For Students

Awards and Prizes

First ($1,000), second ($500), and third ($250) place prizes will be awarded for each of the following categories:

• Design
• Performance
• Research Poster: Arts and Humanities
• Research Poster: Engineering
• Research Poster: Health and Life Sciences
• Research Poster: Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Research Poster: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
• Video
• Visual Arts

The University Libraries also sponsors a Data Visualization Award. A first place, second place, and honorable mention will be awarded.

The visual arts and performance categories will also include a $100 People’s Choice Award recipient, voted on at the event and sponsored by the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA).

Eligibility

• Must be a degree-seeking Penn State graduate student. Students in law, medical, and physician assistant degree programs are not eligible to be exhibitors.

• Open to graduate students from all Penn State campuses.

• Penn State employees who are graduate students can participate but are not eligible for awards.

Preparing to Register

Follow these steps as you get ready to register. View more detailed registration tips below.

1. Get your faculty adviser's approval
   

2. Review the Graduate Exhibition Rubrics

3. Plan your exhibit and a five-minute presentation for a general audience

4. Get email addresses for faculty adviser(s) and any co-presenters or co-performers

5. Prepare your abstract, statement of importance, and, if applicable, a statement for the DEI award

6. Get compliance protocol numbers, and know if your project contains intellectual property

View Detailed Registration Instructions

Registration Instructions

1. Get Your Faculty Adviser's Approval: Discuss your topic with your faculty adviser(s) and get their approval on your participation. They will need to formally approve your participation as part of the registration process.
2. Review the Evaluation Criteria: Review the rubrics for the Exhibition, so you know the judging criteria.
3. Plan your Exhibit and Presentation. Exhibitors should be ready to give a five-minute presentation about the background and importance of your research or creative scholarship. Please view your Exhibition category page for more guidance.
4. Have Contact Information Ready: Make sure you know the Penn State account ID (e.g., abc1234) of your faculty adviser. If you are co-presenting or have co-authors/co-performers, make sure you know their Penn State account ID (e.g., abc1234) as well.
5. Prepare Statements: Prepare an abstract (250 words maximum) and a statement of importance (120 words maximum), which are required for registration.
   1. The abstract is a concise summary of the basic content and scope of the presentation or performance without including extensive detail. It should include the project's objective, methodology, and findings, conclusions, or intended results.
   2. The statement of importance is a nontechnical explanation of the significance of the research, design object, artwork, or performance piece to the field.
6. Get Compliance Protocol Numbers and Know about Intellectual Property: Have compliance protocol numbers ready if your research involves human participants, vertebrate animals, bio-hazard materials, or radioisotopes. If you are unsure about these, check with your faculty adviser. If your project has commercial potential or contains new intellectual property, make sure you know if an invention disclosure has been filed with Penn State's Office of Technology Transfer. If unsure about this, check with your faculty adviser.

After this information is ready, you can register online.

What Can I Present?

Graduate students can participate in the Graduate Exhibition at any point in the pursuit of their degree. Honing communication skills can benefit you throughout your career, and we strive to make the Graduate Exhibition a safe and comfortable space. Presenting in the beginning of your research can help you think about your research question in different ways. Getting feedback in the middle or toward the end allows you to practice highlighting the importance or impact of your work.