An annual competition that challenges engineering masters’ and PhD students’ visual communication and presentation skills was recently held in the UConn Student Union ballroom. The contest requires students to effectively portray and explain their work in non-technical terms in ways that a non-engineering audience can understand.

“We have many brilliant students doing complex and fascinating work in their fields of study,” explains Aida Ghiaei, director, Graduate Recruitment, Support & Engagement, “but to be effective outside of their academic and research worlds they must know how to explain their work to a lay audience in simple, graphically appealing terms. I use the analogy of being home and trying to help your family understand what you’re doing in school – if you can’t hold their attention and clarify, in a few minutes, the elevated details of your work, then you’ll likely have the same trouble out in the real world.”

The competition consists of two rounds, beginning with students competing within their own departments, with their work judged by a faculty member from another department. Then, in the second round, winners from each department compete against one another for first-, second- and third-place honors, judged by industry professionals. The top-three winners receive cash prizes as well as bragging rights, and each departmental winner receives a cash prize. There is a “people’s choice” winner, too, Ghiaei adds.

At the competition, each participant gets three minutes to present their research poster, and then the judges ask questions for two additional minutes. More than 100 students participated in this year’s competition to hone their presentation skills and to show off their research to potential employers. As a side note, on the same day as the poster competition, Ghiaei says, 17 prospective graduate students who have been offered admission were on campus touring UConn and meeting CoE faculty and current graduate students. They also attended the poster competition.

The final-round winners included John Toribio, first place (Material Science and Engineering winner in first round); Sahib Sandhu, second place (the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering); and in third place, Deniz Ipekci, representing Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Electrical & Computer Engineering student Alaa Selim received an honorable mention.

Toribio says the competition offered him a new perspective on how best to communicate his work.

“Preparing for the poster competition was a rewarding process because it forced me to take a step back from the same, highly technical perspective from which I had been so used to when it came to looking at my work,” Toribio explains. “Instead, I needed to understand what the purpose, direction, and results of my work mean at its core, and what value others may be able to take from it. This is a skill that will certainly translate to communicating other projects in the future, especially with interdisciplinary collaborators, potential investors and other stakeholders.”

Ipekci says participating in the competition was a good experience that allowed her to improve her presentation skills, as well, and gain insight into the latest advancements in engineering. She also praised the College for fostering a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and creativity. The competition, she adds, highlights the importance of clear communication and the ability to convey complex ideas in a concise and engaging manner.

“One of the most significant takeaways for me was the realization of how crucial it is to balance technical depth with accessibility,” Ipekci says. “Presenting to a non-technical audience forced me to distill my research into its core essence, making it understandable and relatable to everyone. This exercise not only improved my communication skills but also helped me see my work from a broader perspective.

“Competitions like this play a vital role in nurturing talent and driving innovation,” she adds. “They offer a unique opportunity for researchers to showcase their work, receive feedback, and learn from others. I am grateful for the experience.”

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The first-round winners from each department included:

Biomedical Engineering: Nidhi Sharma

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Deniz Ipekci

Material Science & Engineering: John Toribio

Civil Engineering: Sajan Shakya

Environmental Engineering: Israt Jahan

School of Computing: Aayushi Verma

Electrical & Computer Engineering: Soroush Vahedi

Electrical & computer Engineering (honorable Mention): Alaa Selim

School of Mechanical Aerospace and Manufacturing: Sahib Sandhu

People Choice Award: Akanksha Majumder