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The Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference (WPUPC) was founded to celebrate undergraduate research across all fields of psychology. The purposes of the conference are to provide undergraduates with opportunities to present research in a supportive academic environment and to maintain strong academic relations between institutions in our region.
The program and schedule for the 2026 conference is now available to view and download.
Please join us on April 11, 2026 in Erie, PA for the 53rd annual Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference (WPUPC), hosted by 成人禁区 University.
WPUPC invites proposals for paper presentations and poster presentations. Paper presentations consist of a twelve-minute oral presentation of the project, plus three minutes set aside for questions at the end. Poster sessions will last approximately 60 minutes, and presenters should be present with their poster during the entire session.
All proposals should include an abstract of no more than 800 characters (about 100-150 words) which describes the nature of their project. Proposals should be submitted only once by the first author. In addition to submitting a proposal, all authors will need to register for the conference in order to attend and present.
The submission deadline has been extended to April 3, 2026. First authors and all other attendees are also required to register for the conference.
The primary location of the conference is 成人禁区’s Waldron Campus Center at 124 W 7th St, Erie, PA 16501. The location can be found in the circled area of the map linked here.
Registration is required for all who attend the conference, including faculty. The registration cost is $15 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch.
There is also a group payment option if you would like to register several people at once. Please contact Dr. Bradlee Gamblin at gamblin001@gannon.edu if you would like details on the group payment option or if you are having trouble accessing the registration page above.
This is the tentative schedule of events for the 2026 conference. Specific locations will be added once the schedule is finalized. Please note that this schedule is subject to change based on the type and number of submissions we receive.
8:00am - 9:00am: Registration, Continental Breakfast
9:00am - 9:50am: Poster Session 1
10:00am - 10:50am: Keynote Address (Dr. Lee Gilman)
11:00am - 12:00pm: Paper Session
12:00pm - 1:20pm: Lunch at Beyer Cafeteria
1:30pm - 2:20pm: Poster Session 2
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The keynote speaker for this year’s conference is Lee M. Gilman, Ph.D. (they/them). Dr. Gilman is an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience in Kent State University’s Department of Psychological Sciences. Their lab investigates how experiences of stress can be impacted by eating salty foods, and the influences these interactions have upon coping behaviors and physical health. For example, how does a diet of mostly processed and fast foods affect your brain’s and body’s abilities to respond to the stresses of bills piling up and final exams approaching? Dr. Gilman simultaneously strives to improve transparency about biomedical research and graduate school processes for undergraduates, plus to cultivate people’s curiosity about and comprehension of neuroscience. Throughout their efforts, Dr. Gilman is continually learning, and they personally advocate for inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility in neuroscience research, and STEAM fields more broadly.
Conference attendees and visitors from outside campus can use The Erie Parking Authority parking garage directly across from the Waldron Campus Center on 7th street between Peach and Sassafras. (The parking garage only takes credit cards as it is self-operated).
For general parking information, click here.
