Katalyst 2027

Poster session—Your Path, On Display

At Katalyst 2027, every participant brings a unique story. Aligned with the Katalyst 2027 design mindset—a mosaic of inspirations—the Poster Session brings those stories together. We invite you to share the experiences that have shaped your path so far, and to learn from others’ paths. Posters may focus on technical, academic, or personal growth and should highlight how curiosity, experimentation, or iteration shaped your learning and goals.

What to Expect

During the session, mentors and fellow participants will circulate while presenters stand with their poster. Presenters will deliver a short, interactive presentation of their posters, engaging attendees and mentors in discussion. 

Poster Structure

• Posters must be self-made and developed specifically for this year’s conference

• Content should encourage new insights and perspectives, not just summarize a project.

• Recommended size: 29” tall × 40” wide (max).

• Presenters must print their posters prior to the event.

Applicants may select one category that best fits their topic:

1. Career development

   1. Academic Research – scientific, technical, or scholarly work

   2. Internship/Industry – reflections on applied or professional experiences

2. Entrepreneurship/Innovation - entrepreneurial and/or innovative projects or experiences 

3. Leadership & Soft Skills – lessons learned through mentorship or teamwork

4. Passion Project – creative or personal initiatives linked to growth or exploration

The AI Build Challenge

The AI Build Challenge is a fast-paced, collaborative, low-code hackathon designed explicitly to bridge the gap between non-technical participants and modern AI tooling. Aligned with the Katalyst 2027 theme—Many Paths, One Room: A Mosaic of Inspirations—accepted participants work in teams of 2-4 to build a working software prototype that addresses a specific conference-wide prompt.

The primary objective of this session is to equip future leaders with the confidence to build with AI tools, proving that anyone can go from a great idea to a working software prototype in a matter of days without a coding background. 

**Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of their academic background or field of work. No prior experience with coding, software development, or AI tools is required—just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to learn.**

What to Expect 

Before the conference, teams will submit their presentation slides, application link, and a recorded demo by a firm deadline. At the conference, each team will pitch their solution, demonstrate their prototype, and answer questions from judges and the audience. Projects will be evaluated through judges’ scoring and peer voting, with awards recognizing top-performing teams.

Key expectations: At least one team member must attend onboarding, both check-ins are mandatory, and final projects must be deployed, interactive, and submitted on time.

Session Structure

The AI Build Challenge is a month-long team competition culminating in a live presentation at the conference. Participants will be placed into teams of 2-4 and select from several challenge prompts introduced during a virtual onboarding session.

Over the following month, teams will identify a problem, develop a solution, and use AI-assisted development tools to build a functional, interactive software prototype. Teams will complete an initial check-in to confirm the feasibility of their proposed idea and a final check-in to report progress and address any challenges.

YG Group Leaders Session

Through the YG Group Leaders Session, undergraduate officers will explore leadership approaches and chapter strategies through fast-paced, collaborative action and brainstorming with other similar student leaders. Unlike personal or career introductions, this avenue emphasizes clear communication, critical thinking, and peer learning; ideas may be early-stage, scenario-driven, and inspired by lived chapter experience.

Aligned with the Katalyst 2027 design mindset—many paths, one challenge—this avenue reinforces that one challenge can be tackled from multiple perspectives with equal effectiveness. The session aims to foster ownership, experimentation, and interdisciplinary connection, empowering students to design their next steps and energizing the community with actionable takeaways, while also providing the opportunity to interact with student leaders from various YG groups across the country.