Spark Innovation, Cultivate Collaboration, and Gain Recognition at FCX Student Poster Pitch Presentation Challenge! Embrace the chance to participate in FCX Student Poster Pitch Presentation Challenge, a unique opportunity for students to present their cutting-edge research projects to an engaged and well-connected community of Advanced Manufacturing experts. Register Now Prizes & Awards Posters and Presentations will be judged, and there will be two first place awards (undergraduate and graduate), two second place awards (undergraduate and graduate). Cash prizes and awards, listed below (subject to the quality of the entries), will be presented at FCX on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Prizes include: First Prize is $750 and tech swag 2 Runners-up receive $250 and tech swag A certificate of achievement and recognition at FCX Guidelines and Judging Presenters need to present a summary of their research to interested attendees and judges. Teams will be limited to 5 minutes for their formal pitch presentations. Judging will take place on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. *Students: Please opt-in during the registration process to present a poster. Judges for the FCX Student Poster Pitch Presentation Challenge are experienced leaders from industry, academia and government. Competition Rules The poster must include the following: Title Names of author(s) and organization(s) Abstract (brief summary of objectives, methods, results, and conclusions) Background Information Materials and Methods Results (tables, graphs, charts) Conclusions Discussion of possible future directions, relevancy and importance to the future of Manufacturing SME will provide each competitor with a white 40”x60” foamcore poster board, easel, and mounting materials such as push pins, tape, etc. Teams may choose to orient the poster vertically or horizontally. Eligibility The competition is open to registered students of their undergraduate program or graduate-level degree engineering programs. Currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students will need to provide their advisor’s contact information. Topic Areas Submission should address research, case studies and/or industrial applications to include, but are not limited to the following areas within advanced manufacturing: Additive Manufacturing/3D Technology Automation & Robotics Composites & Advanced Materials Cybersecurity Digital Technologies Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Integrated Assembly Precision Machining Finishing & Coatings Quality, Measurement & Inspection Smart Manufacturing Students must provide a description of the design along with supporting figures and photographs. Presentations will be judged on technical merit and presentation skills, including: Technical Content 60% Introduction, Background and Objectives Methods and Approach Manufacturing Relevancy and Impact Conclusion Soft Skills 30% Oral Communication Visual Display Responsiveness Judges Discretion 10%
