MSA Graduate and Undergraduate Best Oral and Poster Presentations

MSA Best Oral and Poster Presentations

Application Deadline: Students will be selected at the MSA Annual Meeting. 

Each year during the annual meeting, MSA recognizes the best oral and poster presentations of graduate and undergraduate students. Two prizes are awarded annually to the two best talks presented by graduate students at the annual MSA meeting. These awards are named in honor of two distinguished mycologists: one is named for Meredith Blackwell and the other is named for John W. Taylor. Both individuals care about graduate students a lot!  

Two prizes are awarded annually to the two best posters presented by graduate students at the annual MSA meeting (as of now, these prizes are unnamed).

Best undergraduate presentations are also recognized with talk and poster awards; the number of undergraduate awards ranges from one to two and is at the discretion of the committee.

These awards are administered by the Student Award Committee. 

To see a list of all other awards offered by the Mycological Society of America, see the MSA Awards Chart.

2021 Oral & Poster Awardees 

(Click on photo to enlarge and see full name of awardee)

Award Requirements

  1. The applicant must be a current member of the MSA.
  2. Persons eligible for a Graduate Research Prize are M.Sc. or PhD candidates or those who will have been awarded the degree within one year of the annual meeting.
  3. Previous recipients of either category of Best Graduate or Undergraduate Best Presentation Award are not eligible for a second award.

Application Process 

An individual should apply for consideration for all poster and oral presentation awards by indicating their interest on the Abstract Submission Form for the MSA annual meeting. Application may be made for either but not both categories of graduate research best presentation awards. A student can apply for and receive both a Research, Travel or Student Award and a Best Oral Presentation Award. 

Award Terms

  1. All awardees must provide a short biography (100-200 words) and a photo (if possible) within two weeks of notification from the Awards Coordinator, using the Awardee Document Submission Form. These will be requested at the appropriate time. Photos and biographies will be published in Inoculum.
  2. The award check must be deposited or cashed within 5 months.
  3. Each award recipient is required to complete a W-9 form prior to receiving their award funds. Awardees will be contacted by the management company regarding this process. (This only applies if you have a U.S. Social Security Number).
  4. Keep copies of your W-9 and all receipts and expenses that are part of this award. These documents are important and may be necessary for tax purposes.

MSA Diversity Statement

The MSA encourages and welcomes nominations of all individuals regardless of race and ethnicity, country of origin, sex, gender identity, religion, age, education level, socioeconomic status, marital status, parental status, physical ability, neurological differences, political affiliation, and sexual orientation. See the full MSA Diversity Statement 

See a list of past oral and poster presentation awardees.