12th Annual Poster Competition
Spring 2026
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST
Location: Student Union Ballroom
Submission Deadline: February 24, 2026
To participate, volunteer, or attend the workshop, click here.
Download Research Poster Template
General Structure of the Competition
The competition consists of two rounds:
First Round
- Students compete within their departments.
- Judged by a faculty member from another department or an affiliated industry professional.
Second Round
- Winners from each department compete against each other for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
- Judged by industry professionals.
Competition Format
- Each participant will have 3 minutes to present their research poster.
- Judges will have 2 minutes for follow-up questions.
Judging Criteria
- Visual presentation and organization of the poster
- Clarity and effectiveness of research communication
- Ability to explain research to a broad audience
Poster Requirements
- Dimensions: 24" width x 36" height
- File format: PDF only
- Posters must follow the required dimensions.
- Note: Posters not submitted in the correct size will lose points.
Why Participate?
- Gain valuable experience creating and presenting research posters
- Strengthen professional communication skills
- Network with students, faculty, and industry professionals
- Compete for cash prizes
Awards
- 1st Place: $1000
- 2nd Place: $500
- 3rd Place: $250
- Department Winners: $50
- People’s Choice Award: $50
Eligibility
Open to UConn College of Engineering master’s and PhD students only.
Poster Printing Procedure
- Create your poster using your department’s template.
- Size must be exactly 24” wide x 36” high.
- Save the final file as a PDF.
- Name your file using the format:
DepartmentName_FirstLast.pdf
Example: CBE_AidaGhiaei.pdf
- Follow submission and printing instructions on the ETS website
