Call for Academic Posters

WCS Academic Poster Session

The Western Coatings Symposium (WCS) Call for Academic Poster presentations has closed.  The next Call for Academic Posters will be for the 37th WCS will be held at the Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, NV, on October 19-22, 2025.

The WCS Academic Poster Session is designed to encourage University students to submit posters promoting new ideas and technologies based on preliminary or completed coatings or related materials research.  All students presenting an accepted poster will receive $300.00 and are eligible for the three Academic Poster Session monetary awards.  In addition to the three monetary awards, there are four speaker slots reserved for four students to present their findings to the attendees of the WCS Symposium.

Each accepted academic poster will be provided with a 36″ x 48″ display board to highlight the research project.  Students will be required to be present in the Exhibit Hall during WCS exhibit hours for the purpose of discussing their projects with WCS attendees.  Only one poster can be submitted by a given student with a maximum of two students per poster.  A University can elect to set up an accepted academic poster without a student, but the University will not receive the $300.00 accepted poster prize or be eligible for the three Academic Poster competition awards.

Awards for the WCS Academic Poster Session are as follows:

  • 1st Place Best Undergrad Poster: $1,500.00
  • 1st Place Best Master Poster: $1,500.00
  • 1st Place PhD Poster: $1,500.00

In order to be eligible for the $300 student stipend and student registration fees, a “student” is defined as someone who is actively enrolled full time in an accredited University, College, High School, or Middle School.  Students must be able to show WCS a valid student identification or proof of enrolment at their stated academic institution.

You can address any questions related to the WCS Academic Poster Session to Jerome Jacobs as well.

All other questions regarding the Symposium, please contact the WCS office.

WCS Office: Phone: (714) 974-4511, email: westerncoatings@earthlink.net