{"id":48486,"date":"2017-12-12T12:12:26","date_gmt":"2017-12-12T17:12:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=48486"},"modified":"2017-12-12T16:22:20","modified_gmt":"2017-12-12T21:22:20","slug":"student-research-competitions-offer-skills-development-exposure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2017\/12\/student-research-competitions-offer-skills-development-exposure\/","title":{"rendered":"Student research competitions offer skills development, exposure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a tough task \u2018translating\u2019 complicated research concepts into compelling language readily understood by a general audience, in addition to showing how and why the research is important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Student researchers can get a chance to learn, and hone, their research communications skills through three research communications challenges, two of which are offered by Brock University\u2019s major national granting agencies:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada\u2019s (NSERC)<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca\/ScienceAction\/index_eng.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Science, Action!<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> video competition<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada\u2019s (SSHRC)<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca\/society-societe\/storytellers-jai_une_histoire_a_raconter\/index-eng.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Storytellers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> video\/written competition<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/vitae.brockubeta.ca\/3mt-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Three Minute Thesis (3MT)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> presentation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cScience, Action! challenges students to find new ways of explaining complex research so that anyone from kids to grandparents can understand,\u201d says Christian Riel, NSERC\u2019s Director of Communications. \u201cStudents are often surprised at how difficult that can be and they learn very useful communication skills they then carry into their work in the lab or future careers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To support the development of these skills, students planning to enter the competitions can tap into two series of workshops \u2014<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/vitae.brockubeta.ca\/3mt-resources\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3MT Coaching Sessions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vitae.brockubeta.ca\/vitae-essential-communication-skills\/researcher-communication-skill-series\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vitae Researcher Communication Skills Winter Series<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 within the Faculty of Graduate Studies\u2019 professional development offerings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen communicating research, it\u2019s important to be able to show why your work is relevant to a wider audience,\u201d says Stacia Heaton, Graduate Officer in the Faculty of Graduate Studies Vitae Professional Development program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe coaching sessions will walk students through every element of communicating their research, from abstract writing to presentation techniques,\u201d she says. \u201cStudents are able to work in a collaborative environment with their peers and receive feedback from a variety of perspectives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heaton says the workshops offer \u201csomething for everyone\u201d and \u201cintroduce students to a number of ways to communicate their research effectively, whether through an academic presentation, through social media, in a job interview or a funding proposal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SSHRC also offers\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca\/society-societe\/storytellers-jai_une_histoire_a_raconter\/details-details-eng.aspx#tabs4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">communications tips<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on how to make entries compelling and NSERC\u2019s website includes a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca\/ScienceAction\/how_do_i_win-comment_gagner_eng.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quick Tips section<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the bottom of the page.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u201cFunders are increasingly asking researchers to make their work publicly accessible,\u201d says Joffre Mercier, interim Vice-President, Research. \u201cThese contests are a wonderful way for us to do that, which enables us to make a difference in our community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe are grateful for all of the support NSERC and SSHRC have given us over the years, and we appreciate the opportunity to share our research across the country,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interim Dean of Graduate Studies James Mandigo says his Faculty is committed to equipping students with the skills to be successful in the career of their choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCommunicating information to non-specialists in a clear way is becoming increasingly in demand to a world hungry for insights on everything from eradicating cancer to searching for meaning in life,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Details:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca\/ScienceAction\/rules-reglements_eng.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Science, Action! (NSERC):<\/i><\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Students submit a maximum 60-second video and a 100-word written description of a research project or initiative at Brock funded by NSERC. Cash prizes range from $2,500 to $3,500. See Brock\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2017\/02\/views-needed-to-win-national-video-competition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">entries from last year<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><b>Deadline: Jan. 19, 4:59 p.m.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca\/society-societe\/storytellers-jai_une_histoire_a_raconter\/challenge_regulations-defis_reglements-eng.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>The Storytellers (SSHRC):<\/i><\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students submit a maximum three-minute video or 300-word write-up of a SSHRC-funded project they (or their supervisor, with permission) are pursuing at Brock. The top 25 submissions will receive a cash prize of $3,000 in the first round of judging and will present at Congress 2018. The final five winners will present at the 2018 SSHRC Impact Awards event. See Brock\u2019s 2017<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=F3ho-D0IxCY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">honourable mention<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><b>Submission period: Jan. 8 to 31 by 4:59 p.m.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/vitae.brockubeta.ca\/3mt-contest-eligibility-and-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Three Minute Thesis (3MT):<\/i><\/b><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students give a three-minute presentation of <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">their research and why it matters to an audience outside of their disciplines. Contestants are limited to using one static PowerPoint slide. See Brock\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2017\/03\/concussion-research-claims-3mt-top-prize\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2017 finalists<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><b>Deadline for abstracts: Jan. 31, at 11:59 p.m.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s a tough task \u2018translating\u2019 complicated research concepts into compelling language readily understood by a general audience, in addition to showing how and why the research is important.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":48487,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[36,39,40,7,55,37,41,1,4,5,38],"tags":[2195,2196,832],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48486"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48486"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48488,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48486\/revisions\/48488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}