Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve pieced together a few questions and responses for those looking for more details about the conference. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact one of our student executives @ cupc2023@uwaterloo.ca!

The following contents of this website are subject to change at any point. Please stay informed and if you have any questions or concerns we highly recommend reaching out.

Registration

When/where can I register for the conference?

Registration for CUPC 2023 is open now and will close on October 15, 2023. More information, including our refund policy can be found here.

Do I get a discount for registering early?

There is no discount for early registration, but the first 50 delegates to register will receive an extra surprise in their swag bag!

What if I forgot to register? Can I register past October 15th?

Unfortunately, we are not accepting registrations past the due date, so please make sure you register on time!

Travel

How can I get from the airport to Delta Hotel?

From Pearson Airport, you can take public transit to the Delta Hotel, from the Waterloo International Airport, there is no public transit but it is a 25-30 minute taxi ride.

Can I get my travel subsidized?

CUPC 2023 is not offering travel subsidies. There may be individual subsidies available through your post-secondary institution. Contact your department for more details.

Accommodation

How do I book a room at the Delta Hotel?

Am I guaranteed a room at Delta?

Will my room be subsidized?

We will not subsidize the price of any rooms regardless of early registration. However, Delta has been kind enough to offer our delegates discounts if they call and book saying they are attending CUPC 2023.

Do I have to share a room?

We will not be prioritizing students under any circumstances, to keep things fair, we will be providing rooms on a “first-come first-serve” basis.  

Can I stay somewhere else?

You can stay wherever you would like to participate in CUPC 2023.

Events 

Do I have to attend every event?

We understand that conferences can be very dense and sometimes overstimulating, especially those that are 4 days long. We have included wellness breaks to allow your brain some down time in between events, however it’s okay if you need time to yourself. We will be sure to indicate the designated quiet spaces on the conference map, which will be available here. 

Do I have to sign up for any of the events?

There will be events throughout the conference that require sign-ups, which will be indicated during registration. Only delegates who have selected “Yes” for these events may attend them.  

I want to change my decision about attending the Campus Tour and/or Movie Night. What should I do?

After registration opens, there will be a form available for those who would like to change their decision about attending the Campus Tour and/or Movie Night. Sit tight!

Student presentations

Can I do both an oral presentation and poster presentation?

It is possible for students to do both an oral and poster presentation, however they have to be on different topics. The Abstract Submission form has a prompt for a second presentation. We will do our best to accommodate as many presentations as we can, but we will prioritize one per student before allowing a second one.

What should my presentation be about?

In the past, students have given presentations about the work they have done through co-op or research positions. Physics students are often employed by research facilities or are taken on to work with a professor or research group at their university, where they are applying the knowledge they’ve gathered through their studies and learning about experimental physics and its real-world applications. However, students are welcome to present about any area of physics that they happen to be knowledgeable about through personal research/studies. 

Why does my abstract need approval, and by who?

The CUPC 2023 Committee is devoted to practicing and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. It is important to us that all delegates feel safe and supported throughout the conference. Due to this core value, we are taking extra care to ensure the content of all student presentations is appropriate for our audience. Therefore all student presentation abstracts must be reviewed by a supervisor or professional. 

If you are presenting about work/research done with a professor or research group, you may ask your supervisor to review your abstract. If you are presenting external research that does not have a supervisor, you may ask any professor or lecturer within your Physics Department to approve the abstract. 

I want to present about research I will be doing in the Fall 2023 term, but the abstract is due in September. What should I do?

CUPC 2023 will be held in late October, so it is possible that students may be able to gather enough information/data from their Fall 2023 research positions to present in time. Students are still welcome to submit an abstract even if the research hasn’t been done yet. 

In such a case, please make sure to indicate on the abstract submission form that the research pertaining to your presentation has not yet been conducted (there is a question for this).

I will only attend CUPC 2023 if I can do a Student Presentation, but registration opens before I will find out if I am presenting. What should I do?

If your attendance is contingent on being to do a Student Presentation, you can wait to register until October 2nd, when the names of the students presenting are released. If you’re worried about spots filling up quickly, you can also register sooner and request a refund in the event you need one. Please make sure you read the refund policy carefully, which will be posted here shortly.

If my abstract is rejected for one presentation style, can it be considered for the other style?

The same criteria is used to judge both, so if your abstract is rejected for one presentation style, it will NOT be considered for the other presentation style. Consider selecting the “I do not have a preference” option for Question 3.

I’m having trouble understanding Question 3 of the Abstract Submission Form. Can I have more guidance?

If you want to do ONE presentation on ONE topic only, select one of the first three options. Using the last two options will NOT give you a better chance of getting a presentation, and will make it much more confusing for our Abstract Review Committee. Do not fill out Question 7 at all. Please be honest and do your best creating your abstract so that you have the best chance possible. 

If you want to do TWO presentations on TWO different topics, they must be different styles (one oral and one poster). You cannot do two oral or two poster presentations, it must be one of each. As we cannot guarantee that you will be able to do both, the last two options of Question 3 tell us your presentation style preference if we can only accommodate one, so please use one of these options to answer. It is up to you to select which topic you use for which presentation, and if you are only accommodated one, you can pick either to present for the style of presentation you were given.

Other Concerns

Who do I contact if I have accessibility concerns?

If you have any concerns, contact cupc2023@uwaterloo.ca

I require space to practice my religion, will a space be provided?

The University of Waterloo has multifaith spaces that a volunteer can escort you to. Other spaces will be provided at other locations.

An incident occurred, what do I do?

Either email cupc2023@uwaterloo.ca or use the CUPC 2023 Discord bot to report the incident.

Where can I find information on the Code of Conduct?

You can find our EDI, Code of Conduct and Guidelines here!