Showcase of Scholarship

Showcase participants must prepare a poster for the *in-person competition. Students must be available for the entire hour they are registered to be judged and discuss their work with attendees at the Showcase. We encourage all students to be available during the Showcase event to share their research/creative work and its impact.

Students should plan to present their work in a way that is accessible to diverse audiences and, in jargon-free language, explain its importance and relevance. Students should make their presentations appropriate for undergraduates, journalists, community members, area business owners, representatives from boards and foundations, state legislators, or neighbors down the street. Students should consider their audience and the best way to communicate their research/creative work and its impact when creating presentations.

Judges circulate throughout the event and evaluate presentations. All participants should plan to present for 7-9 minutes and allow 3-5 minutes for judges to ask questions and discuss their project. Participants will have up to 12 minutes to present and discuss their work with the judges.

Participants are strongly discouraged from “reading” a paper/poster and must engage with the audience, so students must communicate their research to the judges in a verbal presentation.  The poster should represent the main points or serve as visual cues for the presentation.

Winners for each category will be awarded at the end of the event, around 3:15 pm.

The competition is free and open to the public. Community partners and area employers are encouraged to come and engage with the students.

When registering, students will:

• Provide their information and program of study—one submission per student and one student per submission.
• Enter their title (150 characters or less), coauthor(s), and UNCG faculty mentor information. The
  faculty mentor will be contacted to authorize participation in the Showcase.
• Select the area in which their work should be considered:
  • Arts & Humanities
  • Health Sciences
  • Natural Sciences
  • Physical & Mathematical Sciences
  • Social Sciences, Education, & Business
• Select the best option (one) that describes the impact their scholarship makes:
  • Advancement
  • Aesthetics
  • Communication
  • Community Engagement
  • Cultural
  • Economic
  • Educational
  • Environmental
  • Health and/or Safety
  • Innovation
  • Judicial
  • Scholarly
  • Social
  • Societal
  • Technological
• Abstract (200 words or fewer)
  Provide a nontechnical explanation for the Showcase website that specifically addresses the
  following:
  • What question is being answered, or what issue is being addressed?
  • Why does the scholarship matter?
  • Why should people care about it?
  • Where does this work fit into the ongoing conversation on this topic?

Students who know or suspect that they may have some intellectual property that needs assessment for patent or copyright significance must contact their faculty advisor before submitting for Showcase.

In addition, research conducted under sponsored agreements may include clauses restricting publication or raising ownership implications. Students should check with their faculty advisor or the Office of Research and Engagement for information.

Please Note: We will automatically accept the first 95 entries, pending confirmation from their Faculty Mentor. After 95 registrants, students will be placed on a waiting list and notified of their participation status within 1 week of registration closing.

• Size of the poster is 36″ H (top to bottom) by 48″ W (side to side).
• We have partnered with the Department of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability as a poster
  printing source.
  • Submit PDF formatted poster to  Jim Nelson by emailing janelson@uncg.edu.
  • PDF must be sized to 36” H x 48” W at submission
  • Printing deadline: Friday, April 3, NOON.
  • Cost: $20
• Students may choose to have their poster printed through alternative means, but it will probably cost considerably more.

• Clarity of Communication to a Non-Specialized Audience
  • Students should provide information in a way that people outside the field can understand
• Effective Presentation Skills
• Content Knowledge and Creativity
• Organization
• Originality
• Ability to explain the importance of the work (e.g., economic impact, societal impact, scholarly impact). Students should think about:

• What question is being answered, or what issue is being addressed?
• Why does the scholarship matter?
• Why should people care about it?
• Where does this work fit into the ongoing conversation on this topic?

Judges circulate throughout the event and evaluate presentations in each venue. Students must be available for the entire hour they are registered to present. Following the competition, a winner is selected from each category. With $6,000 to be awarded, it’s a great student opportunity!

The Graduate School reserves the right to modify categories to promote equity and facilitate judging. Submissions are limited to one per student and one student per submission.

Winners from the competition may also participate in May at the State Legislature’s Graduate Education Day in Raleigh.

*These awards are not given as cash; they will be posted to each student’s account and may impact financial aid. Students are encouraged to check with that office for details. Students with a current balance due will see the award pay that balance first; any remaining funds will be issued as a refund check.

The Communication Lab

Want help designing a presentation? The Communication Lab can assist with the effectiveness of a production and provide feedback on successfully reaching an audience. The Lab consultants are professionally trained to help create stronger, rhetorically and aesthetically compelling projects. By engaging in one-on-one conversations, the focus is on shared knowledge and expertise. Go online to schedule a 30-minute or 1-hour appointment today! For more information, visit their website or email: Commlab@uncg.edu

The Digital Media Commons

The Digital Media Commons can help students with their technology needs! Visit online for assistance with questions about multimedia technology. Students can also make an appointment with staff if they have questions concerning images that can be used in presentations or if they are new to creating such presentations. For more information, visit: library.uncg.edu/spaces/dmc/ or email: libdmc@uncg.edu

Schedule of Events
8:00  – 12:00 Room Setup
12:00 – 1:00 Poster Placement (36″ H X 48″ W)
Brief Opening Remarks
1:00 – 2:00 Poster Presentations – 1st Judging Session
2:00 – 3:00 Poster Presentations – 2nd Judging Session
3:15 – 3:30 Awards
3:30 – 4:30 Poster Pick Up & Clean Up

Participant Guidelines