Annual Meeting
Edwin H. and Margaret M. Colbert Award
(Previously known as the Student Poster Prize.)
Selected and presented onsite at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology's Annual Meeting, the Edwin H. and Margaret M. Colbert Award recognizes an outstanding poster presentation by a student. The award was named in honor of the Colberts' contributions to vertebrate paleontology. Learn more about the Colberts.
Eligibility
- Current membership in the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology is required to apply for the Colbert Award.
- The competition is open to all students who wish to present aspects of their graduate, or in exceptional cases undergraduate, paleontologic research. Students must present in their title banner (see below) an affiliation with the academic institution where the research was or is being conducted.
- The poster must be single authored.
- Each student may enter the competition as many times as s/he wishes. However, only one submission per year is allowed.
- Any student who wins the award cannot enter the competition again.
Do NOT e-mail, fax or mail nomination materials to the committee chair. Any materials sent by e-mail, fax or mail will NOT be reviewed.
Submission Guidelines
ALERT! Applications for the Colbert Award are submitted through the ONLINE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION SYSTEM, not the online award submission system. Visit the SVP Online Abstract Submission System.
- Check the box in the online abstract submission form to indicate that you would like to enter your poster in the competition for the Colbert Award.
- The posters in the competition at the meeting will bear a specific marking to designate them as being part of the competition. Be alert for instructions concerning set-up times for posters.
- Preliminary judging of posters will occur after poster set-up time but prior to the regular poster session (without the presenters present). Layout and content will count equally in the judging of posters.
- Approximately five posters will be chosen on the basis of preliminary judging for further evaluation.
- Members of the Colbert Award Committee will visit those posters during the regular poster session to evaluate the presenter's knowledge of the material covered in the poster.
Criteria for Judging Posters Presented by Students
Layout
- Poster layout should take up a space of no more than 4' tall x 8' wide.
- A banner title which is descriptive should be situated high up on the poster so that it can be read 15-20 feet away.
- Author and his/her affiliation should follow.
- The content of the poster should be bracketed with an Introduction at the beginning and a list of Conclusions at the end. These sections are critical because they may be the only sections which are read. There should also be a brief Abstract.
- The flow of information through the poster should be explicit and should be organized in columns. Text should be visible from about an arm's length.
- The poster should be self-explanatory, so that the main points are communicated without the presenter being there.
- Each illustration should have a headline title providing a take-home message with a more detailed caption below.
- Consistent with JVP guidelines, posters should be in English. Proofread for correct spelling and grammar.
- There should be creativity in the presentation.
- The Poster Prize Icon should be included on the poster, such that its printed size is 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Download the prize icon here: [PSD format] [JPEG format]
Content
- The Introduction must provide the basis of investigation and the direction/approach to answer the question being considered.
- The Methodology of the investigation must be clearly presented.
- The Results must be presented in a manner that is understandable and must support the Conclusions drawn. Are there possible alternatives in interpretation?
- Conclusions should follow from the original intent as outlined in the Introduction.
- Overall, the investigation should display some degree of creativity and originality.
- You will also be judged on quality of science and scientific impact of investigation.
Knowledge of Topic (finalists only)
- Familiar and comfortable with the layout and presented information.
- Enthusiastic about the topic.
- Knows more about the topic than is presented in the poster.
- Knowledgeable about similar or closely-related studies (if there are any), or the history of research on the topic.
- Has an idea about where to take the research next.
- Communicates effectively and handles questions well.
Any questions about this award should be directed to Colbert Award Committee Chair Laura MacLatchy.
Laura MacLatchey
Associate Professor
University of Michigan
1085 S. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA
E-mail: maclatch@umich.edu
Award
The winner of the Colbert Award will be presented with a check for $600 and a poster ribbon.
Submission Period
Opens at 12:00 NOON, Central Time Zone USA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Closes at 12:00 NOON, Central Time Zone USA, on Monday, April 20, 2009
View Past Colbert Award (formerly Student Poster Prize) Recipients
