Poster and Rapid Podium Guide

POSTER BASICS:

You are responsible for creating your poster submission and for printing/bringing it to the STC Annual Conference.
Poster setup is 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Sunday, October 25, and 8:00 am to 12:00 pm on Monday, October 26. All posters must be set up by noon on Monday.
Poster breakdown must be completed by Wednesday, October 28, at 12:00 pm. Posters left up past the deadline will be discarded.
Create your poster in Microsoft PowerPoint with a slide size of 36” x 48”.
Prominently display the title, author(s) and institution across the top border.
Arrange your poster so a straight-forward story is told without your presence.
Emphasize the most important points and avoid overwhelming the viewer with too much detail.

POSTER SECTIONS:

Introduction:
Briefly summarize the project and necessary background that led to this work.
What community does this project serve? Include the number of participants and users reached.
What makes this project unique/creative/innovative and deserving of recognition?

Impact and Outcomes:
What challenges were the end-user(s) facing before the project?
Describe the primary goals of the project and how they were achieved.
What measurable outcomes or benefits did the project achieve?
What challenges were faced during the implementation of the project, and how were they overcome?

Innovation and Sustainability:
Describe any innovative approaches or strategies used in the project.
How does this project positively impact the environment?
How does this project ensure long-term sustainability and continued benefits for the community?

Supporting Materials:
Provide supporting materials such as photos, plans or data points (no propriety information).
Provide evidence showing the impact of the project on the customer, community, government etc. (customer testimonials, news articles, etc.)
If testing completed on the project, please describe the required standards.

Additional Member Participants:
Please list the name(s) of STC member companies who participated in the design, product or installation of this project, including: architects, builders, specialty contractors, suppliers, etc.

VISIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

Many people have difficulty distinguishing closely related colors. Therefore, posters must have font colors that contrast with the background color (e.g. use dark color fonts with a light background color). Use strong visual/color contrast with figures. Keep tables and ﬁgures simple and uncluttered. Use large and unique symbols or shading patterns instead of color to distinguish groups and conditions.

PRINTING GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions, Design & Layout

Poster size: 36” x 48” inches.
Orientation: Portrait
Margins: 1-inch margin around the edges to avoid trimming issues.
Fonts: Use legible fonts (minimum 24pt for body text, 48pt for titles).
Readability: High-contrast colors for readability (avoid light text on light backgrounds).
Logos: Include institutional or organizational logos in high resolution.
File types: PDF or PNG (high-quality for clarity).
Color mode: CMYK (recommended for professional printing)

Printing

Professional Print Shops: Recommended for high-quality output.
Matte Finish: Recommended for lighting conditions.
Submit in Advance: Submit the file for printing at least 48 hours in advance to allow for any corrections.
Pickup: Confirm pickup time and bring a storage tube or folder for protection.

Mounting & Transport

Paper Posters: Use a poster tube for protection during travel
Fabric Posters: Foldable and lightweight, easier for transport
Mounting supplies are provided by STC (hook & loop dot stickers or similar)

Final Checks Before Printing

✔ Confirm your poster acceptance.
✔ Review for typos and formatting errors.
✔ Ensure images and graphs are high resolution.
✔ Print a test section (if possible) to check colors and clarity.

RAPID PODIUM GUIDELINES

PowerPoint Guidelines

Simplicity in slide design is the key to clarity. Keep each slide uncluttered. Try not to present too much material. Avoid the projection of tables with more than 2-3 columns and rows. Strong color and visual contrast is a must. Use large font sizes for all text on the slide and for figure axis labels and legends.

DOWNLOAD PPT TEMPLATE

Upload Guidelines

Accepted presenters are required to submit their PowerPoint presentations and any relevant materials (handouts, papers, etc.) by no later than July 31, 2026. Accepted presenters are required to register and pay for the STC Annual Conference.

Presentation Timeframe

Each speaker is allotted only 10 minutes in the session, with 5-6 minutes for the presentation followed by 4-5 minutes of open discussion. Time limits will be strictly enforced by the session chairs. Aim for no more than one slide per minute of your presentation. Omit details that do not add to the audience’s understanding of the work (example: descriptions of standard data collection techniques). Practice the presentation beforehand to ensure that it is within the prescribed time limits.

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