Press Releases
For Immediate Release
Andrea Sanchez
IFMA
1-713-623-4362
Date Posted: Sept. 12, 2007
WORLD WORKPLACE E-POSTER COMPETITON HIGHLIGHTS STUDENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO FACILITY MANAGEMENT PROFESSION
The International Facility Management Association’s (IFMA) World Workplace 2007 Conference & Expo, Oct. 24-26 in New Orleans, La., will bring industry leaders together to focus on the future of facility management. Unlike previous conferences, established professionals won’t be the only ones taking center stage this year. Students from across the globe eager to break into the industry and show that the future is in good hands will present original projects and research during the World Workplace E-poster competition.
Hosted by the IFMA Recognized Degree Programs Committee and sponsored by the IFMA Foundation, the E-poster competition provides an international stage for students in IFMA’s Recognized Degree Programs and other facility management educational tracks to present original work in the field of facility management.
“The student E-poster competition is a chance to bring students into the mix of World Workplace, allowing employers to meet potential employees and providing students access to ‘real world’ facility management issues,” said Kathy Roper, assistant professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and chair of the Recognized Degree Programs Committee. “This showcases our students and stimulates additional interest in facility management higher education.”
An E-poster presentation is a visual summary of a recent research or work project, consisting of a PowerPoint or other electronic display combined with an interactive two-minute question-and-answer period. E-poster submittals will be displayed throughout World Workplace on the Expo floor, with the winning E-posters being selected by an international panel of judges. Judging will be based on impact, information, inspiration, practicability and the presentation of the poster.
Students may compete individually or in teams, with the winning E-poster author(s) receiving an award, travel and expense allowance and an invitation to the 2008 EuroFM conference in Manchester, United Kingdom. The author(s) of the second place submission will receive complimentary registration for IFMA’s World Workplace 2008, to be held in Dallas, Tx.
Students from countries as diverse as Austria, China, Denmark and Germany, as well as the United States, will travel to World Workplace to present their projects. E-posters representing 16 teams and dozens of students have already been submitted.
“We’re excited to see what others already in the industry think of the work that we’ve done and if it’s something they can benefit from,” said Luke Hopkin, a senior in Brigham Young University’s Facilities Management program who’ll be bringing a three-person team to World Workplace. “It’s pretty nice that we’re being treated as if we’re already in the industry and being looked at as if we have something to offer. We do a lot of work nobody ever sees, so it will be nice to have industry leaders see some of our efforts.”
The student E-posters will be featured on the World Workplace Expo floor, which will be open Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; and Friday, Oct. 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For a complete list of exhibitors or more information, visit www.worldworkplace.org.
To learn more about the E-poster competition, visit http://www.worldworkplace.org/attendees/students_eposter.cfm.
IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 18,500 members in 60 countries. The association’s members are represented in 125 chapters and 15 councils worldwide. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management degree and certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. For more information, visit www.ifma.org. |
