The International Association for Food Protection is pleased to announce a continuation of its program to encourage and recognize the work of undergraduate students. Entrants must be enrolled as an undergraduate student at the time of submission. Qualified individuals may enter this poster competition.

Purpose

1. To encourage undergraduate students to present their original research at the Annual Meeting.
2. To foster professionalism in students through contact with peers and professional Members of the Association.
3. To encourage participation by students in the Association and the Annual Meeting.

Presentation Format

Poster Competition - The Undergraduate Awards Competition is open to enrolled students from undergraduate programs at accredited universities or colleges. The presenter must be present to answer questions for a specified time (approximately 2.5 hours) during the assigned time period(s). Specific requirements for presentations will be provided at a later date.

General Information

1. Competition entrants must be IAFP members.
2. Competition entrants must be enrolled as an undergraduate student at the time of submission.
3. Accredited universities or colleges must deal with environmental, food or dairy sanitation, protection or safety research.
4. The work must represent original research completed and presented by the entrant.
5. Entrants may enter only one paper in the poster competition.
6. All entrants must register for the Annual Meeting and assume responsibility for their own transportation, lodging, and registration fees.
7. Acceptance of abstract for presentation is independent of acceptance as a competition finalist. Competition entrants who are chosen as finalists will be notified of their status by the chairperson by May 10, 2019.
8. In addition to adhering to the instructions in the "Call for Abstracts," competition entrants must check the box to indicate if the paper is to be presented by a student in this competition.

Judging Criteria

A panel of judges will evaluate abstracts and presentations. Selection of up to ten finalists for the competition will be based on evaluations of the abstracts and the scientific quality of the work. All entrants will be advised of the results by May 14, 2018. Only competition finalists will be judged at the Annual Meeting and will be eligible for the awards.

Judging criteria will be based on the following:

1. Abstract - Clarity, comprehensiveness and conciseness.
2. Scientific Quality - Adequacy of experimental design (methodology, replication, controls), extent to which objectives were met, difficulty and thoroughness of research, validity of conclusions based upon data, technical merit and contribution to science.
3. Presentation - Organization (clarity of introduction, objectives, methods, results and conclusions), quality of visuals, quality and poise of presentation, answering questions and knowledge of subject.

Finalists

Awards will be presented at the International Association for Food Protection Annual Meeting Awards Banquet on Wednesday Evening, July 24, to the top two presenters (first and second place) in the poster competition. All finalists must be present at the banquet where the award winners will be announced and recognized. If award winner is not present at the banquet, the monetary award must be forfeited.

Awards
First Place - $750 and an engraved plaque
Second Place - $500 and a framed certificate

Application Instructions
Qualified individuals may enter the contest when they enter their IAFP 2019 abstract using the online abstract submission system at www.foodprotection.org.