ECSC:Eastern Colleges Science Conference


2023 Eastern Colleges
Science Conference

The Eastern Colleges Science Conference for 2023 will occur at
Sacred Heart University of Fairfield, Connecticut on April 01, 2023.
This early posting may allow participants to plan ahead.

The deadline for online registrations, abstract submission, and submitting full-length manuscripts is Friday, 24 February 2023.
Instructions for submission of full-length manuscripts are given on the website under Judging.

The deadline for submission of travel grant applications has been extended to 07 February 2023 at midnight. All reasonable requests will be granted. Funds for the reduction of registration fees and banquet fees will be favored. Please see the guidelines under the Travel Grant section of the website.


Eastern Colleges Science Conference | Sacred Heart University


Please click the link below for more details as they become available.


2023 Eastern College Science Conference


2024 Eastern College Science Conference


2025 Eastern College Science Conference


The faculty at Wilkes University have submitted a tentative bid for ECSC 2025.
Wilkes has hosted excellent conferences for ECSC in the past.
We look forward to returning to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.



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 Archives section.


History of the Eastern College Science Conference

The first Eastern Colleges Science Conference (ECSC) was organized in 1947 by undergraduate 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. 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 was named the repository for all official documents of the ECSC. 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.


Website updated 15 Jan 2023.

Year Location Platform Presentations Poster Presentations Full Length Papers Participating Institutions
2022 Iona College 15 98 7 24
2021 Virtual 26 46 6 22
2020 Sacred Heart University Cancelled Due To COVID-19
2019 Manhattan College 50 146 20 22
2018 Ithaca College 49 137 14 17
2017 Wilkes University 41 96 18 21
2016 Western New England University 54 128 21 22
2015 Niagara University 33 87 18 14
2014 Marist College 69 110 23 14
2013 Providence College 40 117 18 11
2012 William Paterson University 53 131 11 13
2011 Sacred Heart University 39 102 11 18
2010 Pace University 59 148 10 13
2009 Wagner College 51 118 13 22
2008 Niagara University 39 68 18 16