Sigma Xi, the research honor society at West Virginia University , has issued an invitation to all WVU graduate students to participate in a poster competition during Graduate Research Day. The competition will be held from noon to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, at the Mountainlair. The application deadline is April 3.

Participants will compete in a poster presentation in one of three categories: engineering, life and agricultural sciences and general scienceincluding physical and mathematical sciences, social sciences and interdisciplinary sciences.

WVU faculty from various departments will judge the posters and presentations. Prizes within each category will include: $250 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. In addition, the best poster presentation across all three categories will receive a grand prize of $500. All participants will be invited to a banquet at the Erickson Alumni Center following the contest.

This event will provide students in different disciplines with the opportunity to share their research with each other and with others in the community,said Michael Vernon, Sigma Xi president, professor and interim chair of the WVU Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Graduate students interested in participating in the competition can download an application form atwww.cemr.wvu.edu/news/Research.Day.Application.doc. Applications must be received by April 3.

For more information, contact Mike Vernon ( mvernon@hsc.wvu.edu ) in the School of Medicine or George Trapp ( trapp@csee.wvu.edu ) in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.