Visualise Your Thesis competition

The Visualise your Thesis (VYT) competition is an initiative of The University of Melbourne.  VYT gives you the opportunity to showcase your research and assist you to build essential digital communication skills to effectively communicate complex research to a general audience.

Visualise Your Thesis challenges HDR students to present their research in a 60 second, striking audio-visual presentation. Using a pre-supplied PPT template, you can convert your research into a short and engaging digital narrative.

Competition submissions are judged on their visual impact, and how well the content presents the research. The digital format allows for different levels of creativity, multi-media, interactivity and interpretation, is suitable for all disciplines, and stages of candidature.

2021 competition

The VYT competition is open to currently enrolled higher degree by research students.

Closing date – 3 May 2021

How do you enter VYT?

  1. Use the official VYT PowerPoint template, and read the 2021 VYT Competition Kit Entrant pack. To obtain these, please email ROC-Excellence@curtin.edu.au
  2. Watch the winning entries from previous years
  3. Visit the official Melbourne University Visualise Your Thesis and Resources* which include important information to help you prepare your presentation
  4. Submit your entry by the closing date of 3 May 2021 to ROC-Excellence@curtin.edu.au (if the file size is too large to attach to an email, use a file sharing service such as CloudStor or DropBox).  To enter, please submit your
    1. PowerPoint slideshow using the template provided; or an MP4 file version; AND
    2. signed VYT Submission Checklist

*VYT Resources include:

  • Effective Video Storytelling for Researchers
    Chapter 1 – finding your way
    Chapter 2 – Show, don’t tell
    Chapter 3 – Your video lab at home
  • Copyright videos
    ‘Keeping your entry copyright compliant’
    ‘Seeking Permissions’
    Accessing Expired Copyright Materials’
    ‘Existing Permissions’
    ‘Protecting Your Copyright’
  • Powerpoint Resources
    Microsoft’s PowerPoint Training Resources
  • FAQ’s

Judging

Entries will be judged by a panel organised by the Research Office at Curtin.  Judging will take place in May and the results announced by Friday 28 May.

Prizes and winning entry

The Curtin VYT judging panel will determine the first, second and third-placed entries, who will receive these prizes:

  • First prize- $750
  • Second prize – $350
  • Third prize – $250

The winning entry will be sent to The University of Melbourne to contest the international VYT competition.

In addition, the entry receiving the most number of votes in the People’s Choice competition will receive:

  • People’s Choice prize – $150

Past winners

See previous winning presentations by Curtin students along with other  international winners on Figshare.

2020 – Md Nuruzzaman, School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Hydraulics of Constructed Floating Wetland for Treating Storm Water

2019 – Kit Prendergast, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Battle of the Bees