Te Kura Tāura | UC Graduate School hosts the annual poster competition Exhibit Your Thesis to showcase your research with a creative poster design. You can refine your presentation skills and practice communicating your research to a wider UC research community.
The selected entries will be displayed in the UC Ilam campus central library for judging between 14th and 25th July. They will also be displayed at the Whakāturanga Rangahau | Research Student Showcase event on 6th August. All students whose posters are exhibited, will be asked to attend the Research Student Showcase to stand with your poster and talk to about it with those viewing your poster.
The competition winners are announced at the Whakāturanga Rangahau | Research Student Showcase event on 6th August 2025.
First Place: $750
Second Place: $500
Third Place: $250
Master's Research Students who are currently enrolled in a thesis (90 points or greater).
PhD candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone (including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the closing date are eligible to participate in the Exhibit your Thesis competition. Must be currently enrolled in the thesis.
Poster Design Guidelines
- Craft your poster to succinctly communicate the core message of your research.
- Make it visually engaging to capture the attention of both colleagues and non-experts.
- Avoid re-using conference posters; instead, tailor or create a new one for a broader audience, specifically an academic lay audience!
What the judges are looking for
- Visual Clarity and Coherence: Ensure readability and comprehension and maintain a logical flow of information.
- Engagement: Spark interest and encourage discussion.
- Structure: Clearly state research objectives, results, and conclusions.
- Contextualization: Place your research within a broader context, suitable for both experts and non-experts.
Format and submission
- Number of poster entries: Only one poster per person can be submitted.
- File format: Poster must be submitted in high resolution PDF format, either portrait or landscape orientation
- Poster Size: Please submit your poster as A0 size (841mm x 1189mm)
- UC Logo: All entries must include a visual UC Logo. This can be incorporated as best suits your poster design but should still follow UC guidelines of use. Entrants can choose to utilise an alternative UC Logo associated with their research area or department, however must follow their associated guidelines of use.
- Images: It is the responsibility of entrants to ensure that any images used in their poster are not copyrighted.
To enter the competition, simply complete the entry form and upload your poster in PDF format.
You are not required to print your poster, as we will print this for you.
Applications are now closed
Come and see the Exhibit Your Thesis Exhibition from 14th to 25th July 2025 and help select the People's Choice winners by voting for your favourite posters.
Previous Competitions
See who came 1st, 2nd and third place in past competitions, and view their winning entries
Exhibit your Thesis Workshop: Designing a Research Poster
This workshop has closed-
View workshop presentation pdf
Questions?
Please contact graduateschool@canterbury.ac.nz
