Student Posters Awards

The California Geographical Society invites students - undergraduate and graduate – to present an academic poster at our annual conference.  The CGS offers a serious and supportive environment for students to display and discuss their posters. A panel of geographers will judge all entries. Students entering posters in the competition must be present during the judging period (time will be listed in the final program) to be eligible for an award. Winners will be announced during the CGS Awards Banquet on Saturday night.  First author will be awarded the prize. All presenters must register by Thursday, April 10, 2025. 

Awards

Joe Beaton Professional Poster Awards

• One undergraduate and one graduate award ($100 for 1st place, with certificates for 2nd and 3rd place)

Poster Judging Criteria

1. Abstract: A succinct project overview, including purpose and methodology, should be clearly displayed on the poster (150 word limit).  Please submit abstract when registering for the conference. All abstracts will be published in The California Geographer.

2. Geographic Content and Analysis: A good poster presentation is clearly presented in logical sequence and includes an abstract, introduction, statement of purpose, results section, conclusion, and works cited section.

3. Graphics: Use of student-generated visual elements is encouraged, such as photos, diagrams, graphs, tables, or maps. If these elements are not created by the presenter, their sources should be clearly cited on the poster, wherever the elements occur and in the “Works Cited” section.

4. Design and Presentation: A good poster presentation is designed creatively with an appropriate balance between text and graphic content. The information should be presented with a clear visual hierarchy. Overall, the presentation should be both effective and aesthetic.

4. Check-in and Judging: Presenters will be assigned a time to present their work to the judges. Directions for displaying your poster will be listed in the conference program. Be prepared to give a 3-minute overview of your poster and to answer some questions about your work. Presenters in the poster competition will be required to remain at their poster until the judging process is complete.  Please, no faculty co-authors.

Entering the Competition

1. Register for the conference (required for all presenters). Please only select one category for your presentation when registering.  See www.calgeog.org for details.

2. Submit a title and abstract for your map when you register for the conference at www.calgeog.org/conferences

3. All student posters submitted by the deadline will be automatically entered into the competition.