ECSC:Eastern Colleges Science Conference
Eastern Colleges
Science Conference
The Board of Directors of ECSC have accepted a bid from
Wilkes University to host the conference for 2025.
2025 Eastern College Science Conference
The Eastern Colleges Science Conference is the oldest, continuous, annual science conference for undergraduate students in the United States. It originated in 1947 and has occurred each year since then.
ECSC is The Eastern Colleges Science Conference, an association of primarily undergraduate colleges and universities. The main function of the organization is to stimulate interest in undergraduate research in the sciences and related fields and to provide a lively forum for the presentation of research papers.
ECSC provides a forum for undergraduate students in Science and Engineering to present their research. The annual conference occurs in late April or May. Students with their advisors may attend and students may present their research findings in platform or poster presentations as well as full length papers. In recent years, student awards have been given for presentations in each of the modes.
Beginning around November of the year before the meeting, guidelines for attending the meeting will be placed on this website as well as being available from the primary contact at the host institution. You are welcome to revisit the website from time to time to receive this information or write, phone or email the primary contact from the host institution.
ECSC does not have any formal membership. You are a member by simply attending a conference. The website is updated frequently. Materials will be added as soon as they are available.
For more details about these past conferences, please consult the Our History section.
History of the Eastern College Science Conference
The first Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) was organized in 1947 by an undergraduate student, Pauline Newman at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The aim then, as now, was to stimulate interest in undergraduate research in the sciences and related fields and to provide a lively forum for the presentation of research papers. Pauline Newman received her bachelor's degree in chemistry and went on to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry from Yale. Eventually, Dr. Newman became a federal judge in Washington D.C. About 22 schools attended the first conference, and the theme was "Science, Philosophy and Society.”
The constitution of the ECSC was ratified on April 24, 1948 at Union College in Schenectady NY, making the conference a self-sustaining body.
In 1972 the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) was named the repository for all official documents of the ECSC. At that time, Professor Stanley Shepherd was named the permanent secretary of ECSC. In 1980 Professor Shepherd stepped down and Professor Gerard O'Leary from Providence College was elected to the post.
In 1983 the ECSC was incorporated in Rhode Island and now operates with a Board of Directors, elected from faculty of the participating colleges and universities.
In 1986 Professor Gerard O'Leary stepped down, and Professor Edward Gabriel of Lycoming College was elected Chair of ECSC.
In 1995, Professor Lance S. Evans of Manhattan College was elected chair of the board.
In 2007, Dr. Michael Kotarski of Niagara University was elected to Chair of the Board of Directors, and in 2011 was succeeded by Dr. Donald Stearns of Wagner University. Dr. Stearns served until 2021 and Dr. Lance S. Evans of the New York Botanical Garden succeeded Dr. Stearns as Chair of the Board.
Interest has increased in the conference and over our 74-year history, 50 colleges and universities have attended this annual event. Over time the range of subject matter has also expanded and now covers computer science and behavioral and social sciences, as well as the original areas of biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and engineering.
Please review Our History to understand the full scope of the conference and if you are a first-time viewer, please review some of our recent conferences to understand how they work.
Please get yourself and your students involved.
Past Eastern College
Science Conferences
1947: Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
1948: Union College, Schenectady, NY
1949: Adelphi College, Garden City, NY
1950: Bernard College, New York, NY
1951: Yale University, New Haven, CT
1952: PA college for Women, Pittsburgh, PA
1953: N.Y. State Col. for Teachers, Albany, NY
1954: Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
1955: Seton Hall Univ.,, South Orange, NJ
1956: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
1957: Georgetown Univ., Washington, DC
1958: Wilkes College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
1959: Suffolk University, Boston, MA
1960: Hunter College, New York, NY
1961: SUNY College of Forestry, Syracuse, NY
1962: NC State College, Raleigh, NC
1963: Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
1964: Jersey City State College, Jersey City, NJ
1965: Danbury State College, Danbury, CT
1966: D.C. Teacher’s College, Washington, DC
1967: Fordham University, New York, NY
1968: Yale University, New Haven, CT
1969: Yale University, New Haven, CT
1970: Wilkes College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
1971: Rosary Hill College, Buffalo, NY
1972: U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY
1973: Pennsylvania State Univ., Univ. Park, PA
1974: Worcester Polytech. Inst., Worcester, MA
1975: Widener College, Chester, PA
1976: Rhode Island College, Providence, RI
1977: Fairleigh Dickenson Univ., Rutherford, NJ
1978: Union College, Schenectady, NY
1979: Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA
1980: SUNY at Cortland, Cortland, NY
1981: Jersey City State College, Jersey City, NJ
1982: Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA
1983: Wilkes College, Wilkes-Barre, PA
1984: Providence College, Providence, RI
1985: SUNY and Fredonia, Fredonia, NY
1986: Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
1987: Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA
1988: Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
1989: U.S. Military Acad., West Point, NY
1990: Manhattan College, New York, NY
1991: SUNY at Fredonia, Fredonia, NY
1992: U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
1993: Central CT State Univ., New Britain, CT
1994: Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
1995: Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
1996: Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA
1997: Central CT State Univ., New Britain, CT
1998: Niagara University, Lewiston, NY
1999: Sacred Hearth University, Fairfield, CT
2000: Wagner College, Staten Island, NY
2001: Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA
2002: Niagara University, Lewiston, NY
2003: Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
2004: Manhattan College, Bronx, NY
2005: Central CT State Univ., New Britain, CT
2006: St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA
2007: College of Mount St. Vincent, Bronx, NY
2008: Niagara University, Lewiston, NY
2009: Wagner College, Staten Island, NY
2010: Pace University, Pleasantville, NY
2011: Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
2012: William Paterson University, Wayne, NY
2013: Providence College, Providence, RI
2014: Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY
2015: Niagara University, Lewiston, NY
2016: Western NE Univ., Springfield, MA
2017: Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA
2018: Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY
2019: Manhattan College, Bronx, NY
2020: Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021: Virtual
2022: Iona College, New Rochelle, NY
2023: Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT
2024: Niagara University, Niagara, NY
Science is so Important!
Website updated 31 March 2025.