Student Poster Resources

Research poster sessions are a fun and efficient way to present your research to a wide variety of people. Most poster sessions are set up much like job fairs or farmers markets –presenters are assigned a stationary spot in a large room, and the audience circulates through looking for areas of interest.

Rather than addressing a big audience all at once, poster presenters typically only speak with a few people at a time. The tone of these interactions tends to be very conversational. Having a short “elevator speech” that summarizes your project and then being ready to engage in discussion with an educated, but perhaps uninformed audience member is a good way to prepare.

It’s always a good idea to start by asking your audience what they already know about the topic – that way you can tailor your presentation to their level of expertise. After a few minutes, audience members typically move on to other posters and you’ll begin a new conversation.

An hour and a half may sound like a long while, but most students report feeling like the time goes by very fast.

For guidance on writing or editing your poster abstract, this overview page provided by MSU's Undergraduate Scholars Program is a good place to start.

Project mentors can and should help with abstracts, too.

Creating and printing a poster to represent your research is easy. The editable MS PowerPoint poster templates below will help get your poster off the ground in no time. Feel free to change and edit poster elements to meet your project's needs.

Or skip the template and design your own using a design/layout program of your choosing. Posters for MSU-hosted sessions should be approximately 42” x 46”. The poster paper is 42” on one side and the MSU poster stands are slightly less than 48” wide, so one of your dimensions should be no greater than 42”.

Please note that posters printed in MSU's Chemistry Department may be restricted to 34” x 44”. Other poster sessions at institutions besides MSU may have different size requirements, so check first before printing.

NIH-NIGMS requires Montana INBRE-funded faculty and students who present or publish their work (including posters) to acknowledge NIGMS. The citation must read as follows:

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P20GM103474. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Important! Do NOT wait until the last minute to print your final, proofread  poster. The resources listed below may have a turn-around time of several days -- especially during times of peak demand. Begin early and work ahead.

Montana State University Library Specialty Printing

• Renne Library, Bozeman, MT 59717 | (406) 994-3139
• Website
• Contact Montana INBRE at 406-994-7531 for payment information

Selby's

• 525 Professional Drive, Bozeman, MT 59718 | 406-587-0782
• Ask Selby’s staff to charge account #2224117 (For current Montana INBRE students only)

Montana State University Printing

• 12 Culbertson Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717 | 406-994-5708 | uprint@montana.edu 
• Contact Montana INBRE at 406-994-7531 for payment information
• Again, please do not wait until the last minute!

Chemistry/Biochemistry Deptartment, Montana State University

• Chemistry & Biochemistry Building, Bozeman, MT 59715 (MSU Campus) | 406-994-5379 
• Call first to set up an appointment and get current formatting instructions
• Contact Montana INBRE at 406-994-7531 for payment information
• Please remember that the poster size restriction is 34” x 44”

Not located in Bozeman? Check with your mentor, academic department and/or institution for a preferred location near you