The Trainee Poster Session will be held on Friday, September 25, 2026 during the evening reception with judging also occurring during the reception.

To submit your abstract for the poster session, please register and add your abstract by Friday, August 28, 2026. 

It is expected that the Presenting Author will present the same work described in the abstract, with the same title and general content. In addition, it is expected that the Presenting Author will be present at their poster throughout the session for questions and discussion with conference attendees. 

As a reminder, posters must be previously unpublished work and remain unpublished until or after September 25, 2026.

DEADLINES

August 28, 2026 – Contest Registrations Due

September 2, 2026 – Contest Finalists Notified

September 9, 2026 – Poster Artwork Due

POSTER DESIGN

We will be utilizing easels to display the trainee posters (instead of the traditional bulletin boards). The easels require that the trainee posters to be mounted onto a firm backing, so we are offering to provide printing, mounting, and delivery to Boston Marriott Cambridge, free of charge (see POSTER PRINTING below).

The image area of the poster is a maximum of 36 inches wide (100 cm) by 24 inches tall (60.96 cm) in a landscape format. Materials, including the title, may not extend beyond the image area. 

When designing your poster, make sure to set your poster dimension before you start. (If using PowerPoint, you can click on the “Design” tab, then click on the “Slide Size” dropdown, select “Custom Slide Size” and enter 36 in width x 24 in height) 

POSTER PRINTING

Free Option:
Poster printing and delivery is available free of charge to contestants who email their artwork in advance (as a PDF file).

Trainees who wish to take advantage of this opportunity, must send their final artwork by September 9, 2026 (see POSTER DESIGN above) to CorneaCOE@MEEI.HARVARD.EDU.

Self-pay Option:
Trainees may also choose to print and mount their posters at their own expense.

Please note that printing and mounting posters can cost $75-$100 per poster.

The final poster dimensions will need to be 36 inches wide x 24 inches tall (see POSTER DESIGN above) 

Since the easels do not have backing, the posters need to be mounted onto a foam core board.

Trainees who wish to print their own poster will need to notify the meeting organizers by Friday, August 28, 2026.

PRESENTATION

The first author is expected to be present and prepared to discuss their poster with attendees and the poster contest judges throughout the cocktail reception on Friday, September 25, 2026.

When speaking with the judges, you will need to keep your conversation to 5 minutes only. You will be judged by your ability to present your work in a clear and concise manner within the allotted time frame.

Please send any questions or concerns to CorneaCOE@meei.harvard.edu.