Guidelines and Criteria

Presentation Guidelines

• 8-minute presentation followed by a 2-minute Q&A
• Topic: student’s research or lab research explained for a non-expert audience
• Plain language encouraged; unnecessary jargon discouraged
• PowerPoint permitted (maximum 20 slides)

Judging Criteria

Presentations will be judged using a 100-point rubric grouped into four overarching themes.

1. Research Foundation (23 points)

2. Communication & Organization (22 points)

3. Delivery & Audience Connection (28 points)

4. Novelty & Broader Impact (27 points)

What Judges Are Looking For

Strong presentations should:

• Clearly answer what was done and why it matters
• Make complex scientific ideas accessible to a broad audience
• Avoid unnecessary jargon or define technical terms clearly
• Use visuals that support the story
• Demonstrate confidence, clarity, and audience awareness
• Leave the audience with a clear and memorable takeaway

The strongest SciCom Showdown presentations are not necessarily the most technically complex. They are the ones that make science understandable, engaging, and meaningful.

Judges

There will be four judges for the semi-finals and four judges for the finals. Our expert judges will be announced in August.