ePoster Competition: Pitch Your Thesis

Check out the 2017 ePoster submissions

University of Melbourne graduate researchers took the opportunity to develop their visualisation and writing skills, and encapsulated their theses in short, eye-catching digital displays.

Check back shortly for more information on the 2018 Visualise Your Thesis competition!

Research@Library Week 2017 ePoster Competition Winners

We are excited to announce the winners of the Researcher@Library Week 2017 ePoster Competition:

1st Prize: Mathematics and assessment in early childhood education - Rachel Pollitt

2nd Prize: A Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage System for Space heating - Sheikh Khaleduzzaman Shah

3rd Prize: Designing animal-computer interaction to shape zoo visitors' perceptions of animals - Sarah Webber

Viewer's Choice award:  Saving life with new artificial blood vessels - Fatemeh Karimi

Congratulations to all the students who entered the competition!

View all the 2017 ePoster Competition Entries

Further Information

  • Terms and conditions
    1. Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these Terms and Conditions. Entering the Researcher@Library Week ePoster Competition is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
    2. The competition opens on Monday 10 July 2017 and closes Sunday 13 August 2017 at 11:59 pm.
    3. Competition entry is open to currently-enrolled graduate researchers at the University of Melbourne.
    4. The Grand Prize is an AUD$1,000 gift card. The second prize is an AUD$500 gift card, and third prize is an AUD$250 gift card. Other minor prizes may also be awarded, including a "Viewers' Choice."
    5. Prizes are not transferable and not refundable.
    6. The prize must be taken as stated and cannot be exchanged or redeemed for other goods or services. If for some reason the prize is unavailable the University reserves the right to substitute the prize for a prize of equal or greater value.
    7. Simon Clews (Director, Melbourne Engagement Lab), and Associate Professor Inger Mewburn (Director of Research Training, Office of the Dean of Higher Degree by Research, The Australian National University) will judge the competition.
    8. The winner will be announced at 4.30pm on Wednesday 23 August 2017 in the Digital Studio, level 3, Arts West Building, University of Melbourne, Parkville.
    9. The result of the competition is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
    10. Winners will be notified via the email address provided on their entries and their names will be published on the University Library's web site.
    11. The University of Melbourne Library may at its discretion choose to display posters or excerpts on LCD screens in libraries or on library webpages and blogs beyond Researcher@Library Week itself.
    12. To redeem the prize the winner must provide a valid postal or delivery address or collect the prize in person at an agreed time and location as determined by the University of Melbourne. Proof of identity must be provided by the winner in order to receive the prize.
    13. All submissions must follow the format guidelines to be eligible for the prize.
    14. All submissions must include complete and correct references for any resources used to create the ePoster, including citation of any images, audio, and video, to be eligible for the prize.
  • Judging criteria

    Visual impact:

    • How well designed, creative, innovative and engaging is the e-poster?
    • 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?

    Content:

    • Does the ePoster 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 ePoster free from jargon, unexplained acronyms and incomprehensible technical terms?
    • Does the ePoster leave you inspired and curious?

    Scholarly Citizenship:

    • Does the ePoster include complete and correct references for any resources used to create the ePoster? Including: citation of any images, audio, and video:
    • Does the ePoster include acknowledgements for other people or groups who helped with the project or ePoster?
  • How to use the ePoster template

    Download the ePoster PowerPoint template to your computer, delete the text, images and video in the template and add your own content.

    You may add additional slides to the template, however:

    • Your entire presentation will be displayed for at most 60 seconds, and
    • The maximum file size allowed is 100 MB.

    Your ePoster will be displayed using PowerPoint 2013 for Windows. Please test your ePoster before completing it.

    To test your ePoster, view your PowerPoint slideshow on a computer at the university that has standard software installed, such as on any student computer in a University of Melbourne library branch that you need to log in to.

    Once you have completed your ePoster:

    1. Save a copy of the PowerPoint file. Only .pptx files will be accepted.
    2. Email your entry to: eposter@lists.unimelb.edu.au with the subject line: ‘Research Week Poster Competition Entry’
      1. If the .pptx file is less than 25 MB, you can attach your PowerPoint file to the email.
      2. If the file larger than 25 MB, include a link in the email to your poster on Dropbox, Google Drive or CloudStor.

    You are responsible for proof-reading and testing your poster before submission, see the tips below.

  • Tips for creating your ePoster

    Replace the text in the template by typing or pasting in your own text.

    Remove the images in the template and add your own images to support your descriptions such as data visualisations, graphs, an infographic, tables, or photos.

    Be creative and change the layout, text boxes, colours and fonts, just make sure you:

    • Do not change the layout, design, or colours of the title slide, and the references slide (i.e. the first and last slides).
    • Do not use a body text font size smaller than 14 pt.
    • Do not change the Page Setup in PowerPoint (your ePoster will be displayed on an screen in widescreen format).
    • Include the required information on the poster as specified in the template: Introduction, Research Significance, Method, Results, Conclusion, however note that:
      • You may include this information in the form of text, images, video and/or audio.
      • If you use text, you can modify the headings in the template to suit your project, for example: 'Background' instead of 'Introduction', ‘Approach’ instead of ‘Method’, or ‘Implications’ instead of ‘Conclusion'.
      • Depending on the stage of your project, you may not have results or a conclusion yet, however you can state this and include any information or ideas you have at this stage.
    • Consider copyright, particularly when adding images, audio or video to your poster, see the advice on the University of Melbourne Copyright Office website.
    • Include a valid Twitter handle or Instagram handle: people will be encouraged to tweet to poster authors with questions and comments, and to post photos of the awards event.

    Set your slides to advance automatically in PowerPoint:

    1. Select the Transitions tab.
    2. Tick the After checkbox.
    3. Enter the number of seconds you wish to display the slide for.

    For further instructions, see: Set the speed and timing of transitions

    Note: your entire PowerPoint presentation should display for a maximum total time of 60 seconds.

  • Tips for adding audio and video to your ePoster

    Your poster will be displayed using Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 for Windows, ensure that any audio or video files you embed in your poster are in formats supported.

    Supported audio and video file formats: Video and audio file formats supported in PowerPoint 2013

    Note that embedded online videos, such as YouTube or Vimeo videos or similar will not work, as the screens will not be connected to the internet.

    If animations or videos do not run, they may be removed without discussion with you. Therefore it is recommended that you provide a representative image in the correct place, in case this is necessary.

    Make sure your audio and video:

    1. Is embedded in the PowerPoint file. Do not submit separate media files.
    2. Starts automatically and loops continuously. Your ePoster will be displayed in rotation with a number of other posters on a screen in slide show mode. No interaction will be possible.
    3. Is optimised and compressed.

    Further instructions

    For further help with PowerPoint, see:

  • Prizes and awards
    • 1st prize: $1,000 gift card
    • 2nd prize: $500 gift card
    • 3rd prize: $250 gift card
    • Viewer's Choice award (to be confirmed)
  • Deadlines

    Competition opens: Monday 10 July 2017

    Submission deadline: 11:59pm, Sunday 13 August 2017

  • Submission checklist
    1. Poster in PowerPoint file .pptx format?
    2. Entire presentation displays for no more than 60 seconds?
    3. Slides set to advance automatically in PowerPoint?
    4. PowerPoint file size no more than 100 MB?
    5. No embedded online videos, such as YouTube or Vimeo videos or similar?
    6. No separate media files: i.e. all media embedded in the PowerPoint file?
    7. All video and audio starts automatically and loops continuously?
    8. All video and audio is optimised and compressed?
    9. First slide and last slide from template included, i.e. the title slide and references slide?
    10. References included for any resources used to create your ePoster?
    11. Acknowledgements included for people, or groups, who helped with your project or ePoster?
    12. Citations included for any media used or created, including images, audio and video files?
    13. Does the use of media, including images, audio and video files, comply with copyright legislation and regulations? See: Students' Introduction to Copyright
    14. Text font size no smaller than 14 pt?
    15. Page setup in PowerPoint the same as for the template? (i.e. page setup not changed?)
    16. Required information included on the poster as specified in the template: Introduction, Research Significance, Method, Results, Conclusion?
    17. Text on the ePoster proof-read?
    18. Valid Twitter handle or Instagram handle included?
    19. ePoster tested using PowerPoint 2013 for Windows?
  • Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

    Can I change the layout and design of the ePoster template for my poster?

    Yes! You are encouraged to change the template and be creative, and visual impact and creativity are part of the judging criteria. You can use the template as a starting point, but please change the template layout, text boxes, colours and fonts, just make sure you include the necessary information about your research project (see the instructions under:Tips for creating your ePoster). Note that you can include the information in the form of images, video and/or audio, and do not have to just use text.

    How may slides can I include in my ePoster?

    You can include as few or as many slides as you wish, but keep in mind that:

    • You must include the first slide and last slide, i.e. the title slide and references slide.
    • Your complete PowerPoint presentation should run for a total of 60 seconds,
    • The maximum file size for your PowerPoint file is 100 MB.

    How long should my ePoster PowerPoint presentation last for?

    You ePoster PowerPoint presentation should last for at most 60 seconds. Your PowerPoint presentation will be displayed on a screen in rotation with a number of other ePosters in slide show mode, and each ePoster in the loop will be displayed for up to 60 seconds at a time.

    Can I include audio in my ePoster?

    Yes, you may include include audio in your ePoster if you wish. However, you should consider that the maximum file size for your ePoster is 100 MB, and that ePosters will be displayed on several screens in the same area.

    Have a question that is not included here?

    Please email us at: eposter@lists.unimelb.edu.au

2016 Winners