Event Overview
The BWH Postdoctoral Association (BWH PDA) and MGH Postdoctoral Association (MGPA) present “Speak Your Science,” a competition challenging postdocs to communicate their research in clear, engaging 3-minute videos accessible to a general audience. All participants gain experience in science communication, increase professional visibility, and receive feedback from peers and experts across institutions. Winners receive recognition, prizes, and a valuable addition to their professional portfolio.
Submissions will be open July 11, 2025 through August 4, 2025.
Competition Rules
Eligibility
- Open to all current postdoctoral researchers at MGB institutions.
- Research must be original and conducted during their postdoctoral appointment at MGB
Video Submission Guidelines
You will need to record your talk on your own computer, upload it to Dropbox, and then copy the Share Link / URL of the Dropbox file with us via the submission form by August 4th.
- Length: 10 seconds under/over 3 minutes (submissions outside of this range are not allowed)
- Format: Split view of presenter and slides. We recommend using Zoom (instructions).
- See documents with detailed instructions below
- Language: Presentations must be in English
- Content must be original and created by the submitting postdoc
- One submission per participant
- Videos must include:
- The presenter must be viewable on screen for the entire duration of the video
- One title slide is required (must include your name, affiliation, and title of your talk)
- One slide in addition to the title slide is allowed but not required
- All slides must be static – no media, transitions, or animations are allowed
- No confidential or proprietary information may be shared. Participants are encouraged to review the content with their postdoctoral mentor before submission.
- Submission deadline: Aug 4th at 11:59 PM ET
Publication & Rights
- By submitting, participants grant permission for videos to be:
- Uploaded to the competition website
- Shared on MGB social media channels
- Used for promotional purposes by the organizing institutions
- Participants retain intellectual property rights to their research content
- By submitting, participants agree to anonymously review and provide feedback on 3 other videos
Judging Process & Awards
Preliminary Round
- All submissions will be reviewed by both peer reviewers and expert reviewers
- Expert reviewers will include faculty from Harvard-affiliated institutions
- Peer reviewers will include all participants and representatives from BWH and MGH Postdoctoral Association
- Top 10% videos will advance to the final round
Final Round
- Finalist videos will be evaluated by a distinguished panel including:
- Senior faculty from relevant disciplines
- Science communication experts
- Industry representatives
- Science communication competition winners
- One public representative (non-scientist)
Public Voting
- Anyone with a valid educational email account (.edu.com) can vote for their favorite videos during the public voting period for the People’s Choice Award.
Awards
- First Place: $500 + Certificate + Featured spotlight
- Second Place: $400 + Certificate
- Third Place: $300 + Certificate
- Finalist* (Top 10% from expert and peer review): $100 + Certificate
- People’s Choice Award (Top 10 from public voting): $100 + Certificate
* First Place, Second Place and Third Place winners are excluded from Finalist Awards
Timeline
- Communication Workshop/Information Session: Tuesday, July 8 (Register here)
- Submission opens: July 11
- Submission deadline: August 4
- Preliminary judging period: August 11 – August 29
- Finalists announced: Sep 1
- Final judging period: Sep 1- Sep 15
- Public voting period: Aug 18- Sep 15
- Winners announced: Sep 15
Scoring Rubric
| Comprehension & Content | Score |
| Background: Does the presenter provide sufficient background, identifying the problem or research gap, for a non-specialist audience to understand the research? | /10 |
| Research: Does the presenter clearly explain the research approaches and results (if available) for a general audience avoiding jargon? | /10 |
| Significance: Does the presenter articulate why this research matters to both the discipline and society? | /10 |
| Total | /30 |
| Engagement & Communication | Score |
| Organization: Is the presentation logically structured and easy to follow? | /10 |
| Delivery: Does the presenter communicate with enthusiasm and confidence? | /10 |
| Engagement: Does the presentation spark intellectual curiosity and maintain audience interest? | /10 |
| Visual Aids: Do the visuals enhance understanding rather than distraction? | /10 |
| Overall: Is the presentation memorable and persuasive? | /10 |
| Total | /50 |
Resources for Participants
Pre-Competition Workshops
- Science Communication workshop: Tuesday, July 8, 12:00-1:00 PM (Register here)
- Event Details and Q&A Session: Wednesday, July 16, 1:00-2:00 PM (Register here)
- Zoom Split-View Recording Instructions
