If you're on this page, you're probably thinking about judging or you're a student wanting to know more about how judging works at the national conference. After receiving initial submissions, AISES reformatted our research competition to center Indigenous Knowledge systems and methodologies, which better aligns with our mission of supporting Indigenous students in STEM.
We're always looking for professionals and faculty with Indigenous Knowledge expertise who can give helpful feedback to our high school, undergraduate, and graduate students sharing research that incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Indigenous methodologies. Reach out to us at research@aises.org if you or someone you know wants to judge at the 2025 AISES National Conference in Minneapolis, MN.
This page has FAQs for judges and info for students participating in the Indigenous Knowledge Research Competition - both oral and poster presentations. We've got over 200 student presentations this year, which shows how much students wanted this space for Indigenous research approaches! You'll also find the Indigenous-centered judging rubrics here so everyone knows what to expect and how presentations will be evaluated.
We are currently finalizing our judging platform and will provide updated instructions about the scoring process during judge training. You'll need to bring a phone, tablet, laptop, or other device to access the scoring materials during live evaluation.
The judges training will be offered virtually and in-person.
Virtual Judges’ Orientation for Research Presentations
Wednesday, September 17, 3-4:30 pm CST, Via Zoom
On-site Judges' Orientation for Research Presentations
Thursday, October 2, 7:30-9:00 pm CST, Room 202AB
Judging FAQs:
- Where do I sign-up to be a judge for the poster and oral research presentations?
Thank you for your interest in judging the research presentations! Sign-up here.
- When does judging take place at the conference?
The Research Day is always on the Friday of conference. Poster presentations run from 9:00am-12:00pm CST and orals run from 9:30am-5:30pm CST.
- What feedback should I provide to students?
Use the "What went well" / "Even better if" feedback model.
Start with specific strengths tied to the rubric pillars, then offer constructive growth suggestions.
For example: "What went well: Your passion for water quality research really came through, and I loved hearing about your grandmother's teachings. Even better if: you could share more about your specific plans for using this research to help your community."For younger students, emphasize encouragement and future potential. For advanced students, provide substantive suggestions for continued development.
- How do I prepare for the new evaluation framework?
For detailed information about our Indigenous-centered evaluation framework, scoring criteria, cultural integration guidance, and preparation strategies, download our comprehensive
PDFs, linked below:- How is time monitored during the oral research sessions?
We will have greeters at each session that will seat the judges and keep time for the presenters.
- What training is provided for judges?
It is mandatory for all research judges to attend EITHER the in-person judges’ orientation or the virtual judges’ orientation offered two weeks prior to the conference.
All judges complete foundational training covering Indigenous research approaches including community-based participatory research, traditional knowledge integration, two-eyed seeing methodology, and cultural research protocols.
Virtual Judges’ Orientation for Research Presentations
Wednesday, September 17, 3-4:30 pm CST, Zoom webinar info to be shared at a later date.On-site Judges' Orientation for Research Presentations
Thursday, October 2, 7:30-9:00 pm CST, Room 202AB- Do I need to bring anything to the sessions?
All judges MUST check in at the research registration desk in the hall near the oral presentations to receive assignments and other instructions.
- If I have to cancel last minute as a judge, who do I reach out to?
E-mail research@aises.org ahead of the conference to let us know. If you have to bow out during the conference, please reach out to an AISES staff member on site.
- How many times do the poster presentations get judged?
Poster judges will look for the indication that a poster has been judged 2 times.
- What times will posters be judged?
As a judge, you will come through sometime between 9:00am-12:00pm CST on Friday, October 3, 2025, to judge posters. Skip any posters where a student is not present.
