GSAS Master’s SynThesis Competition
The annual GSAS Master’s SynThesis competition is an opportunity for MA students from across the Arts and Sciences to showcase their research and presentation skills in a relaxed and collegial environment.
The Competition
Can you present your thesis research to a general audience in under three minutes using a single slide? GSAS invites all Master's students who are writing a thesis to participate in the annual GSAS Master's SynThesis competition. The application for the 2023 competition has closed.
The 2023 competition will be held on Tuesday, May 2, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in 555 Lerner Hall. First-, second-, and third-place awardees receive prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250, respectively. View videos of previous years' winning presentations here.
RSVP TO ATTEND IN-PERSON OR TO JOIN THE ZOOM LIVESTREAM.
Please write to [email protected] with any questions.
Applicants must be:
- Currently enrolled in an Arts and Sciences MA program, or must have graduated from an Arts and Sciences MA program no earlier than October 2022
- Working on a thesis based on original research
- Available to attend the in-person competition on Tuesday, May 2.
Apply here by Sunday, April 2 at 11:59pm ET.
To apply, applicants must submit a 300-word project abstract, appropriate for a nonspecialist audience. Applications go through two rounds of review to identify finalists. In the first round, all submitted abstracts are reviewed by a GSAS staff committee, which will select the semi-finalists. In the second round, semi-finalists will complete brief video interviews.
Between 12 to 15 finalists will be selected to present their research to a general audience and a multidisciplinary panel of judges at the final competition. Finalists must participate in a preparatory workshop with GSAS staff prior to the competition. The workshop will be offered in mid-April.
At each stage of review, applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Comprehension and content
- Abstract/interview/presentation provides clear background and significance to the research question
- Abstract/interview/presentation clearly describes the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research
- Abstract/interview/presentation clearly describes the conclusions, outcomes and impact of the research
Communication and engagement
- Project is communicated in language appropriate to a nonspecialist audience, avoids jargon, and adequately explains technical concepts
- Research is communicated with enthusiasm and in an engaging manner
Presentation (for finalists)
- Quality of delivery of oral presentation
- Quality of the slide: Does it enhance the presentation? Is it clear, legible, and concise?
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations. or movement of any type).
- No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
- No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
- Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum. Once three minutes is reached, the presenter will be asked to stop.
Click here to view recordings of prior years' winners.