Explain a central element of your research project
College, university, internships, graduate studies… maybe even one or two postdoctoral fellowships. Acquiring profound scientific knowledge, developing cutting-edge expertise and mastering the precise jargon used to discuss discoveries with your peers takes years of effort and practice. How fair would it be to expect anyone who hasn’t gone through the same training, whether it be a parent, a friend or a potential sponsor, to fully understand when you explain your research project? Would you be able to use clear, simple, and suitable language?
To take on this challenge, you must first break your research project down into core notions. Then, pick one of those notions and use your educational skills and creativity to translate it into information accessible to a lay audience!
Guidelines
Speech: Educational
Type of participation: Solo
Length: Five (5) minutes
Visual aid: Unlimited number of slides (primary aid) + one (1) prop on stage (optional)
What do we mean by « notion »?
It could be, for instance:
- a biological component or process (apoptosis, neurotransmission, DNA polymerase, endocytosis, pharmacodependence, etc.),
- a scientific approach (randomized double-blind clinical studies, limit of detection, statistical analysis, etc.),
- a laboratory technique (electroencephalogram, electronic microscopy, RT-PCR, functional magnetic resonance imagery, CRISPR-Cas, systematic observation, sample collection, etc.),
- an experimental model (tissue grafts, organoids, immortalized cell lines, genetic knock-out in mice, etc.),
- a disease (type 1 or 2 diabetes, inflammatory bower disease, AIDS, etc.),
- a pathology or clinical manifestation (anaphylactic shock, cirrhosis, inflammation, etc.),
- a therapy or medication (triple combination therapy, RNA vaccines, etc.) or an evaluation or measurement method (diagnostic criteria, cognitive tests, psychometric tests, etc.).
There is an infinite number of possibilities! Take the time to break your project down into core notions and identify one that you believe might be less known or misunderstood by the public.
Reference documents
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Advice sheet - Outreach Challenge
Summary Sheet - Presentation rules
Advice sheet - Delivering a great presentation
Guidelines and examples of titles and brief descriptions
