PhD events

I thought I’d take the chance to let you all know about some of the upcoming events at Leicester for Post-Grads:

1. PhDepictions – a competition where you sum up your research in a single image, along with an abstract. Unfortunately the deadline for submissions has passed but have a look at the PhDepictions website to see some of the amazing entries this year. There are some really impressive science ones (call me biased 😛 ). This is the second year PhDepictions has run so hopefully if you are interested you’ll get another chance next year. I think one of the most important things about this competition is making a clear and understandable (to those outside your field!) abstract, when they’re good they really enhance the image.

2. The Festival of Post Graduate (PG) Research – again the deadline for applying has passed but it runs every year so don’t worry (this year is its 11th year). While I didn’t submit an entry to PhDepictions I did submit an abstract to the festival of PG Research and I’m really pleased to tell you it was accepted 🙂 . I’ll be presenting a poster at the festival on 6th July along with 49 other research students. The festival aims to showcase the work of research students to a wide audience, therefore the poster you make and how you present it is very different to attending a conference. I’m slightly nervous (who isn’t when it comes to presentations) but really looking forward to it, I think clearly presenting your work to a non-specific audience is one of the most valuable skills you can have as a scientist.

3 Minute Thesis (Image from University of Leicester Graduate School website)

3. The 3 minute thesis competition – so I’ve just realised the deadline for this has also passed which is annoying as I wanted to enter but hadn’t got round to it yet, booo! Anyway I can still tell you about the competition and you can find extra info here. To compete you have to explain your research to a non-specific audience in 3 minutes using a single slide. You should have some results to present so PhD students in their first year (or first 2 years for part time students) don’t normally enter. There’s an online application and the short-listed entrants will compete later this month (20th May) and the overall winner goes on to a national competition (3MT isn’t just a University of Leicester competition it actually began in Australia).

So that’s a quick rundown of everything going on at the moment, a lot of these events are open to everyone so check out their websites and book places in you’re interested in seeing what they’re all about, you could even come and find my poster at the Festival of PG Research 🙂 .