The 2015 Rural Futures Conference poster competition is open for undergraduate and graduate students who wish to present a poster on “big idea” research questions that showcase new knowledge and bold ideas.

Participants must submit a 250-word abstract by Sept. 18 to be considered for the competition. Up to $1,500 in cash will be awarded in the undergraduate category, and up to $2,000 in cash in the graduate category. Posters will be presented at the Rural Futures Conference.

The National Rural Futures Conference, set for Oct. 21–23, aims to engage University of Nebraska faculty, staff and students, along with community and organizational partners, in envisioning a brighter future for rural communities.

The conference will be hosted by the Rural Futures Institute at the University of Nebraska. Attendees will be able to participate in the RFC at one of two locations: Nebraska Innovation Campus conference center in Lincoln, Nebraska, Oct. 21–23 or the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska, Oct. 21–22.

In keeping with the conference theme, “Hope Inspires Vision,” posters should address key elements of this thematic focus. Posters may feature research currently underway or ideas for future research that include hope or exemplify the Rural Futures Institute’s core values: bold, innovative, collaborative, reflective, transdisciplinary, agile and reflective.

Posters may be presented at either of the conference’s two locations. When submitting an abstract be sure to specify at which location the poster will be presented at.

The Rural Futures Conference poster committee will review the abstracts and notify presenters of their acceptance via email by Sept. 25. To be eligible for the cash awards, students must have had their abstract accepted and register for the conference at the location where they are presenting their poster.

Faculty and university partners may also display posters, but are not eligible for the competition.

For more details on the submission guidelines, prizes and deadlines, call 402-472-4977 or visit http://rfc.nebraska.edu/rfc-engage/posters/.

Complete details on additional engagement opportunities and the entire conference agenda are available at http://rfc.nebraska.edu.

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The Rural Futures Institute is one of four interdisciplinary Institutes at the University of Nebraska that leverages the talents and research-based expertise from across the system. The RFI, through a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, encourages bold and futuristic approaches to collaboratively address state, national and global challenges.