Presentation guidelines

15-Minute Talk Guidelines

You’ll have 15 minutes in total—aim to speak for around 10 minutes, with the final 5 minutes set aside for questions from the audience.

This is your space to share what you’ve been working on with a friendly group of early career researchers. Whether it’s a finished project or still a work in progress, we’re excited to hear about it.

What we’re looking for:

  • A clear explanation of your applied microbiology research and why it matters

  • A focused talk that walks us through the key points or findings

  • A simple, logical structure from start to finish

  • Slides that support what you’re saying (without trying to say everything for you)

  • Enthusiastic and confident delivery

  • Awareness of the audience – if you need to use specialist terms, give them some context

Tips:

  • Keep the talk itself to around 10 minutes so there’s time for questions

  • Practise once or twice to get your timing right

  • Think about what you want people to remember most

  • You don’t need to cover everything – keep it clear and engaging

No need for polished perfection – just your science, shared in a way others can connect with and learn from.

Poster Presentation Guidelines

If you’re presenting a poster, here’s what you need to know:

  • Size: A1 (594 x 841 mm)

  • Format: Portrait or landscape – your choice

  • Fixing materials: Velcro and pins will be provided on the day

  • Set-up time: From 9.00am during registration – please aim to have your poster up before the opening remarks at 09.30am

Top tips for your poster:

  • Keep it clear, visual and easy to read from a distance

  • Use bullet points, graphs and illustrations where possible

  • Don’t overcrowd it – less is more

  • Include your name, title, institution and contact details

We know for many of you this might be your first time – don’t worry, this is a welcoming and safe space and a great chance to share your work and practise chatting about your research.

The 1x1 Challenge

You’ll have 1 minute and 1 slide to talk about your project to a supportive audience. It’s your chance to share your work in a clear, engaging and accessible way, using simple language and good storytelling.

What we’re looking for:

  • A clear background and why your research matters

  • Key findings or ideas that stay focused

  • A structure that’s easy to follow

  • Confident and enthusiastic delivery

  • A slide that support your talk without doing all the work

  • Good use of time that keeps to the 1-minute limit

Tips:

  • Practise with friends, houseplants or pets

  • Use strong visuals and keep text to a minimum

  • Speak as if explaining your work to someone in a different field

  • Finish with a message or takeaway you want people to remember

  • Don’t worry about being perfect – just let your passion come through

This is your space to share what you’ve been working on. We can’t wait to hear about it.