OpenRiver: A Digital Repository for Southeast Minnesota

Winona State University (WSU) Research & Creative Achievement Day is Thursday, April 24, 2025 starting at 9:00am!  The full 2025 schedule will be available in April.

Instructions for each presentation method are listed in this guide. Instructions to upload your Poster PDF, Powerpoint presentation, or your Pre-recorded presentation are below. 

1. In-person poster presentations - Instructions for poster printing and how to submit your poster for the OpenRiver event schedule.

2. In-person oral presentations -  Instructions for your In-Person Oral Presentations are listed below. Please also submit your poster or powerpoint for your presentation following the instructions below.

3. Recorded presentations  - Instructions for recording a video. Instructions to upload your video (mp4 file) to OpenRiver. Remember you  can include your Powerpoint or poster (PDF), and the closed captions (CC) file for your video (if available - Kaltura automatically CCs videos).

4. Live Zoom Presentations - Coming soon.

1. CREATE a Poster

• The poster you create should showcase your research and list all researchers. 
• Past year's examples can be found in our 2024 poster examples, 2023 posters, and 2022 posters. Click on an individual presenter and scroll to find the poster.
  • First step: Set the size of your poster in Microsoft Powerpoint or other application.  The WSU Print Shop prints your poster at the exact size you set it to be. They do not resize files.  Note: The maximum size/area allowed for poster printing is 36" high by 48" wide. 
  • Last steps: Review the size of your poster. "Save as" your file as a PDF.
  • Remember the WSU Print Shop prints the poster PDF file exactly as you send it. Stop by the Print Shop with your laptop if you need help.

2. PRINT your poster

New this year! Student posters are now printed in the WSU Print Shop in Somsen 112, south hallway. This year WSU is covering the cost of your printed paper poster (lamination is extra at your cost). 

• Submit your poster via EMAIL by Thursday, April 17, 2025.  Your poster must be correctly sized and in a PDF format.
• Email your poster to: 
• Pick up your poster: at the WSU Print Shop in Somsen Hall 1st floor. 
• For more information about poster printing see: TBD

Note: You must submit your poster for printing by Thursday, April 18, 2025. Your poster will not be printed in time for the RCA Day if sent after this date.

3. SUBMIT your digital poster file for the Online Schedule by Friday, April 19, 2025.

• Use this Email to send a copy of your poster file for inclusion in the OpenRiver online event schedule.

Recorded Video Option (Note: you will need to upload your recorded video file to OpenRiver)

1. Record your video with Kaltura (recommended). Other recording options are acceptable. You will need to record your video and then go to step 

• Recording with Kaltura

If you prefer Zoom, so note that the quality may not be as good a a Kaltura recording.

• Zoom recording instructions

2. Edit and download your Closed Caption file. Edit > choose Captions > Review captions > Select SAVE button if you have made edits.

• Download the .SRT file. This can be added as a "supplemental file" during the video file upload process. Or you can email it to refdesk@winona.edu and we will upload it for you. the Closed Captions .srt file enables us to provide better accessibility to your presentation.

3. Download the video file of your recording to your laptop (mp4 file preferred).

4. Upload to OpenRiver - Create a free account and upload your video file to the Research and Creative Achievement Day 2025 site.

1.  To upload your video file go to the below section titled Upload to OpenRiver in the next box.
2. Or share your video, by setting Klarson@winona.edu as a contributor in Kaltura/MediaSpace.
   If you share your video make sure to email Kendall Larson klarson@winona.edu to let her know you want her to upload the file into OpenRiver.

Note: The RCA Day committee will play your videos, during  RCA Day in one of the Oak Rooms. Thank you for participating in RCA Day.

Pre-Recorded videos need to be uploaded to OpenRiver. To upload your video file to the Research and Creative Achievement Day 2025 follow these steps:

1. Go to the Research and Creative Achievement Day 2025 homepage.
2. Create an account. Look for the "My Account" link in the upper grey horizontal navigation bar.
   
   
    
3. Login to OpenRiver.  STEP 4 is essential, please read it carefully.
4. After you are logged in, navigate to the site Research and Creative Achievement Day 2025.  Look for the button to "Submit Video File." This should bring you to the entry form to submit your Recorded presentation video and upload it into OpenRiver. 
5. Next you will enter in the title of your research, abstract, all author's first and last names, and additional descriptive information. 
6. Once all information is entered and you have chosen your mp4 video file to upload. Select the Submit button. Only click it once.
   Make sure to keep this webpage open until you receive a successful submission message. This may take a few minutes for a Poster PDF and longer for a recorded MP4 video file.
   Note: If you have chosen the option to upload "Additional Files" you will receive a prompt to do so after the primary file has been uploaded. Ideally you will download the closed caption file that MediaSpace creates for your video. This can be uploaded as an "additional files." A powerpoint or other document can also be uploaded as this additional file. If you select "additional files" make sure to walk through these extra steps after your video file was uploaded. This will complete the process.
7. Ideally if you can upload all your descriptive information and files (video and/or poster) posted by Friday, April 18, 2025 this helps us create the official online schedule.
   
   NOTE: Your video will not be immediately available online. We check to to make sure each submission is in our list of students and then we make it available for online viewing.  Congratulations and thank you for participating in WSU's RCA Day.

Please email Kendall Larson klarson@winona.edu with questions or for assistance.

Best Practices for Presenting: 

• Prepare your laptop for your presentation:
  • Install AirTame on your laptop. Please do this the week before or a few days before and test it out. You can stop by the TSC (Tech Support Center) in Somsen 207 or the DLC (Digital Learning Commons) in Krueger Library for install assistance.
  • If you are using your laptop for your oral presentation, make sure to charge it the evening before RCA Day. And second, save any files you need directly to your laptop, such as a powerpoint presentation. Have a back up on a external storage device.
    • Prepare your laptop for visibility - this means your laptop, desktop and items you have open will be visible by many people.
• Before leaving home, double check to make sure you have all items you need, such as your notes, laptop, USB drive, poster, and/or any other relevant items before leaving. Arrive 20 minutes before the start of your session.
• Check in at the check in table.
• Before your oral presentation:
  • If you are using your laptop, make sure your laptop is charged and all files are ready for use.
  • Exit any programs that are open on your laptop that you will not use in your presentation.
  • Shut off any devices which may interfere with your focus or presentation.
  • Start Airtame and connect to the display.
• Each student has a total of 20 minutes for their oral presentations (15 minutes) and Question & Answer (5 minutes).
• Have fun and share your work!

Note: Prepare ahead and install AirTame before RCA Day.

Steps to make sure presenters are logged into Zoom correctly for presenting: 

• Use the Zoom desktop application.  If you do not have this installed, go to http://zoom.us/download to install it. 
• If you have Zoom desktop already installed, make sure you are up to date:  https://learn.winona.edu/wiki/Update_your_Zoom_client
• Sign in with Single Sign On (SSO), this option is in the second column.  For full instructions:  https://learn.winona.edu/wiki/Sign_in_to_Zoom_using_your_StarID 
• 

Best Practices for Presenting: 

• During your poster session make sure you are signed out of Microsoft Outlook (it dings when you get mail) or other email programs. 
• Sign out of other programs and close other web browser windows. Remember when you share your screen others may see what’s on your screen or save on your desktop. 
• Have the poster PDF or Powerpoint saved to your local hard drive and share from there.  It is best not to share documents stored on the network to eliminate potential problems. 
• Share the application Powerpoint or PDF of the poster only.  sharing an application or screen in Zoom 
• Practice sharing your screen before your presentation time.
• Make sure to charge your laptop overnight.  
• Shut off any devices which may interfere with your wireless or internet connectivity. 
• Use headphones to eliminate background noise. 
• Learn more about Breakout rooms

Inappropriate attendees:

• Can notify the faculty hosts via Private Message Chat if you need assistance. 
• You can leave the breakout room.

The Zoom link will be shared via the Research and Creative Achievement Day 2025  on Thursday, April 24, 2025. We will also share it with student presenters via a direct email. 

1. You will present your presentation and/or poster in a Zoom breakout room. Be ready to share your poster PDF file with attendees in your breakout room. 

• Learn how to Zoom Share your PDF poster during your presentation.
• All You Need to Know about Zoom Breakout Rooms

RCA Day schedule questions: Contact Tom Nalli

Poster printing questions: Contact the WSU Print Shop in Somsen, 112. 

OpenRiver questions: Contact Kendall Larson.