The Emerging Pathogens Institute (EPI) invites all University of Florida investigators and scholars, as well as investigators from outside of UF, to submit abstracts of their ongoing or recently completed research for presentation as a poster at the EPI Research Day 2025. Submissions may include abstracts presented in the prior 18 months at national professional meetings. Abstracts are restricted to 400 words; abstracts over this length will not be accepted for the poster competition.
This year, we will host an undergraduate, pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, and early-stage investigator poster competition. Each of the four competition categories will be presented with a $1,000 award for first place, a $500 award for second place, and a $250 award for third place. Judging staff, comprised of EPI senior faculty leadership, will review each submission before EPI Research Day 2025 to select finalists in each competition category. Finalists will be notified before the event and must be present during the entire poster session to permit final “in-person” review by the judges. Winners will be announced at the end of the event.
Online submission form deadline: Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET
Undergraduate research poster competition
- UF undergraduate students (bachelor’s students) can enter the undergraduate research poster competition.
- Undergraduate students must have an EPI member as a mentor, who is also listed as a co-author on the abstract. UF faculty members who engage in pathogenic/infectious disease research and/or education are welcome to become EPI members if they are not already. Apply to become an EPI member.
- Undergraduate students must be available to discuss their posters with the judges during the poster session to compete for awards, with no exceptions (please arrange for this in advance).
To be eligible to compete for awards, the undergraduate student must meet the following requirements.
- Be the first author
- Must present the poster
- Have a faculty mentor who is a co-author of the abstract and an EPI member.
Pre-doctoral research poster competition
- UF graduate-level students (doctoral and master’s students) can enter the pre-doctoral research poster competition.
- Graduate students must have an EPI member as a mentor, who is also listed as a co-author on the abstract. UF faculty members who engage in pathogenic/infectious disease research and/or education are welcome to become EPI members if they are not already. Apply to become an EPI member.
- Graduate students must be available to discuss their posters with the judges during the poster session to compete for awards, with no exceptions (please arrange for this in advance).
To be eligible to compete for awards, the graduate student must meet the following requirements.
- Be the first author
- Must present the poster
- Have a faculty mentor who is a co-author of the abstract and an EPI member.
Post-doctoral research poster competition
- UF post-doctoral fellows/associates, residents, and fellows can enter the post-doctoral research poster competition.
- Post-doctoral candidates must have an EPI member as a mentor, who is also listed as a co-author on the abstract. UF faculty members who engage in pathogenic/infectious disease research and/or education are welcome to become EPI members if they are not already. Apply to become an EPI member.
- Post-doctoral candidates must be available to discuss their posters with the judges during the poster session to compete for awards, with no exceptions (please arrange for this in advance).
To be eligible to compete for awards, the graduate student post-doctoral trainees must meet the following requirements.
- Be the first author
- Must present the poster
- Have a faculty mentor who is a co-author of the abstract and an EPI member.
Early-stage investigator poster competition
- Junior faculty (assistant scientist/assistant professor) with primary appointments at the University of Florida can enter the early-stage investigator poster competition.
- An early-stage investigator must be a member of the EPI. Junior faculty members who engage in pathogenic/infectious disease research and/or education are welcome to become members if they are not already. Apply to become an EPI member.
- Early-stage investigators must be available to discuss their posters with the judges during the poster session to compete for awards, with no exceptions (please arrange for this in advance).
To be eligible to compete for awards, the early-stage investigator must meet the following requirements.
- Be the first author
- Be an EPI member
- Be within 5 years of faculty appointment
- Hold one of the following positions at UF:
- Assistant Extension Scientist
- Assistant Scholar
- Assistant Scientist
- Assistant Research Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Clinical Assistant Professor
Open poster session
All faculty, staff, and other research personnel can submit an abstract to present in the open poster session even if they are ineligible for a poster competition or do not wish to enter a poster competition.
UF faculty, collaborators, research personnel, and other non-trainees are invited to submit abstracts of their ongoing research and/or clinical scholarship to the open poster session.
The poster presenter must be the first or senior author. If you are an author on more than one abstract, you may submit more than one abstract if a different person in the list of authors presents each poster.
All presenters must set up their posters the day before the event. Details on the exact time to set up will be announced closer to the event.