International Electric Propulsion Conference Best Poster Award

A. Description

The International Electric Propulsion Conference Best Poster Award (BPA) is an Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (ERPS)-sponsored award that, starting in 2017, will be presented at each International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC). The BPA is intended to recognize the best current research in the field of EP and, for this, participants will display a visual representation (poster) of their research findings at the Poster Session to be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on Monday, the first full day of the Conference. Posters will be judged on four criteria: 1) Research Quality, 2) Level of Innovation, 3) Significance/Potential Impact, and 4) Excellence of Presentation. Scoring will be based on the observations of the judges during an interactive question and answer period during the session.

B. Administration

Eight months prior to the Conference, the IEPC General Chairman (GC) will nominate a Best Poster Award (BPA) Chairman. The ERPS President will review the nomination and approve the BPA Chairman. One month prior to the Conference, the GC and the BPA Chairman will review the registration roster and recommend a judging panel to the ERPS President. The judging panel will include the BPA Chairman and not less than two, but not more than four, supporting judges who are experienced ERPS members planning to attend the IEPC. Upon approval by the ERPS President, the GC and the BPA Chairman will inform the judging panel participants of their selection. The BPA Chairman will provide the judging panel with scoring sheets (Appendix A) at the Poster Session. The BPA judges will attend the Poster Session and individually score the posters. The BPA Chair will then convene a brief meeting for discussion and selection. While a consensus winner is expected, the final recommendation to the GC and ERPS President is the responsibility of the BPA Chairman (i.e., he/she breaks ties and is the final authority on disputes) who will present the recommendation the GC and ERPS President within 12 hours of the conclusion of the Poster Session. Upon approval, a framed BPA certificate (Appendix B) will be created (along with copies in folders for all team members) for presentation at the IEPC Awards Banquet.

The BPA Chairman also has the discretion to recommend quality poster presentations to the GC and the conference Technical Chair for adaptation to oral presentations to fill in for withdrawn papers in appropriate IEPC sessions. This adaptation is solely for increasing the quality of technical content for conference attendees (by filling out partially empty sessions). The BPA Chairman will include this topic in his/her committee selection discussion and present candidates to the GC at the same time the BPA selection is recommended. Acceptance is solely at the GC’s discretion. The GC’s selections, if any, will be placed in appropriate sessions with author and Session Chairman notification provided by the BPA and/or TC Chairman.

C. Poster Application/Submission

Applications for participation in the IEPC Poster Session are to be submitted in the form of an abstract consisting of at least 250 (but no more than 500) words describing the research to be presented. The submission must also include the poster title, participant names, the name of the sponsoring research institution, and contact information (name, phone number, and email address) for the principal point-of-contact (POC – typically the lead author). The poster abstract submission date is the second Friday in May, the year of the IEPC. Poster abstracts are to be submitted through the “Upload Abstracts” link of the IEPC website. Please preface the title of the upload file with the word Poster, i.e., “Poster – Title of the Abstract.

Prospective authors who have submitted an abstract for a paper and oral presentation at the Conference but cannot meet the paper submission deadline can petition the GC to accept a poster on the topic of the withdrawn paper. Requests for this “paper-to-poster” change must be submitted to the Technical Chair and GC.

D. Poster Requirements

Size: Posters will be 3 feet tall x 4 feet wide (91 cm x 122 cm)

Title: The title will be a one-line description of the research followed by 1) a list of the names of all participants (Principal Investigator first), 2) the name of the sponsoring institution, and 3) primary contact information for the PI including name, phone, email, if appropriate, a project website.

Poster Content: The body of the poster will clearly illustrate the objective and results of the research. Key context, terms, and concepts will be included (please avoid jargon). Authors are encouraged to be creative and to include graphics, charts, and graphs.

General Rules: Posters are to be printed on lightweight paper or cloth so that can be mounted using thumbtacks. Do not print on thick foam-core board or other heavy boards. The 3’ by 4’ limit will be strictly enforced due to space limitations. No electrical outlets, tables, or chairs will be provided for poster displays.

E. Award Evaluation Criteria (100 points total)

Posters will be ranked on following four equally weighted judging criteria:

1. Quality of the Research - Are the theoretical/experimental/numerical results of a high quality? Are sources of error and uncertainty discussed? (25%)
2. Level of Innovation - Does the paper demonstrate an innovative and original approach to addressing the described research? (25%)
3. Significance/Potential Impact of the Research - Does the presented approach/results have the potential to significantly impact the area of research interest described. For example, can the research findings be implemented to 1) develop a new concept of value; 2) make meaningful improvements in current approaches; 3) generate new opportunities for the application of EP and/or 4) change the way mission planners view EP? (25%)
4. Excellence of Presentation – Is the poster well designed and organized? Are the major points clearly and concisely illustrated? Are the graphics clear and easy to interpret? (25%).

F. Award Value

The Best Poster Award provides a stipend of $500.00 USD paid directly to the PI by check at the IEPC Banquet along with a framed certificate bearing the award citation and signed by both the IEPC General Chairman and the ERPS President. Team participants will each receive a copy of the certificate in a commemorative folder.

Download Poster Competition Scoring Sheet

Current Winners:

36th IEPC (2019) : Thomas Charoy, J.-P. Boeuf, A. Bourdon, J.A. Carlsson, P. Chabert, B. Cuenot, D. Eremin, L. Garrigues, K. Hara, I.D. Kaganovich, A.T. Powis, A. Smolyakov, D. Sydorenko, A. Tavant, O. Vermorel, W. Villafana

“2D (axial-azimuthal) Particle-In-Cell benchmark for ExB discharges”

Vienna, Austria

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Past Winners:

35th IEPC (2017): Seunghun Lee, Holak Kim, Keuntae Doh, and Wonho Choe

“5 W Level Magnetic Field Tailored Micro Thruster with Anode Layer,”

Atlanta, Georgia