Elevator Pitch Competition
("Minute to Win It")

VT Stem Cell Conference logo depicting lung scaffolding and construction

Whether you are applying for funding, telling a family member about your research or engaging the public, your success will depend on how well you communicate. We are offering all junior poster presenters a great opportunity to practice this and at the same time compete for a prize.

All Junior Investigator/Trainees* whose posters are accepted for presentation will be invited and encouraged to participate in our "Minute to Win It" flash poster session which promises to be the highlight of the conference, once again!

What is this you may ask? Read on. . .

A flash poster is a challenge to present the big picture of your research in a short and sharp 1-minute pitch. You will have one slide only to convey your message and it is an opportunity to be creative and innovative to entice the audience to find you during one of the poster sessions later in the conference. An effective flash talk is clear, concise and can be very entertaining.

All 1-minute presenters should read the Minute to Win It Guide 2023 and submit their single PowerPoint slide to Finn Hawkins at hawk@bu.edu by 5:00 pm Friday, July 7, 2023. The competition will take place Tuesday, July 18 as part of the conference program.

The two trainees with the top elevator pitches* will receive prizes that will be awarded at the conference.

There will be two thematic poster sessions in the afternoon following the Elevator Pitch Competition.

Special Pre-Conference Workshop session on preparing the perfect elevator pitch for your research
Option F: "Developing Your Research Pitch"

Poster presenters are encouraged to attend this special session - choose Option F: "Developing Your Research Pitch" which will be dedicated to preparing poster presenters and "Minute To Win It" / Elevator Pitch contestants. It will comprehensively cover developing your elevator/poster pitch and applying it in a variety of scientific circumstances.

* Participation in the elevator pitch competition is limited to poster presenters who are junior investigators or trainees that have not already received an oral presentation award.