Creating a Conference for Undergraduates, by Undergraduates

Has your SPS chapter ever wondered what it might look like to host your own physics conference? The Hillsdale
College SPS chapter didn’t just wonder—we did it!

Last fall, we looked into nearby physics conferences and realized that we would be unable to attend them. “Surely we aren’t the only college in the region with this problem,” we thought. That led to the idea: If we couldn’t attend an existing conference, why not host one?

We brainstormed what we wanted out of a conference—activities, formats, and goals—and ultimately developed a rough outline that we presented to our department. Our faculty responded with enthusiasm and encouragement. With their support, we began organizing the Hillsdale College Physics Invitational for February 2026, which was to be led by and designed for undergraduate students.

We invited astronomer Will Clarkson from the University of Michigan–Dearborn to be our keynote speaker, and we organized a schedule which included student research presentations and a networking fair. In an effort to make the conference accessible to other students, we reached out to nearby colleges and universities to invite them to attend. This was a great opportunity to connect with the physics departments at other schools and welcome them to our campus to share in our love of learning physics!

While planning the conference was a challenge, it also brought students and faculty in our department closer together.
Collaborating on a project of this scale was completely new to us, but it helped us to get to know one another better and
build a stronger community. People in all different departments at Hillsdale College stepped in to support us. Career Services helped us to organize a job fair, and the Events team helped us set up a website. As students, it was wonderful to see how our college supported us.

Then came the big day! One of the highlights of the conference was Professor Clarkson sharing his story and talking about his research experiences as a student and professor. He gave advice to students interested in research from both the perspective of someone who has been there and from the perspective of a research mentor. Other highlights included a lunch during which we got to talk casually with grad schools and employers and see a variety of research projects that undergraduate students are involved in.

Like any first-time endeavor, the conference had its ups and downs. We encountered a few logistical challenges—such as
forgetting to plan for water during lunch—and had some miscommunications along the way. However, these moments became valuable learning experiences, and in some cases, they even led to improvements in the conference.

Overall, the conference ran smoothly and was a rewarding experience for everyone involved. We hope to make this an annual event that continues to grow and reach more colleges. At the end of the conference, a professor from Albion College told us he hoped to return next year. This got us excited to start dreaming up big plans for next year. If a few
students walked away from this small conference with new experiences and ideas, then imagine what an impact we can make with more connections and experience under our belt!