Poster Presentation & Elevator Speech Competition

All students appointed to the MD Anderson Summer Experience are eligible to participate in the poster session and register for the elevator speech competition. 

This includes high school, undergraduate, graduate, medical, and other health profession students. For a list of participating summer programs, visit the MD Anderson Summer Experience webpage. 

8-9 a.m.: Poster presenter check-in
Participants must report to the Duncan Building (CPB), Floor 8, Rooms 1-8, for breakfast and to hang their posters. All posters must be in place by 8:45 a.m.

9-11 a.m.: Poster session
Students present posters on their summer research projects. All MD Anderson Summer Experience students are expected to participate.

11-11:30 a.m.: Elevator speech competition

11:30 a.m.-Noon: Intermission & Elevator speech judging

Noon: Announcement of elevator speech winners & closing remarks

**NOTE**  Event guests and participants are encouraged to post videos and photos from this event to Facebook and Twitter using #MDASummer. Each year a specially selected photo from social media will be featured on this webpage. 

The final event begins with the poster session, which opens to visitors at 9 a.m. All posters must be in place by 8:45 a.m. Posters are displayed in the exhibit area on stands that will be ready in time for poster installation. Students are stationed with their posters and should be prepared to present their work to visitors.

Students are advised not to be concerned if their data is not complete or otherwise ready for publication. The objectives of the poster presentation are as follows:

• Share background information about research conducted
• Present research project in an organized, logical manner
• Discuss pertinent information such as controls used or other approaches taken

Students are encouraged to practice their poster discussions with mentors, supervisors, lab mates and peers. Mentors and lab mates are encouraged to attend the event.

Posters should be created using the following instructions and template:

• Summer Experience Poster Instructions
• Summer Experience Poster Template (ppt)

Students should have their mentors and immediate supervisors review their draft posters and have the posters approved before submitting them for printing. It is advised that students give their mentors and supervisors a few days to review the poster and consult their summer program manager for poster printing costs and procedures.

All posters should be:

• 36 inches x 36 inches (3 feet by 3 feet, 91.44 cm x 91.44 cm).
• Poster file name should be Last Name-Poster. Use hyphens to separate the names. Example: Doe-Poster.ppt
• Do not change the page size or margin size of the PowerPoint template. Diameter of the page must remain 35.5 square inches.
• Do not delete, resize or otherwise change the MD Anderson logo in the upper right corner or the red color bar between the header and the content. These elements are part of MD Anderson’s branding and are required on all academic posters displayed here.
• MD Anderson poster templates must be used if printing via Creative Services. 
• Posters should be proofread carefully before they are submitted. Posters with errors cannot be reprinted. 
• IMPORTANT: Print a draft on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper and inspect it carefully BEFORE submitting it to your program manager (or creative services) for printing. Proofing a hard copy aids in noticing potential errors before printing and ensures the file will print correctly after submission.
• Students should feel free to change the column widths and body text of the template.
  
• Students should submit completed poster files as a PowerPoint file (ppt) and should not update the file format to higher or different version of PowerPoint (pptx).
• It is the student's responsibility to make preliminary copies to distribute during the poster session using their office printer and printed on 8 1/2 x 14 or 11x17 inches paper. 
  

• Any high school student, undergraduate, graduate, health professional (medical, Pharm.D., nursing, etc.) or research intern participating in the MD Anderson Summer Experience program is eligible to register for the elevator speech competition.
• Students do not need to submit a written abstract and need not have conclusive research results to compete.
• Selected finalists will compete in person on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 11 a.m., by presenting 90-second elevator speeches describing their summer research. The focus of the elevator speech is on communicating the significance of your work, rather than on reporting specific results.
• Instructional workshops for creating elevator speeches will be offered (see Elevator Speech Workshops and Rehearsal Schedule below). It is highly recommended that those considering entering the competition, attend these workshops to obtain handouts and related information.
• Cash prizes will be awarded for elevator speeches in the categories of Best Speech and People's Choice.
  

1. Commit to compete. Register by Friday, July 24, at 5 p.m. All registrants will receive an invitation to upload their video submission to the box folder.
2. Attend the free optional workshops. Learn to create effective elevator speeches, practice and get feedback. During the workshops, you will receive the following handouts: What is an elevator speech? and Elevator Speech: Elements, Styling and Tips. Be sure to bring your questions to the workshops. Refer to Elevator Speech Workshops, Rehearsals and Deadlines below for times, dates and locations.
3. Create your audition video. Create a 90-second audition video of a "preliminary" elevator speech on your tablet, laptop, camcorder, computer or smartphone. Acceptable video file formats are: 3g2, 3gp, avi, m2v, m4v, mov, mp4, mpeg, mpg and wmv. In this video, tell us about yourself and your summer research project. Be as creative (e.g. use props) and innovative as you wish.
4. Upload your audition video to box.com at https://mdacc.box.com/v/SE-VIDEOSUBMISSIONS by Tuesday, July 28 by 11:59p.m., with the your first and last name included within the video file name. Extensions will not be granted.  
5. Find out if you're a finalist. Finalists will be selected from submitted videos and notified via email by Monday, Aug. 3, at 5 p.m. 
6. Finalists will be invited to attend the Group Elevator Speech Rehearsal on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 3-4 p.m., in the Duncan Building (CPB), Floor 8, Rooms 1-3.
7. Speak to compete. Finalists will compete by presenting their elevator speeches in person (not via video) on Thursday, Aug. 6, at 11 a.m.  
8. Claim your prize. Elevator speech competition winners will be announced at Thursday, Aug. 6, at noon. Cash prizes will be awarded for Best Speech ($200) and People's Choice ($100).

Attendees of Elevator Speech workshops must register online for a Part A and Part B workshop, by 5pm, July 10. Those planning to enter the MD Anderson Summer Experience Elevator Speech Competition will have three (3) opportunities to attend each workshop. Workshop attendance is optional, but highly recommended for those planning to enter the competition. Participants should attend both Part A and Part B workshops. All dates, times and locations are subject to change. 

Elevator Speech Workshops

Part A: Building the Speech (Choose 1 of 3)

• Monday, July 13
• Noon-1:30 p.m.
• Duncan Cancer Prevention Building (CPB), 8th floor, Rooms 5 and 6
  
• Facilitator: TBD

OR

• Tuesday, July 14
• Noon-1:30 p.m.
• Duncan Cancer Prevention Building (CPB), 8th floor, Rooms 5 and 6
  
• Facilitator: TBD

OR

• Wednesday, July 15
• Noon-1:30 p.m
• Duncan Cancer Prevention Building (CPB), 8th floor, Rooms 1 and 2
  
• Facilitator: TBD

Part B: Styling the Speech (Choose 1 of 3)

• Monday, July 20
• Noon-1:30 p.m.
• Duncan Cancer Prevention Building (CPB), 8th floor, Rooms 3 and 4
  
• Facilitator:  TBD

OR

• Tuesday, July 21
• Noon-1:30 p.m.
• Duncan Cancer Prevention Building (CPB), 8th floor, Rooms 3 and 4
  
• Facilitator: TBD

OR

• Wednesday, July 22
• Noon-1:30 p.m.
• Duncan Cancer Prevention Building (CPB), 8th floor, Rooms 3 and 4
• Facilitator: TBD

Group Elevator Speech Rehearsal for Finalists (by invitation only)

• Tuesday, August 4
• 3-4 p.m.
• Duncan Cancer Prevention Building (CPB), 8th floor, Room 1

Poster Presentation

Nancy Strange (administrative questions)
Program Coordinator
Education and Training
713-792-2552
NDStrange@mdanderson.org

Marites P. Melancon, Ph.D. (content questions)
Program Director
Summer Experience Program
713-794-5387
MMelancon@mdanderson.org