March 17 – March 21, 2026, San Francisco, CA
Sponsored by: Remote Sensing Specialty Group (RSSG)
The Remote Sensing Specialty Group (RSSG) of the Association of American Geographers is pleased to announce the 2026 RSSG Student Illustrated Paper Competition. Students from all academic levels are invited to submit illustrated papers on all topics that advance the field of remote sensing. Finalists will be placed in a special illustrated paper session at the 2026 AAG Annual Meeting to be held on March 17 – March 21, 2026, San Francisco, CA.
Illustrated Paper Information
An illustrated paper is a poster presentation accompanied by a short (3- to 5-minute) oral summary of the research question, data, methods, and findings, followed by a one-on-one or small group discussion. Presenters are expected to attend and present in person at the 2026 AAG Conference. Each will receive a 36″ × 48″ board to showcase their poster and materials.
We encourage illustrated papers on innovative remote sensing methods, concepts, theories, and applications. Research must have been completed within the past academic year as part of the student’s undergraduate or graduate studies and can include thesis/dissertation topics. The finalist must be a student when presenting the illustrated paper at the 2026 AAG Meeting. While papers may include co-authors, the student must be the first author and be primarily responsible for the research presented.
Important Dates
- October 30, 2025: deadline for submitting 1) the conference registration confirmation, 2) the abstract code, 3) the student form, and 4) the advisor’s form.
- December 3, 2025: notification of finalists by email.
- March 14, 2026: deadline for submitting the full poster.
Please note that all time requirements are according to U.S. Eastern Time.
Awards
First, second, and third place awards will be determined following the competition sessions. The prizes are:
- First place – $200
- Second place – $100
- Third place – $50
Judging
Posters and oral summaries will be judged by the RSSG judge committee on potential contribution to the field of remote sensing, originality, novelty, appropriate use of methodology, organization and composition, clarity, and appropriate use of graphics. Evaluation will consider the academic level of the finalists.
Submission Requirements
Students who are interested in participating in this competition should electronically submit the following materials to the RSSG Student Co-Director, Yifan Yang, at yyang295@tamu.edu and use “2026 RSSG Student Illustrated Paper Competition” as the subject title:
- A copy of the conference registration confirmation (in PDF) (due October 30, 2025)
- A copy of the email receipt (in PDF), including the abstract and the abstract code
received from the AAG after submitting your abstract through the AAG online abstract submission portal (due October 30, 2025) - The student completes the student form. Available at https://forms.gle/SFHBxbtMeujRg3TG9 (due October 30, 2025)
- The student’s advisor completes the advisor’s form. Available at https://forms.gle/dMANCL2pYEsn8eSh8 (due October 30, 2025)
- A copy of the poster in PDF format (due March 14, 2026)
Contact
If you have any questions about this competition, please send an email to the RSSG Student Co-Director, Yifan Yang, at yyang295@tamu.edu, and use “2026 RSSG Student Illustrated Paper Competition” as the subject title.