Explain Your Research to the World:
2nd Annual Magnetic Moments Competition
Submission Deadline: 22 April 2019 at 23:59 EDT
Note: Video submission form is at the bottom of this page.
2018 submission by Alena Shchelokova
Our science is great, but can anyone outside the field understand it?
Following the success of last year’s competition, we are again looking to find the best public-facing description of a piece of work being presented in an abstract at the ISMRM meeting in Montreal. ISMRM members are invited to participate by submitting a presentation describing their research that is intended for the general public.
Let’s take our science to the people!
Why?
Being able to present your work to people outside your field is an important skill for every scientist. Communicating directly with the public provides scientists with an opportunity to accurately present their work, increase public interest and generate enthusiasm in the next generation of scientists. Funding bodies and academic institutions also increasingly expect researchers to participate in outreach and engagement with the public.
2018 submission by Gesine Knobloch
With this competition we not only want to provide an opportunity for young scientists to gain confidence presenting their research to the public, but also to promote the ISMRM’s mission to be a more engaged society.
Competitors will present a 3-minute explanation of their accepted conference abstract to a panel of judges from the public.
Submission Criteria
Submissions should consist of a 3-minute video presentation of your research abstract that a general audience would understand. Additionally, we will also ask for a brief explanation (1-2 sentences) describing your intended audience, as well as how this submission will educate this audience, which will be submitted with your video submission.
Guidelines for submissions are as follows:
- You are allowed to give the presentation in any form (see below for some example presentations). However, note that all finalists will present a live version of their presentation at the meeting.
- You are welcome to create animations, but try to avoid the classic "PowerPoint" presentation. We particularly encourage those using props instead of slides. However, make sure to keep things simple!
- Place your research in a wider context: What is the goal of your research? How will the public benefit from your work? What is exciting about it? It can also help to explain why you, personally, are passionate about your research, or what the research is like day-to-day.
- Your submission should clearly refer to the specific research described in an abstract at this year's meeting. However, it is fine for most of the presentation to talk about a broader project or general area of research.
- Don't use technical jargon (e.g. k-space, B0 inhomogeneities, etc.), acronyms (e.g. BOLD), or medical terminology (e.g. myocardial infarction).
- Submitted videos do not have to be in English, but if they are in a different language then English subtitles must be provided. If selected for the "live final", the resulting presentation must be given in English.
- MP4 is the preferred video file format, but other major formats are acceptable. If we have any problems with your video, we will contact you via email. For any additional questions, please contact the organisers.
Judging and Award Categories
All submissions will be judged in two rounds to determine the finalists for the live competition.
- Initial judging will be performed by the competition organizers and will consist of eliminating submissions who have not followed the submission criteria laid out above.
- The semi-finalists will then be judged by four judges from the ISMRM membership. These judges will include members from different countries/continents, for whom English is a second language, and who will be in different stages of their career. Finalists for the live competition will be emailed by the 30th of April.
Live Competition:
Finalists will be asked to give a live presentation at the ISMRM annual meeting. The judges will be members of the public, who will evaluate the finalists' presentations based on the following criteria:
- Is it understandable to a general audience?
- Is the presentation interesting? Does it capture what is exciting about the research?
- Does the presenter explain clearly why the research is important to society?
The top prize will be a free registration to the ISMRM Annual Conference in Sydney in 2020. Presentations for all finalists will also be hosted on the ISMRM YouTube channel.
Additionally, we will have several prizes for:
- Master of Simplicity – The best presentation that is done without the assistance of PowerPoint or other electronic aid. Physical props are not only allowed, but encouraged!
- FaceOff Challenge – Finalists' videos will be shown in a public thoroughfare near the conference centre, where they will go head-to-head for members of the public to vote upon.
Further Information
Before preparing your submission, we strongly recommend you review our Frequently Asked Questions below, which provides further details and recommendations. Any further questions can be directed to the event organisers:
Alex Smith (alex.smith@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk)
Alena Shchelokova (a.schelokova@metalab.ifmo.ru)
Carinne Piekema (carinne.piekema@ndcn.ox.ac.uk)
Stuart Clare (stuart.clare@ndcn.ox.ac.uk)
Frequently Asked Questions
Wait, isn’t that just a Power Pitch?
While the format of the Magnetic Moments and the Power Pitch are somewhat similar, their purposes are completely different. The Power Pitch relies on an informed audience to understand the complexities of the research being pitched. Magnetic Moments are targeted for the general public.
When are submissions due?
All submissions will be due by April 22, 2019 at midnight Pacific Daylight Time.
Is there a particular format for Submissions?
There is no set format for submissions! You are welcome to make a presentation using PowerPoint, a video with props, or even just you talking about your research abstract! The only requirement is that these videos are limited to 3 minutes and must be uploaded in mp4 format.
The example videos look professionally done. Is this expected of me (and will I be penalised for not doing this)?
No! We will be judging your videos solely on the content of the videos themselves. You are welcome to record yourself using the camera on your phone, or even just performing a screen capture of your PowerPoint presentation as you give your presentation.
Can I see the videos from the finalists from last year?
Yes you can! The ISMRM have uploaded them into a playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbkiZxYouIu4YPvOnaevrKbAYfsCgYeCe
What do you mean “props”?
We mean using physical objects to describe your research! These can be anything from a box to represent a data matrix, ink and a glass of water to demonstrate diffusion, or an actual RF coil. Be creative!
Is there a limit to the number of slides for Submissions?
There is no official limit to the number of slides you can have, however, remember that an overly complex set of slides will be difficult for the general public to understand. Try to keep things as simple as possible!
You say a general audience, what exactly does that mean?
By general audience, we mean that all talks must be understandable by the average person on the street. Think of your aunt, grandparent, child, or the person seated next to you at a sports match. In general, it works well to aim for a 10-12-year-old. This person would ideally be interested in your research; however, they would definitely not be an expert.
Who will review submissions, and when will this take place?
Initial submission review will occur by the competition organisers to select semi-finalists, and a panel of judges selected from the ISMRM membership (see “Judging and Award Categories” above for more details) will choose the finalists for the live competition.
When will finalists be chosen?
Finalists will be chosen in late April so they have time to prepare their presentations for the conference.
What if I cannot attend the final competition?
Unfortunately, we will require the finalists to present their research live. In this case, please contact the event organisers.
Can I submit something other than my ISMRM abstract?
The focus of this competition is on presenting your research to the public. The presentation should therefore include the research you have submitted to the ISMRM annual meeting. However, it is fine (and often helpful) if the majority of the presentation focuses on the broader picture of your project or research area.
Can I submit more than one video?
Yes! Feel free to submit as many videos as you have accepted abstracts as first author! However, you will only be allowed to present your top submission if you are selected for the final competition.
When and where will the final competition occur?
The final competition will occur during the ISMRM Annual Meeting in the Resonarium. In the event of a conflict with another presentation you are giving (poster or oral), we will do our best to schedule around this conflict.
Can I post my submission on my local institution’s website?
Yes! While these videos will be used to showcase the breadth of research the ISMRM community undertakes, these are presentations of your research, and so you should feel free to use them to advertise your research.
Magnetic Moments Submission Form, Part 1:
Abstract & Author Information
You will upload your video on the following page.