The Poster Competition & 3MT shines a spotlight on our students—celebrating their research, innovation, and hands-on experiences that set them up for future success.
Poster Competition
This is the 18th year for our signature poster competition event!
Current graduate and undergraduate students will present their posters to industry judges and receive valuable feedback.
Awards will be given for first-third place in the following categories:
Undergraduate research
Graduate research
Experiential learning, including one of the following:
Internships and co-ops
Senior design
Student organizations
Study abroad
Three Minute Thesis (3MT)
For PhD students participating in the graduate research poster competition.
3MT™ is a research communication competition that challenges PhD students to explain their research thesis and its significance to a general audience in three minutes, using a single PowerPoint slide as a reference.
Finalists will present their 3MT at the event and one will earn a $1,000 scholarship prize. Learn more.
Registration closes: March 29, 2026, midnight (no late registrations)
Judge registration closes: April 12, 2026, midnight
Posters from registered participants due: April 15, 2026, midnight (no late posters)
We will print all posters for the event, except for those students who are also participating in the SURF Poster Symposium on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Agenda: UWM Student Union
7:30-9 am
Continental Breakfast
8-8:45 am
Check-In
9-9:20 am
Welcome and Judge Orientation
9:30-11:00 am
Poster Competition Judging
11-11:15 am
Break
11:15 – 11:45 am
3MT Honoring Michael Krauski Finalist Presentations
11:45 am – 1:00 pm
Lunch and Awards
Students, this is your opportunity to present your work in poster form to a professional audience of engineers and computer scientists, as researchers do at conferences.
Student org and senior design participants: Please bring your model, project, student org vehicle or any other artifact that shows your work (and Milwaukee Engineer enthusiasm!).
To participate:
You must be a current student of the College of Engineering & Applied Science or your mentor/advisor must be a member of the college.
Each student must register and create a unique poster in one of the following categories:
Undergraduate research
Graduate research
Experiential Learning, including, but not limited to:
Co-op or internship
Senior design project
Student organization poster
CEAS study abroad
Group projects
Research included in the research poster competition must be extracurricular and not related to a required course.
Each poster must be submitted and presented by one student. If a group worked on a project, each student can enter their own separate poster that addresses a unique attribute of the research or their part of the project.
No duplicate work accepted. If a poster was submitted for this competition in the past, it can’t be submitted a second time unless there is substantial advancement to the research and findings.
We will print all posters for the event, except for those students who are also participating in the SURF Poster Symposium on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Required poster template
Please download a copy of the appropriate template and “Save as” your own poster on your device:
Three Minute Thesis, honoring Michael Krauski, with $1,000 scholarship
PhD students participating in the Research Poster Competition also have the option to compete in the Three Minute Thesis, Honoring Michael Krauski, for the $1,000 scholarship prize.
You must participate in the Research Poster Competition to enter the Three Minute Thesis, Honoring Michael Krauski category.
Your Day: Start with a continental breakfast, then meet our students one-on-one as you judge student posters. We’ll break, then all will judge the finalists for the Three Minute Thesis event. Then lunch and you’ll find out who won!
Judging: You will be provided with a list of the student poster titles prior to the event in case you’d like to review them early. When you check in you’ll choose the posters you’d like to review.
Research Poster
Research (up to 50 points)
Research is original and innovative
Research has practical implications/research is relevant to current industry needs
Research methodology is sound (e.g., research process, data quantity is sufficient)
The result/conclusion of the research is clear and easy to understand
Communication (up to 30 points)
Student clearly explains project, including initial problem or question, the process, and the result/conclusion
Student is able to explain the research in a way that is easily understood by those outside the subject area or without the specific technical expertise
Student speaks at an appropriate volume and pace
Student demonstrates enthusiasm for the topic
Appearance & Presentation (up to 20 points)
Research is displayed in a logical way
Data is displayed in such a way that lends itself to clear interpretation
Pictures, digital images and graphs are of a high quality
Experiential Learning Poster
Reflection (up to 50 points)
Experience is described in detail with emphasis on growth and learning
Reflection describes how the experience related to a student’s education and/or career aspirations
Reflection includes challenges and how they were addressed
Reflection is personal and meaningful
Communication (up to 30 points)
Student clearly explains project, including initial problem or question, the process, and the result/conclusion
Student is able to explain the research in a way that is easily understood by those outside the subject area or without the specific technical expertise
Student speaks at an appropriate volume and pace
Student demonstrates enthusiasm for the topic
Appearance & Presentation (up to 20 points)
Information is displayed in a logical way
Data is displayed in such a way that lends itself to clear interpretation
Pictures, digital images and graphs are of a high quality
Three Minute Thesis, Honoring Michael Krauski
Comprehension & Content (up to 10 points)
Did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and aims of research?
Do you know what is significant about this research?
Did the presentation follow a logical sequence?
Engagement (up to 10 points)
Did the presentation make the audience want to know more?
Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or over-simplify their research?
Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?
Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience’s attention?
Communication (up to 10 points)
Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
Did the speaker use sufficient eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and a confident stance?
Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology that needed to be used, and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation?
Overall Impression (up to 10 points)
Congratulations to the winners (and their faculty advisors) of the Poster Competition & 3MT. The work of every student who entered in the competition is worthy of acknowledgment. Their research addresses many of society’s pressing challenges and illustrates the curiosity, passion and abilities of students who attend one of the nation’s top research universities.
Thank you also to the judges and the many sponsors who helped make this event possible.
2025
3 Minute Thesis, Honoring Michael Krauski
Abul Borkot Md Rafiqul Hasan, How Heat Changes the Way Fuel Flows in Space; Advisor: Krishna Pillai
Graduate
Cheikh Kada, Mechanical Engineering, Pyrolysis Treatment for Sludge and Animal Manures: Impact of Heating Rate; Advisor: Ryoichi Amano
TIE
Joshua Estell, Mechanical Engineering, Pre-Soaking in Assembly Line Production; Advisor: Xiaoxiao Zhang
Mohamed Maache, Mechanical Engineering, Co-Pyrolysis Treatment of Sludge with Cow VS Sludge with Chicken: Impact of Different Fractions; Advisor: Ryoichi Amano
Undergraduate
Hannah Vincent, Biomedical Engineering, Developing An In Silico Model of Breast Tissue to Assess Biomechanics of Tumor Microenvironment; Advisor: Mahsa Dabagh
Mona Said, Biomedical Engineering, Gold Nanostars Used In Microplastic Detection In Water; Advisor: Ashwin Narasimhan
Anna Lutz, Mechanical Engineering, Fabrication and Tension Testing for Material Characterization of a Piezoelectric Polymer Film; Advisor: Rani Elhajjar
Experiential Learning
Abhi Roop Reddy Tokala, Biomedical Engineering, The Software development of a Precision Trigger Signal Generator for Cardiac 3D Mapping Applications; Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui
Andrew Hinz, Mechanical Engineering, Design and Development of a Modular Testing Apparatus for the Electrolysis of Water with the Prototyping Club at UWM; Advisor: Deyang Qu
Greta Boehm, Biomedical Engineering, Development of an Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Auto-Injector Device; Advisor: Mohamed Yahiaoui
2024
Graduate
Seyed Faridedin Rafie, Materials Science & Engineering, Enhancing Zn2+ Recovery Efficiency: Bi-Divalent Nickel-Cobalt Ferrite Spinel as a Game-Changing Adsorbent – an Experimental and Computational Study; Advisor: Nidal Abu-Zahra
Zayeed Bin Mamun, Mechanical Engineering, Towards 3D-3C Velocity Maps from Single Camera 2D-2C PTV Using Physics Informed Neural Networks; Advisor: Roshan D’Souza
Kada Kada, Mechanical Engineering, Effects of Blade Count on Power Output in Micro-Kaplan Hydro Turbines; Advisor: Ryoichi Amano
Undergraduate
Cameron Lee, Data Science, Grip Strength Decline and Its Determinants Across the Lifespan: Insights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 Data; Advisor: Inga Wang (School of Rehabilitation Sciences & Technology)
Nicholas Birschbach, Electrical Engineering, Energy Efficient AI on Embedded Systems; Advisor: Shuaiqi Shen
Anna Lutz, Mechanical Engineering, Strength Analysis of Additively Manufactured Sandwich Composite Inserts; Advisor: Rani El Hajjar
Michael Krauski Memorial Award
Hamza Alnawafah, Mechanical Engineering, Water to Watts: Transforming Wastewater Into Green Hydrogen Power; Advisor: Ryoichi Amano
2023
Graduate First Place: Abul Borkot Md Rafiqul Hasan, ME (Research Advisor: Krishna Pillai) Second Place: Rawan Aqel, CEE (Research Advisor: Rani Elhajjar) Third Place: Mohsen Sabbaghi, EE (Research Advisor: George Hanson)
Undergraduate First Place: Sonia Bendre, EE (Research Advisor: Rob Cuzner) Second Place: Weiling Xia, MS (Research Advisor: Xiaoli Ma) Third Place: Ian Smith, ME (Faculty advisor: William Musinski)
Mike Krauski Memorial Award Walaa Saadeh, ME (Research Advisor: Ryoichi Amano)
2022
Graduate First Place: Dantong Qiu (Faculty advisor: Deyang Qu) Second Place: Farah Nazifa Nourin (Faculty advisor: Ryoichi Amano) Third Place: Xiaoyu Liu (Faculty advisor: Susan McRoy) Student Choice: Mohamed Abousabae (Advisor: Ryoichi Amano)
Undergraduate First Place: Morgan Connaughton (Faculty advisor: Mahsa Dabagh) Second Place: Diego Avila (Faculty advisor: Matthew Petering) Third Place: Jameson Nedza (Faculty advisor: Xuefeng Bao) Student Choice: Rosalba Huerta (Faculty advisor: Konstantin Sobolev)
Mike Krauski Memorial Award Mohamed Abousabae (Advisor: Ryoichi Amano)
Undergraduate First Place: Hannah Ullberg (Faculty advisor: Pradeep Rohatgi) Second Place: Marina Slawinski (Faculty advisor: Ionel Popa) Third Place (Tie): Morgan Connaughton (Faculty advisor: Mahsa Dabagh) and Corey Huffman (Faculty advisor: Mohammad Rahman)
