A. Eligibility
- Any currently enrolled University of Georgia (UGA) MS or PhD student at the time of the competition whose research focuses on crop protection as it relates to precision agriculture, data science, artificial intelligence, etc., regardless of degree program, and who is registered to attend the AI in Crop Protection Symposium, is eligible to compete in the contest.
- Only the student designated as the presenting or lead author of the research project is permitted to participate in the competition.
- Only one poster is allowed to be presented by a student as the presenting or lead author, but the student may be on additional posters as a co-author.
B. Rules and Procedures
- A Google or online form will be provided for contestants to submit their poster title and an abstract (approximately 250 words) for the competition. Both the poster title and abstract must be submitted by the deadline (September 4 at 12:00 PM noon). Contestants who fail to submit both items by the deadline will not be eligible to compete.
- Posters must not exceed 48 × 36 inches, regardless of orientation (portrait or landscape). Posters larger than these dimensions may be disqualified from judging. All posters must present original research conducted by the presenting student.
- Posters must be set up before 12:00 PM noon on September 24 and taken down by the evening after the symposium. Posters left behind may be discarded.
- ● Posters must be mounted using the approved materials (e.g., clips or push pins provided by the organizers). No adhesives that damage surfaces are permitted.
- ● Contestants must remain at their posters throughout the designated judging period (5:00 PM to 6:15 PM on September 24) to be available for judges’ questions and discussions. Leaving before the judging period ends may result in disqualification.
- ● Contestants should be prepared to deliver a brief (3-5 minute) overview of their poster when requested by the judges. Judges may also ask additional questions.
- ● Contestants should not approach judges outside of the formal judging window.
- ● An evaluation rubrics and a document outlining the competition rules will be shared with all participating contestants well in advance so they can prepare their posters accordingly.
- ● Plagiarism or misrepresentation of data will result in immediate disqualification.
- ● Each poster will be reviewed by at least two judges, with a third judge added if volunteer availability permits.
- ● All judging decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
- ● If ties occur, both students will be announced as joint winners.
- ● Contestants who require special assistance must notify the organizers in advance.
- ● Awards will be announced by the end of the symposium.
C. Awards
- Winners will receive a certificate and a cash award. Categories for the competition will be based on degree program (MS or PhD). The top three students will be selected among categories.
D. Judging Rubrics
| SL No | Criteria | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Content & Scientific Merit: a. Clarity of Research Question/Objectives (10 points): Clearly states the problem, hypothesis, or objectives. b. Significance & Originality of Research (10 points): Demonstrates importance, novelty, and relevance to crop protection. c. Methodology & Experimental Design (10 points): Methods are appropriate, clearly described, and statistically sound. d. Results & Conclusions (10 points): Findings are clearly presented, supported by data, and conclusions follow logically. | 40 |
| 2 | Poster Organization & Visual Design: e. Logical Flow & Structure (10 points): Information is well organized and easy to follow. f. Visual Clarity (10 points): Figures, tables, and graphics are clear, readable and effectively used. g. Formatting & Aesthetics (10 points): Poster is visually appealing, with appropriate font size, spacing and layout. | 30 |
| 3 | Communication & Presentation Skills: h. Oral Summary/Explanation (10 points): Presenter provides a concise and clear 3-5 minute overview when requested. i. Responses to Judge Questions (10 points): Answers are accurate, confident, and demonstrate strong understanding of the research. | 20 |
| 4 | Overall Impact: j. Overall Impression & Professionalism (10 points): Poster and presentation together create a strong, professional impact appropriate for a scientific competition. | 10 |
| Total Points | 100 |