1. Healthcare

Society of Women Engineers
Region A 2015 Conference
University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA
Student Poster Session and Competition
Abstract Submission Deadline: December 15, 2014
Poster Session: February 21, 2015
Students are invited to participate in a technical Student Poster Session and Competition
hosted by Region A of The Society of Women Engineers as part of the 2015 Regional
Conference at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. To participate, students must first
submit an abstract (see requirements below). The abstracts will be peer-reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel of engineers. Abstracts meeting the requirements and containing sufficient
technical content (see evaluation criteria below) will be accepted. Students with accepted
abstracts are invited to display their posters at the Student Poster Session, hosted as a part of the
2015 Regional Conference. Students wishing to participate in the Student Poster Competition
will be asked to informally present their posters to a panel of judges, answering questions from
the judges and engaging in a technical discussion of the work presented. Awards for the best
poster presentations will be announced at the Saturday Awards Banquet.
Students may prepare abstracts and posters based on content from their own original research or
based on content originating from their school projects or from projects that were completed as a
part of co-op/internship experiences or other relevant experiences that resulted in original work.
The subject matter presented must be related to engineering and the work must be
understandable to a general technical audience.
There will be two submission categories: Undergraduate and Graduate. To be eligible for the
Student Poster Session and Competition, the participants must be current SWE Collegiate
members.
Abstract Guidelines
Abstracts must be submitted using the template provided. The abstract should include a
descriptive title and a list of authors (as applicable). The first author shall be the author
presenting the poster at the conference. The abstract should give a clear indication of the: 1)
project motivation, 2) objectives, 3) scope of work, 4) general methodology, and 5) most
pertinent results. The abstract should provide a broad overview of the technical research or
project so that readers may evaluate the work’s original and technical content. The abstract must
provide a concise summary of the research or project. Since the abstract will be evaluated by a
multi-disciplinary panel, the abstract must be written so that it is understandable to a general
technical audience. The abstract must contain no more than 500 words (exclusive of the title and
author list) and must be submitted to [email protected] (using the template provided) by
December 15, 2014, 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Poster Guidelines
The poster should describe original research or an original project with an application in
engineering. The project can be the product of laboratory work, computer simulations, modeling
project, or analysis of a data set, but it is important that it is new work, unique to you, and is not
a review article in which you summarize the work of others. You can use a current project that
you are working on alone, as an independent study project, or a project that you are working on
as part of a team. Research and projects completed as part of university course work and work
produced as the result of co-ops/internships are eligible. The poster is to be prepared so that it
contains a concise and visual presentation of the work that can be easily understood in the
absence of the author. The poster should be 48 inches wide by 36 inches tall, and no larger than
this. The poster should be printed by the participant and delivered to the conference prior to
opening ceremonies on Saturday, February 21, 2015. Bringing the poster on Friday, February 20,
2015, during early registration, is preferred.
When submitting your abstract, attach a pdf containing the following information:
Applicant Information:
 Name
 University/College (Collegiate Section)
 Major
 Student Status (undergraduate or graduate student)
 Phone number
 Email address
Abstract Information:
 Title of Technical Research
 Author(s) Name – acknowledge those who have participated significantly in the
technical aspects of the research
 Category (options are research, school project, project from co-op/internship
experience, other with a description provided)
 Abstract – limited to 500 words
Questions concerning the student poster competition can be directed to [email protected]
with the subject line SWE Region A 2015 Student Poster Session.
Abstract Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria
Title is brief and descriptive
Project motivation is clearly stated and sound
Project objectives are clearly stated and logical
Project scope/methodology is briefly described and appropriate
Results are summarized
Conclusion is provided and is concise
Work contributes to the field of engineering
Work contains sufficient technical content
Abstract is well-organized and has logical progression
Writing style and tone are appropriate and professional
Spelling and grammar are correct
TOTAL
Points
Available
5
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
5
100
Points
Earned
Helpful Hints for preparing your Abstract:
1. State results, conclusions, or findings in a clear and concise fashion. However, make sure
that you describe your project adequately. You have 500 words - make sure to take
advantage of this.
2. Assume that the reader has a good general technical vocabulary but avoid use of highly
specialized words or abbreviations.
3. Use past tense and third person when describing completed research, and present tense
when stating existing facts.
4. Have a colleague read your abstract to make sure it communicates well.
Poster Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria
Technical Content
Title is representative of the work completed
Project motivation and objectives are clear
Methodologies are clearly and briefly presented
Results are clear and support the project objectives
Results are supported by graphs, tables, etc.
Conclusions are derived from the results
Research/project approach is sound
Work contains sufficient technical content
Work contributes to the field of engineering
Appearance of Poster
Title, author list, and affiliations are provided
Content is organized into logical sections (e.g.
Introduction, Objectives, Methods, Results, Conclusion)
Graphics are appropriately referenced
Poster is visually appealing with nice spacing, good
amount of content (not overcrowded), legible lettering,
contrast between components and background, good use
of color, variety of materials presented (e.g. photos,
schematics)
Writing style and tone of written elements are appropriate
and professional
Spelling and grammar are correct
TOTAL
Points
Available
Points Earned
5
5
5
5
10
5
10
10
10
5
5
5
10
5
5
100
Helpful Hints for preparing your Poster:
1. Title, name of author(s), and school should be easily recognized by the reader.
2. Do not use more than two type fonts. Use bold, italic, and font size to set type
differently.
3. Stick to a color scheme.
4. Stay consistent with spaces between text, figures, and headings. The spacing in the
poster should not be crammed.
5. Words should be large enough to read from several feet away.
6. Figures and graphs should be labeled.
7. Have a colleague look at your poster to make sure that it could be understood without the
presence of the author.
8. Ensure that the Introduction, Objectives, Approach, Results, and Conclusion sections are
clear.
Poster Presentation Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Criteria
Delivery is smooth, indicating that the student practiced
Delivery is lively and engaging
Research/project is delivered in a logical manner
Content is understandable to a general technical audience
Poster is referred to throughout the presentation
Presenter is dressed appropriately
Presenter answers questions professionally
TOTAL
Points
Available
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
70
Points
Earned