Information for Judges and Moderators

Judges and moderators are incredibly valued members of the SDSU Student Symposium who provide constructive, unbiased feedback to student presenters on their work and ensure sessions run smoothly. We encourage faculty, staff, and community members to participate in the event as judges and moderators.

Registration for judges and moderators will open in early October.

Register as an S³ Judge on Whova

Judge and Moderator Responsibilities

Judges score student presentations according to a rubric and provide constructive feedback for student presenters to grow professionally and improve their projects. Judges' scores help determine students' eligibility for S³ awards.

Moderators are judges with additional responsibilities for ensuring proper timing and conduct for presentation sessions. They assist in the transition between presenters and keep track of time remaining in a presentation so that presentations start and end when they are supposed to for the benefit of presenters and audience members.

How to Register as a Judge on Whova

1. Create an Account on Whova: You’ll be prompted to create an account on Whova using an email address of your choice.
2. Complete Whova Judge Registration Form: Fill out the Judge Registration Form with your contact information, area of expertise, and availability during the symposium. This information helps us match you with presentations relevant to your field.
3. Select Judging Preferences: You’ll have the option to specify preferred presentation categories. Please choose the categories most aligned with your background to ensure an engaging judging experience.
4. Opt-In to Serve as an S³ Moderator: You can indicate your willingness to take on moderator responsibilities when you register as a judge.
5. Opt-In to Serve as a Judge for the SDSU Grad Slam: You can indicate your willingness to serve as a judge for the SDSU Grad Slam on February 24, 2026.

After Registering

Familiarize Yourself with Judging Criteria

Before and after registering as a judge, please review the presentation types, scoring rubrics and scoring process in our Judge and Moderator Resource Guide, which will be made available in early October.

Attend an S³ Judges Training Session

To support our judges in navigating the judging process in RocketJudge, this year's judging software, and to help judges understand the scoring submission process, we provide training sessions ahead of presentation day.

Monitor Email for Reminders and Updates

Judges will receive email reminders and updates before the event. Make sure the email address you use for registration is active.

Review Key Dates

Judges should be available on Presentation Day to judge live presentations and are encouraged to also attend the awards ceremony.

• S³ Presentation Day: Friday, February 27, 2026
• Awards Ceremony: Friday, March 6, 2026

We are incredibly grateful to the mentors, judges, and moderators who have participated in the Symposium for several years in a row.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our team at [email protected].