The CAP is hosting The Best Student Oral and The Best Student Poster competitions at the 2024 CAP Congress. There will be cash prizes awarded by the CAP for the top three overall oral presentations by a student and for the top three overall poster presentations by a student. In addition, various CAP subject divisions and other sponsors will host more focused competitions by subject areas.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING?
The intent of these competitions is to encourage both undergraduate and graduate students to present their research work to and interact with the Canadian physics community at an early stage in their careers. Students should present the work and take primary responsibility for the content of the presentation as well as the written abstract.
ELIGIBILITY
In order to be considered for this competition, a student must be a member (graduate) or affiliate (undergraduate) of the CAP. Undergraduate affiliateship is free throughout their BSc program. The first year of membership is free for graduate students; significantly reduced fees apply for subsequent years. Membership applications and renewals can be submitted online here.
Please note that it can take up to 10 business days in total to activate your membership/affiliateship, which includes processing payment, if applicable. Therefore, you should submit your membership application at the same time as you submit your abstract.
HOW TO ENTER THE COMPETITION
Students who wish to enter the CAP Best Student Oral or Best Student Poster competitions must specifically indicate their intention to compete by selecting the appropriate option for either the oral or the poster competition at the time of submission of the congress abstract. A student entering either the CAP Best Student Oral or Best Student Poster competitions will automatically be entered into the appropriate CAP divisional competition if one exists and if they are a member of that division. Note that while a student may give more than one presentation (e.g. a talk and a poster, provided they are on different subjects), the student cannot enter more than one CAP competition (oral or poster).
Instructions for preparing a presentation, including student competition presentations, will be posted shortly.
JUDGING OF ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Student oral presentations and judging will take place in the students’ assigned scientific session throughout the Congress from Monday, May 27 – Wednesday, May 29. Finalists for the CAP Best Student Oral competition will give a second oral presentation on Thursday, May 30.
Student poster presentations and judging will take place at the Congress Poster Session Tuesday, May 28. Finalists for the CAP Best Student Poster competition will give a second poster presentation on Thursday, May 30.
WHAT IF I WIN?
Winners of the CAP Best Student Oral and Best Student Poster competitions, as well as winners of Division competitions will be announced at the Student Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 30, and the results published in Physics in Canada.
Division and Sponsored Competitions
A student entering either the CAP Best Student Oral or Best Student Poster competitions will automatically be entered into the appropriate CAP divisional competition if one exists and if they are a member of that division. Any student who has questions or concerns about competing for all prizes for which they are eligible should email programs@cap.ca. Membership in a CAP subject division is free for students and can be activated upon applying or renewing a CAP membership. Current members of the CAP can join a CAP subject division by sending an email request to membership@cap.ca.
The list of CAP divisional competitions and prizes to be awarded at the 2024 CAP Congress can be found on this page (link coming soon).