Research Symposium Contest

Present your research in San Antonio!

The National Research Symposium Contest develops the ability of students to construct research and competitively present those research findings through oral and poster presentations to judges at the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Annual Meetings.

ABSTRACTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY JULY 9.

Curious as to how your submission will be scored? View the Oral and Poster scorecards used in the 2023 competition.

I’m just interested in… Abstract Submission - Oral Judging - Poster Judging - Contact - (Click to jump to a section)

2024 Contest Guidelines

Purpose

This symposium gives students an outlet to develop research and competitively present research findings to judges and an interested audience at the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meetings.

Awards and Recognition

Cash awards will be provided to the top three winners in each oral session. For the poster contest, the top poster in each category will win an award. The oral contest may have one or two sessions, and the poster contest may have three to six categories. Winners will also be recognized at the SASES Awards Dinner.

Eligibility

Any undergraduate student or individual who performed research as an undergraduate is eligible. Symposium presentation can occur up to a semester past a student’s respective graduation date.

1. Each author should select an appropriate research subject and title. Authors are encouraged to consult with their advisor or second author when choosing topics. Each paper shall have a second author listed on the abstract. Second authors may be an ASA, CSSA, or SSA member or academic advisor (membership not required for advisor). To become a member, sign up online.
2. Paper submission must be original work by the contestant, meet all deadlines, and follow appropriate guidelines for both Certification Sheet and Abstract.
3. Students submitting abstracts must hold active membership in the Societies and pay the $50 fee for each abstract submitted. Membership status will be verified.
4. Using another person’s membership number to submit an abstract will result in disqualification from any prizes.
5. Students can give an oral presentation, present a poster, or both, provided the research topics are different. However, no student can present more than one volunteered paper in the oral and poster presentations regardless of the number of papers on which the person appears as an author.

Submission

Submission of Abstract

1. Submit abstract online.
2. Submit abstract in the Undergraduate Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Sciences (SASES) program.
3. Select either National Student Research Symposium Poster Contest or National Student Research Symposium Oral Contest to submit the abstract.
4. Abstract must be submitted by the student member.
5. Abstract fee is $50, and all abstracts are DUE by July 9.
6. Abstract submission is an official entry into contest.
7. You will be able to edit your abstract until November 10.

Your abstract is not submitted until you receive an email from Conference Exchange (Confex) with abstract number and password. This email will acknowledge the successful registration.

Keep ALL email receipts, as they are the only proof of a successful submission.

Withdrawal of Submission

Please notify the contest Chair by e-mail.

Additional instructions on withdrawing your paper will be included in the email you receive upon abstract submission.

Judging

Oral Presentations

1. Oral papers will be presented on Monday afternoon of Annual Meeting
2. Presenters are allotted a 10-minute maximum for delivery, plus 3 minutes of questions from the judges and audience (fellow school members are excluded).
3. Participants will be judged on presentation and question answers. Papers will be scored according to the official rubric by three or more judges.
4. Judges will meet immediately after presentations to complete scoring. This will take 15 minutes.
5. Each judge shall tabulate scores and indicate choice of first, second, and third place. The faculty chair of the Research Symposium Contest shall tabulate all judging scores and determine the top three placements.
6. Judges are appointed by the faculty chair of the Research Symposium Contest Committee.
7. Overtime penalty is 5 points for exceeding 10 minutes, plus 5 points for each additional 30 seconds over. Undertime penalty is 2 points for being under 9 minutes, plus 2 points for each additional 30 seconds under.

Poster Presentations

1. Posters will be displayed all of Monday during the Annual Meeting
2. Authors are expected to be present for three hours on Tuesday morning, as indicated in meeting program, to explain data and answer questions.
3. Adhere carefully to poster dimensions and equipment specifications listed above. Failure to do so could prevent display of your poster.
4. Posters will be scored by at least three judges using the official rubric.
5. Judges will be given up to 5 minutes to observe posters and ask questions. Presenters need to be prepared to concisely highlight the research topic, objectives, and results. Presenters are advised to design their poster as an “illustrated abstract” and not as an “illustrated manuscript”—that is, short and sweet!
6. Judges shall be appointed well in advance of the contest by the faculty chair of the Research Symposium Contest Committee.
7. At conclusion of judging, each judge shall tabulate scores and indicate choices for first, second and third place. The faculty chair of the Research Symposium Contest shall tabulate all judging scores and determine the top three placings.

Research Symposium Poster Example - 2017

Contact

Oral Contest Chair

Angela Ebeling | Send Message

Poster Contest Chair

Samuel Kwakye | Send Message

ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Contact

Send Message

Congratulations to the 2024 Oral Winners!

Samantha Jackson California State University-Chico- Performances of Newly Selected Fava Bean Lines in Cover Crop Mixes in Northern California.

Nutrient Management Poster Contest Winners

Sarah Costanzo University of California, Davis - Evaluating the Effects of Agricultural Soil Amendments on Soil-Water Dynamics

Crop Science Poster Winner

Kinsey Tieman Western Illinois University Agronomy Club- Planting Soybean Green: Effect of Termination Time and Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybean Yield and Weed Growth

Soils & Soil Quality Poster Contest Winners

Grace Bodine Texas A&M University- Macroaggregate Stability Not Affected By Short-Term Soil Health Management Practices in South-Central Texas Row Cropping System

Oral Contest Session I

1st Place: Steven Mai, Auburn University
2nd Place: Damon LeMaster, West Virginia University
3rd Place TIE!: Katherine Atkins, University of Texas-Arlington and Fiona Todd, University of Minnesota

Oral Contest Session II

1st Place: Cassandra Stachler, Ohio State University
2nd Place: Amy Skelton, Texas A&M University
3rd Place: Racquel Gorden, University of Central Missouri

Congratulations to the 2024 Poster Winners!

Poster Contest Session I

1st Place: Kathryn Young, Brigham Young University
2nd Place: Marina Ferandini Vallada Guadagnucci, Iowa State University
3rd Place: Taylor Smith, Texas Tech University

Poster Contest Session II

1st Place: Alex Rodriguez, Cal State University-Monterey Bay
2nd Place: William Ubben, Virginia Tech University
3rd Place: Molly Kane, Kansas State University

Poster Contest Session III

1st Place: Elayna Stirn, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
2nd Place: Ryan Gibson, Texas A&M University
3rd Place: Austin Meade, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Poster Contest Session IV

1st Place: João Victor Colla Ferro, Oklahoma State University
2nd Place: Kaitlin Campbell, University of Missouri
3rd Place: Jnnea Nobal, Western Illinois University

Poster Contest Session V

1st Place: Aidan Bobholz, Iowa State University and Bryce Himmelberg, University of Missouri
2nd Place: Kendall Hays, Oklahoma State University
3rd Place: Mattie Pettus, Oklahoma State University