Student Paper Competition: Any graduate or undergraduate student who is registered and presenting at the PGS meeting is eligible to compete in the student paper competition. Separate competitions will be held for graduate and undergraduate students. Students may enter the paper competition by checking the appropriate boxes when registering for the conference using the PGS website. Rules for the poster competition are as follows:


(1) The presentation must be geographic in scope.

(2) The student must be the sole author of the paper and it must reflect original work of the student performed and completed within the year prior to the PGS annual meeting.

(3) The presentation must be prepared entirely by the applicant. However,this may be under the direction of a faculty member.

(4) PhD candidates who have graduated prior to the PGS annual meeting are not eligible.

(5) The individual must be a student enrolled in a recognized program at the time of the competition at the annual meeting or, in the case of undergraduate or masters level competitors, have graduated no earlier than the previous spring term.

(6) The format of student presentations follows the general PGS guidelines for paper presentations. (20 minutes are allotted for presentations, but students are encouraged to limit their presentation to 15 minutes and leave 5 minutes to questions.)

(7) All oral presentations are podium style with stationary microphone, a laptop computer for Power Point slide presentations at the podium, and digital screen projection.

(8) Students are not required to submit written papers to compete in the paper competition.

(9) Paper will be judged in accordance with the paper judging rubric posted on the PGS website, within the Annual Awards section by three PGS judges during the oral presentation.

(10) Up to three awards and certificates may be given to outstanding student papers in graduate and undergraduate categories.

Please contact Tim Dolney (814.949.5454; tjd15@psu.edu), chair of the PGS Student Awards, if you have any questions.
Paper Submission Rubric

Elaine Bosowski Map Award

The Elaine F. Bosowski Map Award is presented to the best graduate or undergraduate student poster paper displayed at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Geographic Society (PGS) Society. The award is given in memory of the late Elaine F. Bosowski whose devotion to her students and dedication to geographic education placed her at the forefront of the teaching profession. Graduate and undergraduate students may enter the poster contest by checking the appropriate box when registering for the conference using the PGS website. Rules for the poster competition are as follows:


(1) The posters theme must be geographic in scope and should contain cartographic or graphic components.

(2) Coauthorship of papers is permitted with the first author listed considered the lead author.

(3) Student must indicate during the registration process the posters geographic theme: Physical Geography, Human Geography, or Cartography/Geographic Information System (GIS).

(4) Student or lead author must have conducted the research presented in the poster.

(5) Student or lead author must attend and be present at PGS conference to receive Elaine Bosowski award.

(6) Posters should be designed in accordance with the poster judging rubric posted on the PGS website within the Awards section.

(7) Posters dimensions must be at least 36 inches in height and 48 inches in width.

(8) All posters will be displayed in an exhibit hall and organized according to geographic theme.

(9) A panel of three faculty geographers will judge posters. The decision of these judges is final.

(10)The student author must be present during the designated judging time to answer judge questions.

(11) Up to two awards and certificates may be given to outstanding student posters in graduate and undergraduate categories.

Please contact Tim Dolney (814.949.5454; tjd15@psu.edu), chair of the PGS Student Awards, if you have any questions.

Map Submission Rubric

Teacher Recognition Award:  Given to K-12 teachers who are effective at teaching Geography, Earth Science, Environmental Science or other courses such as Social Studies where a significant geographic component is present.  More than one award is given each year, and recipients need not be members of PGS.

Distinguished Teacher Award:  Given at both the K-12 and college/university levels.  The recipient must have documented evidence of excellence in teaching as well as innovative and effective classroom methods in Geography, Earth Science, Environmental Science or any other course (s) with a consistent and substantive geographic base.  There may be more than one recipient each year.  Recipients must be members of PGS, but an exception may be made in the case of  highly qualified K-12 teachers.

Distinguished Scholar Award:  Given to an individual with substantive research, publications and professional development in Geography.  There is usually only one award per year, and the nominee must be a member of PGS.  This award may not be bestowed each year, but is dependent on the quality of the nominees or self-nominees.

Distinguished Service Award:  Given to any individual who has given substantive and long-term service to both the discipline of Geography and to the PGS.  There is usually only one award per year.  The recipient must be a member of PGS.  This award may not be awarded each year, but is dependent on the quality of the nominees and self-nominees.

Ruby S. and E. Willard Miller Lifetime Achievement Award:  This award is given occasionally to an individual of exemplary, long-term dedication to the discipline of Geography and to the PGS.  The award may be given posthumously.  The recipient must have been a member of the PGS (or its predecessor, the PCGS).

Nominations for the professional awards should be submitted to the awards committee chair no later than August 1 each year.