USGIF is now accepting proposals for student posters for the upcoming GEOINT 2024 Symposium, May 5 – May 8, to be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida. Each year, USGIF offers students who have recently completed or ongoing academic research the opportunity to present their work at the GEOINT 2024 Symposium during Foreword programming on Sunday, May 5.

GEOINT Foreword is the unclassified, science and technology day preceding USGIF’s GEOINT Symposium. This forum celebrates geospatial achievements and programs underway in non-traditional geospatial intelligence areas such as health, disaster relief, data analysis, unmanned systems, and much more. Students who present at Foreword share their research with GEOINT leaders and professionals, network with fellow students and academics, and become fully immersed in the GEOINT community.

Students attending Foreword as presenters will present their work in two designated poster sessions. During these times, they will engage with attendees to discuss their research. Judges will review the posters, and the top three posters will be recognized at the end of the day on the Foreword stage. The poster competition winner will be awarded the opportunity to present their research on stage at the GEOINT 2024 Symposium during Foreword.

Student poster participants are offered complimentary registration for GEOINT Foreword and Symposium, granting them access to the exhibit hall floor and Main Stage programming throughout the week. However, students are responsible for their own travel and lodging.

This opportunity is open only to students currently enrolled in university. By February 2, 2024, all interested students should submit a title and abstract (250 words maximum). To apply, please visit: USGIF Student Poster Proposal.

USGIF will begin a review process for all submissions after February 2, and for selected poster topics, final drafts of the posters will be due March 27, 2024. Following notifications of acceptance, students will be provided with their registration codes for the Symposium.

Poster specifications

• 48” x 36” and horizontal orientation (standard academic poster dimensions)
  • Poster may also include any university branding, authors’ names and credentials, and affiliations.
• Font size suggestions: Title text 72 pt, subtitle text 48 pt, body text 36 pt, reference text 24 pt, generally. We suggest you submit tightly written, well-edited content in an easily readable font. Remember, white space is your friend!

Posters will be pinned to a board at the venue, so backing is not needed. Students are required to print and bring their poster to the Symposium; a printer will not be available onsite. Students will not be reimbursed for the cost of printing.

Student posters will be judged based on the following:

• Research Question and Hypothesis: clear and focused purpose, contributes to field of study, hypothesis testable using scientific methods
• Methodology: well-designed plan and data collection methods, variables and controls defined, appropriate and complete
• Results & Analysis and Interpretation: systematic data collection and analysis, reproducibility of results, appropriate application of geospatial, mathematical, and statistical methods
• Conclusions: includes recognition of potential impact in GEOINT and ideas for further research
• Creativity: demonstrates significant creativity in one or more of the above criteria

There are a limited number of spots for student poster presentations. Priority will be given to research that shows creative and practical ideas related to national security challenges. Please email education@usgif.org with any questions or for more information.