The Mineral & Metallurgical Processing Division invites all interested and eligible graduate and undergraduate students to participate in the MPD Student Poster Contest!
You will have an invaluable opportunity to present and highlight your work in a fun environment, and network with industry and academic professionals. Contestants receive complimentary tickets to the MPD Luncheon and are awarded attractive cash prizes, with top-placing posters receiving up to $1,000.
Overview
Started in 2010 by the Mineral & Metallurgical Processing Division as a way to encourage and foster the next generation of mineral and metallurgical processing professionals and support their academic achievements, the MPD Student Poster Contest has proved to be highly successful, welcoming graduate and undergraduate contestants from a diversity of universities.
Contest Guidelines:
- To qualify, you must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a university with ABET accreditation or with an SME student chapter, and your research topic for the contest must be focused on mineral processing or extractive metallurgy. You also must attend the MINEXCHANGE SME Annual Conference & Expo in person.
- Entries must be from individual students (co-authors may only be research advisors).
- A student may submit entries to more than one student poster contest, but the entries should be different for each contest and tailored to the specific contest.
- There will be two levels of judging: graduate and undergraduate. Each level will have two phases of judging: abstract and poster presentation.
- Cash prizes: (1) Graduates: $1,000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $200 each for 3rd-7th, (2) Undergraduates: $1,000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $250 for 3rd, (3) Non-placing posters (main author only): $125 each.
- Complimentary MPD Luncheon tickets: One each for placing and non-placing posters (main author only).
- Failure to follow the guidelines and timeline listed here may result in ineligibility.
Timeline:
- To enter, click on the "SUBMIT ENTRY FORM AND ABSTRACT" button below and submit by December 15 (please note that the deadline has been changed from January 31). For your abstract, follow these guidelines:
- 1 page (including text and graphics); 8.5” x 11” paper size; 1” margins.
- Format according to the provided Abstract Template.
- Name your file: “(your last name)(your first name)_MPD contest (year of contest).pdf”
- You will receive an accept/reject notification in about a week. If your abstract is accepted, the following apply:
- It is important you provide accurate information in your Entry Form to ensure you receive your luncheon ticket and cash prize.
- Please hang your poster in the foyer area outside the MPD Luncheon ballroom by 8:00 am on the Wednesday of the MINEXCHANGE SME Annual Conference & Expo.
- A poster size of 44” x 35” is suggested but not required.
- Many helpful guides to poster design are available and can be found online.
- Ensure all approvals from research sponsors are secured by February 8.
- During the poster session (8:00-11:30 am), please remain with your poster as much as possible so you won't be missed to answer questions. For judging, a special judging section will be set up nearby, and the top posters will be selected to go to that section for a 5-minute presentation to the judges. Once the poster session is over, please remove your posters because the convention staff will be rolling away the poster boards and will dispose of any unattended poster remaining.
- Winners will be announced during the MPD Luncheon.
Wencai Zhang, Chair
Jordan Rutledge, Vice Chair
2026 MPD Student Poster Contest