Presentation Competition

Regional Student Technical Presentation Competition (STPC):  The subject of each paper is left entirely to the individual student. Presentations often focus on recent advances in some branch of chemical engineering, original research, or plant design. Participation in the Regional Student Paper Competition offers valuable, real-world experience for students. AIChE's Student Chapters Committee supports the competition with prize money, though the regional awards may be augmented from other sources at the discretion of each regional host school.  Learn more:  https://www.aiche.org/community/awards/student-technical-presentation-competition

Events & Schedule

  • IMPORTANT:  Due to a low number of applicants, we are currently accepting everyone who applies.

  • When you buy the General Admission ticket, Eventbrite will ask you whether you want to participate in the poster and paper competitions. And if the answer is "yes", it will give you Google form links for uploading your files.  The files do not have to be uploaded at the time of the registration, but we should receive them by the specified deadlines for the respective competitions.

  • A nomination is not required.

  • Since STPC is an individual competition, multiple students cannot present an oral presentation together.  

  • Although not strictly enforced, It is strongly recommended that you adhere to a 1,500 abstract word limit and 150 character title limit.

  • Students will be judged on the following Categories: Nonverbal skills (Eye contact, Body language, Poise), Verbal skills (Enthusiasm, Elocution), Logistics (Visuals/Slides/Movies, Timing, Mechanics), Technical Content (Subject knowledge, Student Contribution) and Student Contribution (Student's Personal Contribution to the Presented Work).

 

 

Regional Student Technical Presentation Competition (STPC) Instructions:

The subject of each technical presentation is left entirely to the individual student. Presentations often focus on recent advances in some branch of chemical engineering, original research, or plant design. Participation in the Regional Student Technical Presentation Competition (STPC) offers valuable, real-world experience for students.

General Rules:

1. Each entry must be an undergraduate student and a member of one of the participating student chapters. Others may present, but cannot be considered for the top prize.

2. AIChE places no limit on the number of technical presentations submitted for presentation by a participating student chapter. However, any restrictions on the number of technical presentations placed by the host school due to time constraints, space restrictions, or any other factors must be clearly stated on the Call for Abstracts and must be fair and equitable.

3. Co-authorship of technical presentations is permitted. However, only one person shall make the presentation at the Regional STPC, and this person must have been substantially involved in the project or subject of the technical presentation.

4. A panel of three chemical engineers (faculty, industry representative, or AIChE local section member) will judge STPC presentations. The decision of these judges will be final.

5. Time limits are generally 15 minutes for presentation and 3-5 minutes for Q&A.

6. First Place receives a cash award of $200 from AIChE and will be invited to present at the Annual Student Conference STPC.

7. Second Place receives a cash award of $100 from AIChE.

8. Third Place receives a cash award of $50 from AIChE.

9. Only one Student Technical Presentation from each AIChE Regional Student Conference shall be presented at the Annual Student Conference STPC. In the case of a tie for first prize at a Regional Conference, or if two first prizes are awarded, the Region must make a selection and nominate only one Student Technical Presentation for presentation during the Annual Student Conference STPC.

Here are some tips for making good slides (these are personal experience and do not reflect the views or AICHE or the rules/rubrics of the competition):

  • Start with something attention grabbing --> Make it clear to the audience why they should care about your particular topic, and why your contribution is novel to the field. In other words, explain the importance of an unsolved problem and explain how your work fits into solving it.  Captivate your audience from the start!
  • Present at a rate of about 1 slide per minute
  • Make sure to have large visible fonts (including labeling graph legends and axes)
  • Don't have a lot of clutter on the slides, but don't leave a lot of white space either
  • Use key phrases instead of full sentences (nobody will have time to read them). And even these phrases are more like reminders for you what to say (as opposed to for the audience to read).  You can always speak the words yourself.  Humans can process pretty visuals a lot easier than a lot of dense boring text going by fast in front of their eyes
  • Don't present many slides in one slide (there should be one take-away message or result per slide)
  • Don't go crazy with animations (a lot of blinking is distracting)
  • Only put something on the slide that you are comfortable being asked about.  For example, if you state that a material is an anisotropic conductive film, someone might ask you what anisotropic conductivity is or how you make something anisotropically conductive.  If you don't want to be asked about it, don't put it on the slide
  • Follow a structure:  intro/background, methods, results/discussion, conclusion/acknowledgements
  • Practice in front of many different people and always time yourself.  It is very frustrating for everyone (including the judges) if you finish way too early, or keep ignoring the overtime warnings