Societal Impact Pitch Competition

Students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Graduate students must be registered in a master’s or PhD program at the time of the competition.
• Master’s and PhD students who have defended, but have not yet convoked, are eligible to participate.
• Videos must focus on research conducted for a thesis, MRP, dissertation or as part of course work in the student’s current McMaster University graduate program.

• One (1) static PowerPoint slide (16:9 aspect ratio) is permitted, in addition to a brief title slide containing your full name, faculty, presentation title and references (if applicable).
  • If you need to reference a picture, image or any kind of content in your slide, you can do it on the title slide or at the bottom of your slide in a small box.
• No slide transitions, animations or movement of any description are allowed; the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
• The presenter and slide should be clearly visible and audio should be clear.
  • Recording your presentation may be done using a cellphone camera, computer/laptop with a built-in webcam, or video camera/camcorder.
  • Presenters may use programs like Microsoft Teams and Zoom to record their videos.
  • Presenters may display their slide on a large projector, laptop or desktop computer screen, and record their presentation in front of the screen. Please ensure the screen is large enough for the content on the slide to be legible.
  • Presenters may use any editing software at their disposal (e.g. iMovie, Adobe, etc.) to prepare their videos.
• No additional electronic media are permitted (e.g. sound and video files).
• No additional props are permitted (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment).
• Videos are limited to three minutes maximum; competitors exceeding three minutes will be disqualified.
• Presentations are to be delivered in regular prose (e.g. no poems, slam poetry, raps, songs, or spoken word presentations).
• Videos must be submitted in .mp4 format.
  • Please title your video using the following format: FirstName_LastName.mp4
• All video submissions must be accompanied by a script saved in a Word document (.docx format).
  • Please title your document using the following format: FirstName_LastName.docx
• Submissions should be the creative work of one individual. No group submissions.
• Select applicants will be invited to present at an in-person event in March 2026.

Communication

• Did the presenter use non-verbal communication (i.e. voice modulation, body language) effectively?
• Did the presenter use language and terminology that was clear, jargon-free, and understandable to a general audience?
• Did the presentation follow a logical sequence?
• Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation? Did they elaborate for too long on one aspect, or did the presentation feel rushed?

Comprehension

• Did the talk help you to understand the scholarly research being undertaken, along with the background and context to the work?
• Did the presenter clearly outline how the research could create a brighter world through societal impact?
• Did the presenter clearly articulate how the research will be mobilized to create impact in society – that is, did the presenter identify the key pathway(s) to impact?

Engagement

• Was the talk engaging?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain your attention?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?
• Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
• Did the talk inspire you to want to know more?
• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation – was it clear, legible, and concise?

Depending on the number of video submissions, 10-15 applicants will be selected (based on the above criteria) to deliver a presentation at the in-person pitch competition in March 2026.

Three prizes will be awarded at the in-person pitch competition:

• 1^st Place: $1000 and an award certificate
• 2^nd Place: $500 and an award certificate
• 3^rd Place: $250 and an award certificate

Finalists must understand that they will be expected to present their research in a public setting. The presentation of the research will not affect any pre-existing rights, except as stated below:

• Due to the nature of the competition, judges, reviewers, staff or the audience will not be asked to sign non-disclosure statements.
• If your research is being/has been conducted under contract with an outside sponsor, please discuss the related contractual terms of confidentiality and intellectual property with your supervisor before participating in this competition.
• All public sessions of the competition, including but not limited to oral presentations, are open to the public at large; any and all of these public sessions may be broadcast to interested persons through media, which may include the internet.
• Any data or information discussed or presented in public sessions should be considered in the public domain.
• If your research includes confidential or culturally sensitive material, we advise that you discuss your competition entry with your supervisor.