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Built Environment Showcase – Student Showcase

Built Environment Showcase

Student Showcase

About
Agenda
Seedgrant Showcase
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A banner titled ‘Student Showcase’ displays two scenes of students working together: one group collaborating with laptops in a classroom and another group gathered around a table reviewing papers.

Submission Deadline Extended to Friday April 17th at 11:59 pm!!!

The Built Environment Student Showcase is an interactive poster event designed to highlight the breadth, creativity, and impact of student work shaping the future of our built world. Open to undergraduate and graduate students across all disciplines, the showcase welcomes research, class projects, capstones, design studio work, innovation challenges, student club case competitions, and any scholarly or creative endeavor connected to the built environment.

We define the built environment broadly and inclusively—spanning real estate, architecture, engineering, construction, urban systems, sustainability, digital twins, AI for buildings, community design, policy, planning, smart infrastructure, disaster resilience, environmental psychology, facilities and property management, and more. Whether a project focuses on materials, modeling, user experience, robotics, social impact, or investment analysis, this event celebrates the many ways students contribute to making places better for people.

Throughout the showcase, students will present their work in an engaging interactive poster session, enabling meaningful conversations with industry leaders, faculty experts, and peers. This is a unique opportunity for students to gain visibility, strengthen their professional networks, receive constructive feedback, and explore pathways for internships, research collaborations, and career opportunities.

To recognize outstanding contributions, the showcase will award monetary prizes** in  four main categories. All participants will be celebrated for their hard work, creativity, and commitment to advancing the built environment.

  • Best Overall Poster and Presentation – $500 Prize
  • Best Undergraduate Submission – $300 Prize
  • Best Graduate Submission – $300 Prize
  • People’s Choice – $300 Prize

The Built Environment Student Showcase aims to elevate student voices, spark cross-disciplinary connections, and cultivate a vibrant community of emerging leaders ready to shape the future of how we design, build, manage, and experience the spaces around us.

** Note about monetary prizes: Due to University Policy, this monetary prize will be considered a cash gift and all cash gifts to students must be disbursed through the student system (LionPath). ** 

Poster and Presentation Formats

Poster PDF specifications: Posters must be 36 inches wide × 48 inches tall in portrait orientation. Only portrait‑layout posters will be accepted. You may design your poster in any application you prefer; however, the final submission must be provided as a full‑size (36″ × 48″) PDF.

Template: while it is not required it is strongly recommended to download and utilize our template. Coco Student Showcase-POSTER-TEMPLATE FILE 2026.potx

Naming Convention:  Please name your file your user id and last name (example: abc123_Smith) and then your poster title.

(If you are new to this, we suggest using Microsoft PowerPoint. Note that you will need to manually change the size of your slides; refer to Microsoft’s instructions for more information.)

Eligibility

  • Any graduate or undergraduate student may submit a research poster, regardless of your program of study.
  • The research should have significant RealEstate/Built Environment/ESG etc to be considered

Faculty may submit posters but won’t be eligible for poster judging or prizes.

Presentation Format

Students will give a traditional poster presentation during the poster session that takes place from 3:00 – 4:30 pm on Monday April 27, 2026.

How to Submit a Poster

If you would like to submit a poster, you must:

  1. Complete this form where you will upload your PDF Poster File. 
  2. Must adhere to the sizing and naming conventions listed above.
  3. Register and attend the Showcase. Your poster, if accepted, will be printed and displayed for you.

Collecting Your Poster

Posters can be picked up after 4:30 p.m. on April 27th at the Showcase. If you are unable to pick up your poster, you may email Suzy Unger (suzyunger@psu.edu) to coordinate an alternate pickup time.

Dates and Deadlines

  • Monday, March 16: Submission period opens
  • EXTENDED – Friday April 17th at 11:59 pm: Submission period closes 
  • Monday, April 20: Acceptance Notices sent to presenters
  • Monday, April 27: – Students will present their posters at the Built Environment Showcase to be judged