The Visualise Your Thesis competition celebrates research conducted by graduate research students around the world.

Developed by The University of Melbourne, the competition challenges graduate researchers to present their research in a 60-second, eye catching digital display.

Competition submissions are judged on their visual impact and how well the content presents the research.

Eligibility

The Visualise Your Thesis (VYT) competition is open to all Victoria University graduate research candidates, including candidates that have not yet reached confirmation.

Participants must agree for their entry to be displayed on the University of Melbourne’s Visualise Your Thesis website (winning entry only) and on the Victoria University website and related media.

Competition rules

Participants must adhere to the following rules and regulations:

  1. The supplied PowerPoint template must be used to create your video.
  2. No embedded videos (YouTube, Vimeo etc.).
  3. The video/presentation must not exceed 60 seconds in duration and a file size of 100MB.
  4. You must include all references for any resources used to create your video.
  5. Media, including images, audio and video files must comply with copyright legislation and regulations.
  6. Late submissions will not be accepted.
  7. The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Full terms & conditions will be made available prior to the competition each year.

Impact (score out of 20)

  • How well designed, creative, innovative and engaging is the entry?
  • Is it visually striking and memorable?
  • Does it attract from a distance and deliver details close up?
  • Does it make a good first impression and then offer rich content on further examination?
  • Does it make the most of the available technology?

Sound (optional; may not apply to all entries)

  • Was the sound/music in keeping with the mood/style of the presentation?
  • Did the music/sound contribute to the impact of the presentation?
  • Did any transitions/visual effects align with the beat/soundtrack?
  • Was the music/sound edited to fit the 60 second loop, rather than just finishing abruptly?

Content (score out of 20)

  • Does the entry provide an understanding of the research question being addressed, its significance, and potential impact?
  • Is the research communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
  • Is the entry free from jargon, unexplained acronyms and incomprehensible technical terms?
  • Does the entry leave you inspired and curious?

Scholarly citizenship (score out of 20)

  • Does the entry include complete and correct references for any resources used to create the entry? Including: citation of any images, audio, video, tools and data.
  • Does the entry include a valid ORCID on the title slide?
  • Copyright – material included in the entry complies with the copyright rules of the competition, and the entry contains only material that falls into the following categories:
    • In the Public Domain;
    • Licensed under Creative Commons;
    • Content used with permission, or under an appropriate licence;
    • Original content created by the student themselves.
  • Does the entry include acknowledgements for other people or groups who helped with the project or entry?

Supervisor approval

You should discuss your Visualise Your Thesis competition participation with your supervisor/advisor.

In particular, you should discuss your entry and potential implications for prior publication, patent and grant applications, and intellectual property (IP) rights and responsibilities. If you are working on team-based projects, collaborative projects with your supervisors, or on ongoing programs in large research centres or labs, you need to be aware of, and respect, the IP rights and responsibilities of all individuals involved.

Supervisor/advisor approval to enter the competition forms part of your submission checklist.

How to enter

Express your interest in competing via email to [email protected].

Instructions on how to submit your entry and other important information will be provided via access to the 2019 Visualise Your Thesis VU Collaborate space.

Contact us

For more information about the competition, please contact [email protected]