Students

Student Research Competition at IFoRE ‘26

Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, invites student researchers to submit their work for the 2026 IFoRE Student Research Competition. This year's event will be held virtually, with activities conducted on the Zoom, Whova, and ProjectBoard platforms.

Students are encouraged, but not required, to connect their research to this year’s conference theme, “Sharing the Wonder of Science: Weaving perspectives, disciplines, and generations in science for humanity.” All high-quality research across disciplines is welcome. Eligible students include those at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels across all fields of science, engineering, and mathematics.

Participating students will submit:

  • An abstract summarizing thier research

  • A short video (up to 2 minutes) introducing themselves and their research

  • A slideshow (up to 10 slides) summarizing their project

Submissions will be hosted and showcased on ProjectBoard, an online platform designed to support interactive project displays and feedback from judges and attendees.

Important information about registration:

  • Students must first submit an abstract by the deadline of September 11, 2026.

  • After an abstract is accepted, students will be required to register to confirm their participation.

  • Only 300 students will be invited to compete for the IFoRE Student Research Awards.

  • Early submission and registration are strongly encouraged to secure a spot in the competition.

  • Judging will take place October 24–November 1, 2026.

  • Students will be assigned a specific date and time to present their research to the judges via Zoom. Students will need to be available for their scheduled presentation slot.

Students competing for awards must use the IFoRE Student Submission Portal. Submissions will be evaluated based on research quality, creativity, and clarity of presentation. Award winners will be announced during the 2026 IFoRE conference.

Please contact programs@sigmaxi.org for assistance with the submission process.