Waterborne Student Poster Session
February 27, 2025 New Orleans, LA

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Submit poster abstracts to Hannele H. Stevens (hannele.heusser@usm.edu) by Friday, Nov 15, 2024. Posters must be original (not previously presented).

Abstract Guidelines

Submit your abstract as a Word Document. All abstracts must include:

  • Presenter’s Name (Underlined) and the Names of any Co-authors

  • The name of your Faculty Advisor

  • Designation of Graduate or Undergraduate Student

  • Poster Title

  • Abstract (Graphics Are Not Allowed in the Abstract)

  • Students must register themselves prior to the symposium.

  • The Poster size is 36” by 48”

Information for Poster Presentations

Preparing for THe POSTER PRESENTATION

Please submit posters for printing no later than Friday, January 31, 2025. Poster charges are currently $50 per poster (36 x 48).  Charges cover paper, ink, and other printer supplies. 

  • Regardless of the poster format you decide to use, your poster should be 36” high and 48” wide.

  • If you choose to use the poster template, you can change the width of the three panels somewhat but should refrain from filling the panels with too much text. You can also customize the background colors, add illustrations that emphasize/are relevant to your research topic, and otherwise personalize your poster (see poster examples below).

  • Use font sizes as large as the ones in the template to ensure that your poster is legible from three feet away.

  • Concentrate on the main points only and avoid discipline-specific jargon that a reader outside your research area may not understand. Provide only important information that will pique the reader’s interest and lead to a lively discussion about your project.

  • Acknowledge financial support (e.g., DCUR grant, Honors College grant, mentor’s grant) if applicable.

  • Ask your mentor for advice and solicit their constructive criticism. Your mentor will be able to guide you about main points to make, appropriate language to use, poster design, etc.

  • A week before the symposium, convert your poster file to pdf format for printing (additional printing instructions coming).

  • Send the file in PDF format to hannele.heusser@usm.edu

  • Practice guiding readers through your poster in 1-2 minutes. Ask your mentor and/or friends to be the audience and request their feedback about clarity, flow, speed, etc. of your presentation; you want to have an effective discourse with the judges. The Southern Miss Speaking Center can also help with your presentation.

Information for the Graduate Student Lightning Round Poster Oral Presentations

  1. Prepare a presentation that is 5 minutes long. Be prepared to answer a few questions from the audience immediately following your talk.

  2. Concentrate on the main points. You will not have time for details that the audience may not be able to appreciate, anyway! You may not be able to present your entire project.

  3. Avoid as much as possible discipline-specific jargon that few, if anyone in the audience will understand and make them lose interest in your presentation. Be sure to define any key terms.

  4. Ask your mentor for advice and solicit constructive criticism. Your mentor will be able to guide you with respect to logical flow and transitions between arguments or main points, appropriateness of conclusions drawn and of language used, etc. in your presentation.

  5. Practice your presentation several times, preferably in front of a friendly audience (e.g. friends, relatives, especially your mentor) and obtain feedback about clarity, flow, speed, etc. The Southern Miss Speaking Center can help you develop an effective presentation.

  6. Time yourself so that your talk is not too long or too short. If you are using slides, the rule of thumb is no more than one slide per minute.

  7. Do not leave the session immediately after your talk. As a courtesy to the other presenters, please take a seat and listen to the remaining presentations in your session.

  8. You MUST have at least one PowerPoint slide with your name and the title of your presentation. Please do not try to fit too much information on a single slide. Maximum slide count is 3 slides. Your slides should guide the audience through the main points of your presentation.

  9. Consult one of these resources to assemble an effective PowerPoint presentation:

    Long (> 20 min), very informative video

    Short (approx. 4 min), very funny video by comedian

    How Not to Give a Presentation by Richard Smith

    Ten Simple Rules for Effective Presentation Slides by Kristen M. Naegle

    Ten Simple Rules for Making Good Oral Presentations by P.E. BourneDress professionally for your presentation.

  10. Please consult this Guide to Professional Dress Codes. Business casual, academic casual, or academic formal attire is appropriate.

On the Day of the Waterborne Student Poster Session

  • Dress professionally for your presentation. Please consult this guide to professional dress codes. Business casual, academic casual, or academic formal attire is appropriate.

  • At the session, stand by your poster during the entire poster session, even if you think the judges have completed their evaluations. Look at the neighboring presenters’ posters and discuss their work with them, even if their research does not fall within your discipline.

  • Enjoy the experience! Waterborne offers a friendly, supportive environment for your professional academic presentation that will help you gain confidence for future presentations in your field.

Example Poster

Morgan Research Group, Southern Miss Polymer Science and Engineering

Do I have to register if I submit, or is that automatically done?

Everyone needs to register by the posted deadline so that we know who will be attending the Waterborne Symposium and the student lunch. The registration portal opens November 1, 2022.

Further information on registering will be sent via email once registration is open.