• Applicants may only submit one application to the competition. If you are submitting more than one abstract as the presenting author, you will need to choose which abstract you wish to be considered for the competition. If you designate more than one abstract for the competition, only the first submission will be considered.
• Applicants for the Dolores C. Shockley poster award for underrepresented groups may also compete within their division, but it is not required.
• Submission of an application does not guarantee that an individual will be chosen to compete.
• Applications for travel awards must be made separately. Please see the travel awards webpage for more details.
• All applicants must be members of ASPET in good standing during both the year of submission and the year of the meeting. The current year’s dues must be paid before we will accept an application. Please plan ahead and apply for or renew membership at least two weeks prior to the application deadline. If your dues have not been paid by the award application deadline, your application will not be considered.
• Applicants conducting pharmacology-related research, including, but not limited to, those representing departments of pharmacology, toxicology, physiology, pharmaceutical sciences and/or biological chemistry are encouraged to apply.
• Applicants must be the presenting author of an abstract.
• All winners must fulfill the terms of their abstract submission (i.e., present the poster for the full duration of your assigned time). If a poster competition winner does not fulfill those terms, the prize will be forfeited. If a winner's membership lapses during the year of the meeting, he or she must renew before a prize check will be issued.
• Undergraduates must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree program and not have completed their degree requirements by May 1, 2025. 
• Post-baccalaureate students meeting ASPET’s membership requirements are eligible.
• Graduate students must be enrolled full-time in a graduate or professional degree program and not have completed their degree requirements by May 1, 2025.
• Postdoctoral scientists must have received a PhD or equivalent degree in pharmacology or a related field within five years prior to the date of application. They must also be eligible to register for the conference in the postdoctoral category.
• Applicants for the Dolores C. Shockley poster award must be members of groups defined by the NIH to be underrepresented in the biomedical sciences. 

Abstract must be submitted by November 7, 2024 to be eligible for ASPET Poster Awards 

The following prizes are available from each division, with the same structure for the Dolores C. Shockley competition. Please note that fewer prizes may be awarded at the division's discretion.

Postdoctoral scientists:

• 1st place: $300
• 2nd place: $200
• 3rd place: $100

Graduate and post-baccalaureate students:

• 1st place: $300
• 2nd place: $200
• 3rd place: $100

Undergraduates:

• 1st place: $150
• 2nd place: $50

• There is no separate application process, and you may indicate your interest in the competition at the same time you submit your abstract.
  
• You must submit your abstract to ASPET 2025 as the first/presenting author.
• Participation is limited to ASPET members in good standing; you will need to use your ASPET membership log-in credentials when you apply.
• When prompted within the abstract submission site, answer "yes" that you want to be considered for the ASPET Student-Postdoc Poster Competition, and fill in the eligibility questions that follow.        

Q: Does submitting to the poster competition automatically enter me for a travel award?
A: No; the travel award process is separate. You can also indicate your interest in a travel award during the abstract submission process. Please visit the travel awards webpage for more details.

Q: When will I find out if I have been accepted to compete for a poster award?
A: Notifications will be sent out in time to take advantage of the early registration deadline.

Q: I submitted a late-breaking abstract. Can I compete for a poster award?
A: No; only abstracts submitted by the submission deadline of November 7 are eligible.

Q: When I submitted my abstract, I was not prompted about the poster competition - what happened?
A: Please make sure that you are the presenting author of the abstract, that your membership dues are in good standing for 2025, and that you meet the eligibility criteria for membership categories who are able to compete.

Q: I was accepted to compete, but I can no longer attend the meeting. Can another author give the presentation for me?
A: No author substitutions are allowed. If you are unable to attend the meeting, your entry will be withdrawn from the competition.

Q: Will I be able to compete virtually?
A: There will not be a virtual competition option.

Q: When does the competition take place?
A: The competition will take place over three evenings at ASPET 2025. You will be assigned one of these evenings for your presentation. You must present on your assigned day. If you are not available for all these dates, you should not apply to the competition. We cannot accommodate requests for specific presentation dates.

Q: Will I need to present my poster in a general session as well as in the poster competition?
A: Candidates selected for the poster competition will only need to participate in one poster presentation. Judges will come to you during your regularly assigned poster presentation time. If a candidate cannot present on their assigned day, they forfeit eligibility for awards.

Q: If I have won a cash prize, when can I expect to receive it? 
A: Please allow 6 to 8 weeks following the conclusion of the Annual Meeting to receive your prize.

Q: I was selected to participate in last year’s competition. Can I apply again? 
A: Yes, you may apply again.

Q: I would like to compete in the Dolores C. Shockley poster competition. Can I also compete in my division?
A: Yes, you may also compete in your division, although it’s not required. Please be sure indicate your interest when you submit your abstract.

Q: When will I find out if I have won an award?
A: Awards will be announced during the closing awards event.

Q: How will my poster be judged during the competition?
A: Please refer to our scoring form for the criteria judges will use.

If you have other questions about a poster award, please email us at posterawards@aspet.org.