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Home » College of STEM » The Innovation Experience

The Innovation Experience

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Time: 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Student Exhibits; Awards at 7 p.m.
Location: Echo Power Club Level at Fortera Stadium

In the College of STEM, our students receive an excellent education in the classroom, but they also get the hands-on, real-world experiences they need for successful careers. Capstone projects are one way we ensure that our students learn how to address the real-world problems facing our society and our regional industrial partners. The projects also help our students learn the importance of teamwork, research, design, theory, and resilience.

In the College of STEM, we recognize the unique opportunity we have to partner with local industry to provide students with these opportunities, and we have made it a priority to increase these opportunities.

Our regional partners serving on the Industrial Advisory Boards provide valuable insight and feedback for our faculty and related programs. In addition, they often collaborate with our faculty to provide students opportunities to work on real problems they are facing in their industry. Those students gain valuable experience and insight into the industry.

This event is focused on three objectives:

  1. Recognize the Industrial Advisory Boards that volunteer their time and effort. Their feedback is critical for our programs and student success, and they deserve to be recognized for their critical contribution on a larger scale.
  2. Provide an event that allows our industry partners and regional community leaders to better understand our students’ capabilities. Provide industry leaders the opportunity to connect with faculty advisors to learn how they can become a partner willing to work on capstone projects and provide internship opportunities for our students.
  3. Provide students valuable networking opportunities with regional employers and industry.

Submit Your Abstract

ABSTRACT GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS

Submission Process

  • Faculty Approval: Before submitting, students must obtain their faculty advisor's approval of both the abstract content and the listed team members/authors. If there is more than one advisor on your project, please be certain all advisors have been communicated with.

Abstract Content Requirements

  • Purpose: Your abstract should provide a clear, concise summary of your innovation project that will allow reviewers to understand your work's significance.
  • Length: Limit abstracts to 250 words maximum.
  • Quality: Abstracts must be carefully prepared and proofread. They will be published as submitted without editorial corrections, and mistakes will be reflected in competition scores.

Abstract Structure

Your abstract should include:

  1. Project Title: Clear and descriptive (not counted in word limit)
  2. Problem Statement: Briefly describe the issue or challenge addressed
  3. Methodology: Summarize your approach or innovative solution
  4. Results: Highlight key findings or outcomes (if available)
  5. Impact/Significance: Explain why your work matters

Formatting Guidelines

  • Use clear, concise language appropriate for a general academic audience
  • Avoid specialized jargon, acronyms, or abbreviations without explanation
  • Do not include citations, references, images, or graphs in the abstract

Abstracts not meeting these guidelines WILL have points deducted from their overall score.

DUE MARCH 27, 2026 before 4:00 pm
No more than 250 words.
First student's name
First student's email
First student's department
First student's major
Second student's name
Second student's email
Second student's department
Second student's major
Third student's name
Third student's email
Third student's department
Third student's major
Fourth student's name
Fourth student's email
Fourth student's department
Fourth student's major

POSTER GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS

  • All posters will be grouped according to your research advisor’s department, and winners will be selected from each participating department, with separate selections made for undergraduates and master's winners.
  • Poster content should be developed in landscape format. Only the 42 inches x 42 inches (landscape) powerpoint template would be appropriate for the poster used for this event.
  • Your poster presentation CAN include a display if pertinent to the content of your poster. Please indicate on the abstract submission form if you will need additional space for a display or electricity.
    • You must turn in your powerpoint file (thumbdrive) to your faculty advisor to be printed by the deadline March 27, 2026 at 4:00 pm.

 

Contact Us

CoSTEM
Technology Building
P.O. Box 4538
Clarksville, TN 37044
(931) 221-7971 phone
(931) 221-7984 fax

Dr. Karen Meisch
Dean of CoSTEM

Mary Biggers
Academic Associate to the Deans

Colby Wilson
CoSTEM Director of Communication

Dr. Kallina Dunkle
Associate Dean of CoSTEM

Dr. Allen Chaparadza
Associate Dean of Student Success of CoSTEM

Dr. Nicholas Coleman
Associate Dean of Curriculum and Assessment of CoSTEM

Mark Gray
Student Success Coordinator for the College of STEM