Apply to compete in one of these exciting events:

• Oral Presentation Skills Competitions

  Oral Presentation Skills Competitions - Guidelines

  Oral presentations sessions are designed to give presenters an opportunity to formally present their research to the GSBS and larger TMC audience. The purpose of the presentation is to clearly convey your research to an educated scientific audience. Presentations should include sufficient information for audience members to understand the methods, results, and significance of the research.

  Eligibility:

  All GSBS degree students who have affiliated with a primary research advisor may apply.

  Format:

  • Oral presentations will be presented in-person during GSRD at Cooley Center. Students must apply to present an oral presentation. Ten contestants will be selected as finalists to compete. The deadline to apply for consideration for the competition is May 19 by 11:59 pm.
  • Each oral presentation will be allotted 10 minutes consisting of a 7-minute presentation and a 3-minute question & answer period before a panel of judges and the public audience.
  • Finalists should plan to be present for the entirety of their assigned oral session. The order of presentations within each session will be assigned randomly and delivered in the order indicated in the GSRD program.
  • Students will compete in two categories: (1) Pre-candidacy PhD students, MS students and SMS; and (2) Post-candidacy PhD students.
  • Finalists competing in the Oral Presentation Skills competition may also apply to present a poster. Space permitting, they may present their poster, but they may not compete and their poster number will be labeled “NC” [non-competing].
    
    

  Application link: 2022GSRD_OPSContests

  Application Materials:

  • Research abstract: This summary should be written in language understandable by a broad general science audience and should be a concise and engaging description of the student’s research project that includes the title, background/objective, brief methods, results/progress, conclusions and future work. The abstract body should be at least 150 words, but no more than 300 words. Abstracts not meeting these criteria will be disqualified.
  • Curriculum vitae: Include past speaking and/or poster presentation experiences.
  • Approval form from advisor addressing the student's presentation skills: 2022GSRD_OPSFacApprovalForm

  
  Selection and award criteria:

  • Preliminary judges will select the finalists and students will be notified on June 3. In the preliminary phase, the project abstract and other application materials will be evaluated for scientific merit, and appeal to a general science audience. Evidence of prior presentations will be taken into consideration, but is not a requirement.
  • Finalists will present their oral presentations to faculty and/or PhD-level research scientist judges. Presentations will be evaluated on speaking skills/delivery, scientific content, and overall quality of the presentation. Winners will be announced at the GSRD Awards Ceremony.
    
    

  Prizes:   

  • Category 1: Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS and SMS
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • $300 bonus for best 1^st year student
    
    
  • Category 2: Post-Candidacy PhD
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500

   

• Poster Sessions

  Poster Session - Guidelines

  Poster sessions are designed to give presenters an opportunity to discuss their research with colleagues and other researchers. The purpose of the poster is to visually stimulate interest in the research, to present sufficient information for viewers to understand the methods, results, and significance of the research, and to promote conversations and networking among GSRD attendees.

  Eligibility

  • All GSBS students who have participated in a research project at the GSBS are eligible to participate.
    
    

  Format:

  • Posters will be presented in-person during GSRD at Cooley Center. Students must apply to present a poster. Space is limited to 40 contestants, so students are encouraged to apply early. Deadline to apply for consideration for the competition is May 19 by 11:59 pm.
  • Students are responsible for printing their posters [size: no larger than 3.3' H x 3.5' W].
  • Poster template and GSBS logo downloads are here.
  • Posters will be on display during the entirety of GSRD. The day before the GSRD (Wednesday, June 22) Poster Session, finalists must set up their posters in the afternoon at Cooley Center. If a finalist cannot go in person, they may ask another student or the DSA staff to set up their poster for them. Each poster board will be numbered. Presenters should attach their posters to the board number corresponding to the number assigned to their poster in the GSRD Program, which will be emailed prior to set up. Presenters should remove their posters at the end of GSRD between the hours of 4:30-6:00 pm. [Presenters are encouraged to display their posters during the reception.]
  • On the day of GSRD, students will present their posters during their assigned session. Students should plan to stand with their posters until their assigned session is completed and they have presented to their faculty and/or PhD-level research scientist judges.
  • Students will compete in two categories: (1) Pre-candidacy PhD students, MS students and SMS; and (2) Post-candidacy PhD students.
  • Students who are chosen as finalists in the GSRD Oral Presentation Skills competition may not compete in the poster session. They may, if space permits, still present a poster and their poster number will be labeled “NC” [non-competing].
    
    

  Application link: 2022GSRD_PosterContests

  Application materials:

  • Research abstract: This summary should be written in language understandable by a broad general science audience and should be a concise and engaging description of the student’s research project that includes the title, background/objective, brief methods, results/progress, conclusions and future work. The abstract body should be at least 150 words, but no more than 300 words. Abstracts not meeting these criteria will be disqualified.
  • Curriculum vitae: Include past speaking and/or poster presentation experiences.
    
    

   Selection and award criteria:

  • Preliminary judges will select the finalists and students will be notified on June 3. Evidence of prior presentations will be taken into consideration but is not a requirement.
  • Finalists will present their posters to faculty and/or PhD-level research scientist judges. Posters will be evaluated on the presence, quality and details of the key sections of a poster (see abstract), as well as level of content knowledge and engagement. Winners will be announced at the GSRD Awards Ceremony.
    
    

  Prizes:   

  • Category 1: Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS and SMS
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • $300 bonus for best 1^st year student
    
    
  • Category 2: Post-Candidacy PhD
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500

   

• Elevator Speech Contests

  Elevator Speech Contests - Guidelines

  The scientific Elevator Speech is a 90-second summary of the student’s research project intended for an educated, lay audience. The scientific elevator speech is an excellent career tool for students, helping them to establish credibility, form relationships with other scientists, and gain support for their ideas. It also helps students clarify and articulate their thoughts, build professional confidence, and communicate across disciplines.

  Eligibility:

  All GSBS degree students are eligible to compete.
  
  Format:

  • Elevator speeches will be presented in-person at GSRD at Cooley Center. Students must apply to present an elevator speech. Twenty contestants will be selected as finalists to compete. The deadline to apply for consideration for the competition is May 19 by 11:59 pm.
  • Each elevator speech will be allotted 90 seconds. The time will begin once a contestant starts speaking. Speakers may use notecards as long as they do not read straight through, and/or may use small props/objects. Speakers are not allowed to use PowerPoint slides. There will be no time allotted for questions during the session.
  • Elevator speeches should be accessible to a non-specialist audience with a basic college education, succinct, and last no more than 90 seconds; they should be well organized and easy to follow, delivered in an engaging manner, and have impact. The speeches should contain key elements commonly found in scientific presentations, including an introduction/background, description of the gap in knowledge or research question being addressed, a brief description of method(s), results if they have been obtained, a statement of significance, and possible next steps if applicable. In addition, the delivery of the speech should be enthusiastic, confident, conversational rather than overly formal, and use accessible language that minimizes jargon.
  • Finalists should plan to be present for the entirety of the elevator speech competition session. The order of presentations will be assigned randomly and delivered in the order indicated in the GSRD program.
  • Students will compete in two categories: (1) Pre-candidacy PhD students, MS students and SMS; and (2) Post-candidacy PhD students.
  • Students who are chosen as finalists in the GSRD Elevator Speech competition may not compete in the poster session. They may, if space permits, still present a poster and their poster number will be labeled “NC” [non-competing].
    
    

  Application link: 2022GSRD_ESContests

  Application materials:

  • Tentative title for elevator speech
  • Short description (1-2 sentences) of the impact, relevance, or importance of the research as it relates to science or a lay audience
    
    

  Selection and award criteria:

  • Preliminary judges will select twenty finalists and students will be notified on June 3. Evidence of prior presentations will be taken into consideration but is not a requirement.
  • Finalists will present their elevator speeches to a panel of judges on June 23 that includes faculty, PhD-level research scientists, and lay community members. Elevator speeches will be evaluated on the delivery of the speech, organization and engagement with the speech content, and impact. The speech will not be evaluated on the complexity of the project, whether experimental results have been obtained so far, minor grammatical mistakes, or speaking with a non-English accent. The audience will choose the People's Choice Award winner. Winners will be announced at the GSRD Awards Ceremony.

  
  Prizes:   

  • Category 1: Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS and SMS
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • People’s choice: $300
    
    
  • Category 2: Post-Candidacy PhD
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • People’s choice: $300