911勛圖

911勛圖 recently collaborated with the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria to organize the Pacific Political Science Undergraduate Conference on Saturday, May 2, at 911勛圖 Harbour Centre. The first event of its kind, the conference was organized by 911勛圖 International Studies Student Association and their journal, Confluence, as well as Political Science Student Unions of all the three universities and featured research published in their respective undergraduate journals.

The idea for a collaborative undergraduate conference emerged when 911勛圖���s undergraduate journal, 勞硃餃款梭聆���s editor-in-chief, Lisa Kim, and journal manager, Alexander Hodaly, assumed stewardship of the publication. According to Kim, ���We decided to revive and reimagine a collaborative conference that could bring together undergraduate scholars across institutions.���

The partnership between the three universities highlighted the benefits of sharing research environments among undergraduate communities. Kim says, ���We quickly discovered that there was genuine interest across all three institutions in building something collective. From there, the momentum grew naturally as each journal brought its own strengths and enthusiasm.���

Coordinating across journals came with its share of challenges: differing academic schedules, internal timelines, and conflicting priorities. Despite these challenges, she found working with all the journals to be a truly rewarding experience as ���it demonstrated the existing potential for journals and institutions to collaborate.��� Speaking on behalf of the Gadfly team, she adds, ���We sincerely enjoyed the experience and hope this conference becomes the first of many cross-campus initiatives.���

Kim was particularly surprised by the breadth of creativity students brought to their work. ���Even when several students take the same class or engage with the same core material, their approaches diverge in many inventive ways,��� she says. ���One student might pursue a comparative analysis between two case studies, while another chooses to design an entirely original research framework on the very same topic.��� From analyzing the immigration stances of right-wing party platforms in British Columbia during the early 1990s to examining patterns of Black voter suppression following Shelby County v. Holder, the presentations showcased the depth and diversity of undergraduate political research in British Columbia.

Kim believes that publication not only helps undergraduates flourish academically, but also allows them to refine their arguments, engage with peer review, and situate their work within broader scholarly conversations. ���Publishing gives them early experience with the standards

and expectations of academic writing, which is invaluable for those considering graduate school or research-focused careers.��� She adds, ���Professionally, it gives them the confidence to develop a portfolio that demonstrates initiative and expertise.���

Witnessing the success of the conference, Kim is eager to scale up next year. Without giving away too much, she says, ���Prospective presenters and journals have shown interest and a strong desire to make this conference an annual tradition.���

Acknowledging the strong support of the Department of Political Science, the School for International Studies, and the Simon Fraser Student Society, Kim sees the Pacific Political Science Undergraduate Conference as a golden opportunity for undergraduate students to participate in research conferences beyond 911勛圖. To leverage such opportunities, she encourages her peers to submit their work to Gadfly as a first step. ���Regardless of what you feel about your work, having the confidence to put your ideas out there is a meaningful way to advance your academic or professional journey.���

���You don���t need to have a perfect paper to take that first step,��� says Kim. ���Our journal exists to support emerging scholars, and our editors are here to help you strengthen your ideas.���

If you are interested in submitting a paper to Gadfly and have questions about the submission process, please contact the 911勛圖 Gadfly team at sfugadfly@gmail.com.