Frequently Asked Questions

How does IEEE ORSS work?
Students submit a manuscript that is coauthored by at least 1 undergraduate student and 1 PhD mentor or equivalent senior researcher along with a 5 minute video presentation of the work by the student coauthor(s). The manuscript then undergoes a light review to determined whether the author’s will present at one of the local tracks or an online virtual session. All manuscripts then go through the full-peer view process to determine whether they will be included in conference proceedings archived in IEEEXplore©. Hence, authors will receive two accept/reject notifications: the first determining acceptance for presentation and the second determining inclusion in the conference proceedings.

What qualifies as an IEEE ORSS submission?
The submission must be a 3-4 page IEEE-style 2-column paper on a topic in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science. The manuscript must be coauthored by at least 1 undergraduate student and 1 PhD mentor or equivalent senior researcher. The submission must also be accompanied by a 5 minute video presentation of the work by the student co-author(s). The authors must select a local track and coordinate some form of additional presentation with the local track chair (the format will depend on which track is selected for the paper; some tracks may accommodates oral or poster presentations; the open online track may do an online presentation).

Can an MS student submit a paper for IEEE ORSS?
Yes! Manuscripts must be coauthored by at least one undergraduate student or MS student and a faculty or PhD equivalent mentor.

Which interactive presentation forum do I choose?
Choose the type of interactive presentation that is closest to you or most convenient to you. If you want to contribute a paper to IEEE ORSS, but are not located near a physical location that offers an open interactive forum, then you may select “International Online Open” for your submission. Your work will be presented at an online common Zoom session (monitor the website for the date). Without the presentation video recording and an interactive presentation/discussion, an accepted paper cannot be submitted to the IEEE Xplore for final inclusion in the proceedings.

Can I submit an article on my senior design project?
IEEE ORSS is a research conference for undergraduate/MS co-authors. While senior design projects don’t typically require research contributions, certain well-documented projects that have either novelty or archival value in their implementation may qualify. When in doubt, talk to your faculty advisor about the appropriateness of your project.

What happens if I win a best paper award?
The IEEE ORSS best paper awards are granted to the top paper in certain track groupings. The number of awards depend on the number of paper submissions in a given year. The winners of an award are granted cash vouchers and an opportunity to present their research at an international IEEE CRFID-affiliated conference of their choice. The amount and slate of conference choices will be listed on the website. Upon presentation of the work by the student at the IEEE conference, the student is given their cash award which can be used as an honorarium and/or coverage of any travel costs that their host institution does not cover.

What happens to my video after IEEE ORSS?
The video material will be transferred to the IEEE CRFID resource center channel, which curates high-quality research presentations. After a period, it may also be transferred to the IEEE CRFID YouTube channel for public viewing. In this way, your work has additional publicity long after the conference has completed.