What is the WRE?
The Wolfson Research Event is a showcase for the research being carried out by our students on a daily basis. From across the sciences, social sciences, and arts, they share their hypotheses, findings and conclusions to a diverse audience comprising other students, fellows, staff and visitors.
Participants are challenged with communicating their research to a generic, academic audience. To support them in developing these skills, they are invited to attend a series of workshops before the conference.
WRE 2026 will take place on 7-8 May in the Lee Hall. Visit the event page for the most up to date information and the programme.
Past WREs
Our Team
A distinctive feature of the WRE is that it is organised by a student-led committee. Elected in Michaelmas Term, they manage the submission of abstracts, peer-review, workshops and rehearsals, as well as promoting and organising the two-day event.
It is an excellent opportunity for students to develop academic and transferable skills in event planning and administration, assisted by College staff to make the day run smoothly.
This year's committee will be chaired by Julia Wieczorek and Cheryl Pilliner-Reeves. The other committee members will serve as editorial board, communications officers, logistics team, programme organisers and take responsibility for organising workshops.
Our information evening was on 13 October. If you missed the presentation, you can see the slides here.
Get involved
The WRE couldn't be a success without the presentations from our student community. We support you throughout the process and enjoy celebrating together at the WRE Dinner!
- Submitting an abstract
We invite all students, from all disciplines and at all stages of your research, to submit an abstract of your current or planned work. WRE is a unique opportunity to:
- Practise Public Speaking: Present your findings in a supportive, multi-disciplinary environment.
- Gain Feedback: Receive constructive critique from Fellows and peers outside your field.
- Contribute to College Life: Showcase the incredible academic diversity of our community.
Abstract Length: Maximum 250 words.
Format: Please submit your abstract in PDF format, ensuring that it is suitable for a non-specialised audience, and clearly structured with an informative title. Do not include your name on the abstract so that it can be blind peer-reviewed.
Deadline: All abstracts must be submitted by 09:00 23 January 2026.
Please complete this form to submit your abstract. You will need to login with your @cam email address.
- Abstract writing support
To support you in submitting an abstract, we have prepared a pre-recorded workshop with guidance, tips, and best practice for crafting a compelling abstract - tailored to the WRE. We hope you will find it useful whether you are a seasoned researcher or a first-time presenter.
- Peer review panels
Would you like to be involved in the event but don’t want to present? We are recruiting Abstract Peer-Reviewers for the WRE 2026. These panels will take place in early February.
This is an invaluable opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research and play a crucial role in shaping programme for the event.
Benefits of Being a Peer-Reviewer:
- Academic Skills Development and CV Enhancement: Gain first hand experience in the peer-review process, a fundamental skill for academic and publishing careers.
- Research Evaluation: Sharpen your critical reading and research-evaluation skills by assessing submissions from diverse disciplines.
- Mentorship: Work closely alongside Wolfson Fellows and the WRE Committee in small panels to give you an insight into academic publishing processes.
Responsibilities of Reviewers:
- Evaluate Abstracts: Review assigned abstracts based on originality, significance, clarity, and overall quality of the research.
- Provide Constructive Feedback: Offer insightful and constructive feedback to help authors refine and improve their submissions.
- Recommendations: Make recommendations regarding the acceptance of abstracts for podium or poster presentations.
- Presentation Workshops
We will hold two further workshops to support our presenters, once abstracts have been accepted: one on public speaking and making impactful slides, and another on creating striking and effective posters.
