Overview:

The Postdoc Society are delighted to announce the return of the Postdoc Showcase 2025 in celebration of Postdocs and Research Staff and this year's theme is “Voices of the Future: Postdocs Shaping Tomorrow”.  Discover how research from postdocs and research staff across our university is helping to shape a better future.

This is an event organised 'by postdocs, for postdocs', and an opportunity for all research staff across Queen's to showcase their research, learn about others' research, and network.

The programme will feature the following:

• Welcome address by Professor Archie Clements, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise
• Expert panel discussion
• Update from the Postdoctoral Development Centre
• Research poster/display exhibition
• Oral presentations by selected postdocs
• Postdoc drop-in clinic
• PDC Postdoc Awards 2025
• Prize-giving: PDC Postdoc Awards, best talks and best posters
• Drinks Reception

View the 2025 Postdoc Showcase Programme

Research talks will align with the University's research strategies that are conducted across 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and will be pitched to a wide audience, to enable researchers from across various disciplines to understand and enjoy them.  This is a clear demonstration of how researchers work together to help achieve the SDGs, and in turn help to shape a better future.

Be a part of the voices shaping tomorrow by joining fellow postdocs and research staff in driving progress and creating a brighter future.  Register now for an inspiring conference experience!

How to participate:

Attend the Showcase:

To attend, please register via the above booking link.  All research staff are welcome to attend this event and are invited to submit an abstract.  Please note, those whose contracts are research-focused (e.g. postdocs, research assistants, research fellows, KTP associates or similar) are considered "research staff".

Submit your Profile:

Participating research staff can opt to have a short profile which will be displayed on-screen during the event.  This will include your name, school/centre, the title/area of your research and your profile photo.

You can submit your profile directly using the registration form for the showcase.

Submit an abstract to present a poster/display or give a talk:

About Abstracts:

The audience at the showcase will include research staff from across the many Schools and Research Centres at Queen's. You thus need to pitch your research like you would to the public, avoiding jargon. We encourage speakers to distil the essence of their research and highlight links to the SDGs. For example, someone researching literature should be able to understand and enjoy the presentation from a researcher in chemistry and vice-versa. Abstracts should meet this level of accessibility.

Abstracts will also be judged based on the following:

1. Significance and Impact: Highlight the potential impact of your research and its contribution to your field / SDG. Discuss how it addresses real-world challenges, offers practical applications, or informs decision-making.
2. Methodology Description: Concisely describe your research methodology, including tools, techniques, and data sources. Showcase the integration of different perspectives and methodologies to address complex problems.
3. Clarity and Organisation: Write a clear and well-organized abstract that is easily understandable. Articulate your research's key points and main arguments, ensuring that the conclusion aligns with the presented results or outcomes.
4. Overall Quality: Maintain high coherence, significance, and engagement in your abstract. Adhere to the conference's guidelines for abstract length, formatting, and submission deadlines.

Abstracts should be no longer than 300 words and should be submitted online at the time of registration. 

Abstract submission deadline: Friday 18 July 2025 at 23:59

You can indicate your preference for a poster/display or oral presentation when submitting your abstract.  You will be informed of the decision via email in August.

Presentations:

Presentations are expected to be accessible as highlighted above (think about presentations such as TED Talks and 3-minute thesis presentations).  The number of abstracts received and accepted will determine the time allocated per presentation (i.e. 5 or 10 minutes).

The Postdoc Society committee will review presentation abstracts and select the maximum number to fit the allocated time slots, ensuring that a diverse range of research is covered.  Presenters will be selected based on the quality of their abstract, especially its accessibility to a wide audience.  To present a talk you are required to submit an abstract (see section above).  The audience will vote for their favourite presentation during the Showcase in both Session 1 and Session 2.

Posters / Display:

Posters or displays will be displayed for the duration of the event, with an interactive session over lunchtime.  Presenters are only required to stand with their posters or at their display during their time slot at the interactive lunchtime session, to ensure all presenters have sufficient time to get lunch.  You will have time to talk about your research to judges from the Postdoc Society Committee, who will mark your poster based on the following criteria: layout and design, content, delivery, results/conclusion, and response to questions.  Further information will be provided prior to the event.  Presenting a poster or display requires submitting an abstract (see section above).

Attendees are responsible for the cost of printing their own posters however, attendees can reuse posters from previous conferences/events.  We understand that such posters may be pitched at specialists, however, your abstract should not be.  If you require a table to place your visual display on, please inform us within the online registration form and we ensure that you are accommodated.

Poster dimensions: Poster boards are size 4ft x 4ft and posters can be any size up to A0 maximum.

Postdoc Drop-in Clinic:

Representatives from across Queen's will be available over lunch time to answer any questions you may have related to:

• The Postdoctoral Development Centre (PDC)
• Research Development, including Fellowship applications
• Impact and Engagement
• Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)
• Public Affairs (Policy Impact)
• Wellbeing
• Publishing/Open access
• Research Spin-outs & Investments

Register for the Postdoc Showcase 2025