MEI Student Poster Competition

^{Picture: University of Melbourne}

Are you ready to showcase your research and help shape Australia’s clean energy future?

The Melbourne Energy Institute invites University of Melbourne students to enter the MEI Student Poster Competition. A key part of MEI Symposium 26, the poster competition allows students to present their research, solutions and visions for tackling the nation's energy challenges.

The poster competition will take place in the scheduled lunch break during MEI Symposium 26. Posters will be displayed in the MSD Basement. Students must present their own work, and are encouraged to stand next to their poster during the exhibition to discuss their research with attendees. Winners will be notified by email and announced in MEI's newsletter.

Theme: Advancing Australia’s energy transition

This year’s theme, 'Advancing Australia’s energy transition', highlights the bold ideas and discoveries driving our move toward a sustainable, affordable and just energy system. Posters must reflect this theme, and be aligned with one of MEI's four Research Programs:

• Energy Systems
• Power Generation and Transport
• Heavy Industry and Resources
• Energy Materials

All competition details, including guidelines and judging criteria, can be downloaded below.

Prizes

Over $7,000 in prizes will be awarded for the top posters across MEI’s four Research Programs. The top 3 student posters in each category of energy research, as judged by MEI Research Program Leaders, will win the following:

• 1^st place: $1,000
• 2^nd place: $500
• 3^rd place: $300

Who can enter?

The MEI Student Poster Competition is open to undergraduate, masters, and PhD students currently studying at the University of Melbourne.

Why participate?

• Win cash prizes! Win up to $1,000 per category
• Gain recognition among peers and industry leaders
• Network with fellow energy enthusiasts both within and outside of the University of Melbourne

How to enter

To enter the competition, applicants must:

• Read the competition guidelines before entering
• Complete the competition registration form before 5pm on 19 October
• Register for MEI Symposium 26
• Download the poster template 
• Email your completed poster to mei-info@unimelb.edu.au by 5pm on 21 October. Late submissions will not be accepted

^{Picture: University of Melbourne}

Important information

• Entrants must complete all required information in the registration form, or their entry will be invalid.
• Completed posters must be emailed to mei-info@unimelb.edu.au by 5pm on 21 October 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.
• Posters must use the provided template and be supplied in PDF format. Posters using other templates will not be accepted.
• Images must be supplied in print-quality, high resolution suitable for size A0 prints.
• Research presented must be the entrant's own work under one of MEI’s Research Programs. Please indicate in your submission which Research Program your work is most aligned with.
• Entrants must include the sources of project funding on their poster.
• Entry is open to undergraduate, masters, and PhD students currently studying at the University of Melbourne. Previous students, and students of other universities, are not eligible to enter.
• The Student Poster Competition will take place in the scheduled lunch break during MEI Symposium 26. Entrants must register to attend MEI Symposium 26 to be part of the lunchtime poster competition session.
• Students who wish to keep their printed poster must collect after the competition concludes and before 4:30pm.