Postdoc Spotlight
SBU Postdoc Spotlight is a celebration of the research performed by Stony Brook's postdoctoral scholars.
Cutting-edge research at SBU presented for a general audience. Spotlight talks are designed like a Three Minute Thesis talk to be accessible to specialists and non-specialists alike. The Postdoc Spotlight is a great opportunity to see some of the latest discoveries and exciting research taking place at Stony Brook.
Save the Date: Postdoc Spotlight 2025
The 2025 Postdoc Spotlight will be featured as a round in the Graduate School's Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, showcasing the innovative and invaluable research contributions of Stony Brook postdocs.
Friday, March 28, 2025
10 am to 3 pm
Charles B. Wang Center lecture halls
Speaker registration is open until January 31, 2025.
This event is free and open to the public.
Speaker Sign-Up
Speaker Sign-Up Deadline: Friday, January 31, 2025
- Please view the rules and speaker information before registering. After submission,
you will receive confirmation on whether you have been selected to compete. At that
time, we will request a title from selected speakers.
Competitor Selection
Organizers aim to accommodate as many eligible students as want to compete, but competitor slots nevertheless are limited. Competitor selection, if necessary, will take into account coaching date availability, disciplinary and demographic balance.
Speaker Information
Eligibility
To compete in the Postdoc Spotlight, postdocs must:
- Be SBU postdocs;
- Work in any disciplinary field, with those in the Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences particularly encouraged to participate;
- Have advanced in their research to a stage where findings, preliminary conclusions, and broader impact can be discussed. Findings from previous research is welcome, however postdocs may only participate in the Spotlight once;
- Affirm during speaker sign-up that their supervisor supports presentation of their research; and
- Commit to participating in all 3 coaching sessions.
Coaching Sessions
As a Postdoc Spotlight competitor, you undergo research communication coaching that is grounded in techniques from the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. Coaching takes place in small groups where peer feedback and support is expected and encouraged while students workshop their draft presentations.
To participate as a speaker in the competition, you must commit to three mandatory coaching sessions. You have the option of attending an additional fourth coaching session, which we suggest you pencil in on your calendar.
The first session will provide an overview of best practices for honing one's message for a general audience. In the second and third sessions, speakers will receive coaching on their individual talks in small groups.
Please try to save the coaching dates on your calendar until you know you are selected.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and are generously sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR)
Questions?
Contact the Graduate School Office of Professional Development at gradprofdev@stonybrook.edu