The iBEST Trainee Poster Competition, open to all registered trainees, is a unique opportunity to showcase your research and connect with fellow trainees. Five winning posters will be selected during the Poster Presentation segment of the Symposium.

Cash Prizes

Cash prizes of $220 each will be awarded to the top five (5) poster presentations at the judges’ discretion.

Poster Format and Requirements

• Each poster competition participant will be responsible for printing their poster and bringing it to the Symposium event.
• Each poster competition participant will be assigned a poster stand to display their research poster.
• The poster stand can accommodate posters sized 36” x 72” (3’ x 6’). 
• Posters must include a title and full author list.

At the Event

• Official judges will evaluate the posters during the Symposium lunch break (11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.). At that time, Trainees are expected to be at their posters to give the judges a summary presentation of their posters.

Additional Opportunity: In-Person Oral Presentation

New this year:

Five Trainees will be pre-selected to do an in-person 3-minute oral presentation of their poster at the Symposium’s Researcher and Trainee Presentations Session, Thursday, May 30, 2024, 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.*

Eligibility and Requirements

• Only Trainees participating in the Poster Competition are eligible to be selected for the oral presentation session.
• The 3-slide presentation and the 300-word abstract from your Poster Competition submission will be used to select the Trainees who will participate in the oral presentation.

Registration/Submission Deadline

The registration and slide presentation submission deadline is Friday, May 17, 2024, 5:00 p.m. (EDT).

Apply using the Trainee Poster Competition Registration Form.

*Trainees selected to participate in the oral presentations will be notified by Thursday, May 23, 2024, and provided further guidance before the day of the event.

Guidelines/Criteria for Evaluating Posters

Posters will be judged based on the following criteria:

(1) Overall Visual:

1. 1. Are the components of the poster balanced and legible across the space?
   2. Do the findings support the conclusions?

(2) Overall Oral:

1. 1.  Did the presenter sufficiently explain the poster and answer questions?
   2. Did the presenter speak clearly and distinctly and show enthusiasm about their topic?

(3) Overall Impact:

1. 1. Does this research have the potential to make a novel contribution to the field?
   2. Does the presenter understand the importance of this potential contribution?
   3. Does the presenter indicate they understand how this research fits into the overall field?

Scoring Criteria:

Oral Presentation Selection Criteria

Trainees will be selected for oral presentations based on the following criteria in advance of the iBEST Symposium:

(1) Clarity and Organization of Presentation

1. 1. Is the abstract well-written and clear, and does it accurately summarize the key aspects of the research?
   2. Is the 3-slide presentation logically organized, with a clear introduction, research methodology/results and conclusion?
   3. Are the visuals, graphs and other materials used in the presentation clear and relevant, and do they enhance the understanding of the research?

(2) Research Quality and Rigor

1. 1. Are the research design and methodology appropriate and well-explained?
   2. Is the data collection and analysis rigorous and suitable for the research questions/hypotheses?
   3. Are the conclusions drawn from the research supported by the data and analysis?

(3) Impact and Application

1. 1. Does the research have the potential to significantly impact the field or society or address a pressing challenge?
   2. Are there clear applications or implications of the research findings for practice, policy or further research?

Scoring Criteria: