Research Poster Competition Judges Information

Call for Judges!

The Graduate Division is seeking qualified faculty, staff, and community member judges for the third annual graduate Research Poster Competition in Fall 2026!  If you or one of your colleagues is interested in volunteering as a judge for the competition, please fill out the judges registration form here. You are also welcome to judge the Three Minute Thesis Competition. Apply using the same form. 

Judge Information 

  • Judges must have completed a graduate degree; preference for judges with a PhD, JD, or EdD.  

  • The time commitment is a minimum of 1.5 hours, with the opportunity to judge more slots if desired. 

Judging Schedule 

  • July 2026: Judge Registration is open on a rolling basis til Sept. 21, 2026. 

  • Sept. 28, 2026: Judges Assigned 

  • Nov. 2026: Date of the Event. Multiple judging time slots available 

Please complete the judging form to indicate your availability:    

Judging Guidelines 

Judging is completed on Qualtrics. For the details provided to students, please see the page on Prizes, Rules, and Criteria.   

Judging criteria is currently being updated for 2026. 

Thank you to our RPC Judges!

2025 RPC Judges

  • Joel Thurston, PhD - Director of Research Integrity in the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance 

  • Heidi Blackburn, PhD - Computing Librarian on the Sciences and Technology Team for the University Libraries 

  • Arshia Burney, MS – Financial Risk Management Consultant 

  • Roser Boltes Beard, MA - Graduate Admissions Specialist and a graduate of the George Mason University Master’s in Art History program 

  • Lorena Jordan - Policy and Government Librarian in the University Libraries dedicated to supporting the Schar School of Policy and Government 

  • Julie Choe Kim, PhD - Director of Graduate Student Life within University Life 

  • Crystal Boyce, MLIS - Biological Sciences Librarian in University Libraries 

  • Melissa Broeckelman-Post, PhD - Assistant Provost of Academic Affairs and Professor of Communication 

  • Daniel Kolodrubetz, PhD - Research Staff Member at the Institute for Defense Analyses 

  • Christopher DiTeresi, PhD – Associate Vice President in the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance; University Affiliate Faculty of Philosophy 

  • Megan Bruening, PhD - Director of the Office of Fellowships 

  • Pallavi Rai Gullo, JD - Senior Director of Graduate Academic Affairs and Initiatives 

  • Crystal Hall Buckley, EdD –Director of Graduate Admissions 

  • Holly Gillcash – Graduate Admissions Specialist 

  • Lou DiGioia, FASAE, CAE – Chief Operating Officer at Cinema United 

  • Karen T Lee, PhD –Associate Director the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research 

  • Shabnam Rezai – Assistant Director for Graduate Programs in the Costello College of Business 

  • Austin Deray – Assistant Director of Graduate Student Life within University Life 

  • Tabinda Burney, MS – Director of Administrative Operations, Soteria Solutions 

  • Leslie Frieden, PhD – Associate Director for Research Development 

  • Shannon Davis, PhD – Professor of Sociology in the College of Humanities and Social Science 

  • Allison Miner, EdD, RDN – Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Food Studies in the College of Public Health 

  • Akitta Robertson, MA – Assistant Director for Graduate Funding and Operations 

  • Alejandro Lara, PhD – Consultant, The World Bank