed Scholarship in Nursing benefiting graduate and undergraduate students in Nursing.

Inspired by CNSM faculty and their work with students, John asked the college to identify an honoree for the symposium. Laura Kingsford, Ph.D. was chosen by the college in recognition of her contributions to the college throughout her CSULB tenure (1980-2020). Dr. Kingsford served as a champion of student research, first as faculty, then as chair of the Biological Sciences Department (1995-2003), and Dean of the College (2003-2017). Prior to her retirement in 2020, Dr. Kingsford was the Lead Principal Investigator and a Senior Program Director for the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Program, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health. This major award was transformative for the University by establishing research and developmental programs for students and faculty. Under Dr. Kingsford's leadership, the CNSM Student Research Symposium began prior to 2001 (as early as 1992-1993) and now serves over 100 student presenters and 400 participants annually.

The purpose of Laura Kingsford CNSM Student Research Symposium Endowment is to support the costs related to the symposium, including but not limited to printing, event expenses, and student support (related to the event).