Explain Your Research to the World:
5th Annual Magnetic Moments Competition

Video submission form is at the bottom of this page.

NEW Submission Deadline:

Our science is great, but can anyone outside our field understand it? Let’s find out!

This year, the famous “Magnetic Moments” competition will happen again at the annual ISMRM & ISMRT meeting, bringing the initiative to its 5th edition.
The session aims to identify the best public-facing description of a piece of work being presented in an abstract at the annual meeting.
This provides a unique opportunity for scientists to gain confidence presenting their research to a lay audience and promote the ISMRM’s mission to the public.

Why Participate?

Making our science accessible for the public is not the only objective for engaging. Presenting to different audiences allows scientists to more accurately represent their work to the public, increase public interest, and generate enthusiasm in the next generation of scientists. Furthermore, being able to present our work to a wide variety of audiences is a skill that we should recognise and promote within the society. Importantly, many major funding bodies increasingly require a layperson’s description of the proposed research. This competition is a safe space to improve your skills!

The Winner Will Receive…

The competition winner will receive a free conference registration to the 2024 ISMRM annual meeting in Singapore*. Plus, of course, increasing the visibility and accessibility of their abstract at ISMRM, and eternal glory!

* a different prize will be agreed upon if the winner won’t be attending the 2024 annual meeting.

To participate, follow these steps:

Step One: Record a 3-Minute Video

In the video, please explain your ISMRM abstract for a layperson audience. The use of any aids to help you on showing your work is allowed; see the past Magnetic Moments competition videos on the ISMRM youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ISMRM-SMRT/playlists for inspiration. Remember: be creative and keep it simple.

Detailed guidelines for submissions are as follows:

  1. You are allowed to give the presentation in any form (see below for some example presentations) and submit a recording of it. All finalists will have their video streamed during the virtual live session at ISMRM.
  2. You are welcome to create animations, but try to avoid the classic “PowerPoint” presentation. We particularly encourage those using props instead of slides. Importantly, keep things simple!
  3. Place your research in a wider context: What is the goal of your research? How will the public benefit from your work? What is exciting about it? It can also help to explain why you, personally, are passionate about your research, or what the research is like day-to-day.
  4. Your submission should clearly refer to the specific research described in an abstract at this year’s meeting. However, it is fine for most of the presentation to talk about a broader project or general area of research.
  5. Don’t use technical jargon (e.g. k-space, B0 inhomogeneities, etc.), acronyms (e.g. BOLD), or medical terminology (e.g. myocardial infarction).
  6. Submitted videos do not have to be in English, but if they are in a different language then English subtitles must be provided. If selected for the “live final”, the resulting presentation must be given in English.
  7. MP4 is the preferred video file format, but other major formats are acceptable. If we have any problems with your video, we will contact you via email. For any additional questions, please contact the organisers.

Step Two: Submit Your Recording & Brief Description

Submit the 3-minute video and a brief description (up to 100 words) using the form below. The deadline for submission is noted at the top of this page.

What Will Happen in Toronto?

Recordings will be shortlisted by a panel to select the ones that will be presented live during the “Magnetic Moments Competition” special session at the annual meeting. The winner will be announced and selected based on the public engagement performance at the live session. This will be your chance to sparkle!

If you’d like to hear from the organisers and attendees of the past editions, check the MRM Highlights Magazine https://blog.ismrm.org/2022/05/06/mrm-highlights-magazine-volume-7/

You can also read more about Magnetic Moments in 2018 Program Chair Karla Miller’s blog post http://blog.ismrm.org/2018/04/19/magnetic-moments-taking-our-science-to-the-people/.

Looking forward to seeing your video,

The Magnetic Moments Competition Committee

Further Information

Before preparing your submission, we strongly recommend you review our Frequently Asked Questions, which provides additional details and recommendations. Any further questions can be directed to the event organizers:

Nataliya Buxbaum (Nataliya.Buxbaum@RoswellPark.org)
Stuart Clare (stuart.clare@ndcn.ox.ac.uk)
Carinne Piekema (carinne.piekema@ndcn.ox.ac.uk)
Laura Bortolotti (laura.bortolotti@nottingham.ac.uk)

Frequently Asked Questions

Wait, isn’t that just a Power Pitch?

While the format of the Magnetic Moments and the Power Pitch are somewhat similar, their purposes are completely different. The Power Pitch relies on an informed audience to understand the complexities of the research being pitched. Magnetic Moments are targeted for the general public.

When are submissions due?

All submissions are due by the deadline noted above.

Is there a particular format for submissions?

There is no set visual format for submissions. You are welcome to make a presentation using PowerPoint, or a video with props, or even just you talking about your research abstract. The only requirements are that videos are limited to 3 minutes and must be uploaded in mp4 format.

The example videos look professionally done. Is this expected of me (and will I be penalized for not doing this)?

No. We will be judging your videos solely on the content of the videos themselves. You are welcome to record yourself using the camera on your phone, or even just performing a screen capture of your PowerPoint presentation as you give your presentation.

Can I see the finalists’ videos from previous years?

Yes you can! The ISMRM have uploaded them into playlists on YouTube:
2018 • 2019 • 2021 • 2022

What do you mean “props”?

We mean using physical objects to describe your research. These can be anything from a box to represent a data matrix, ink and a glass of water to demonstrate diffusion, or an actual RF coil. Be creative!

Is there a limit to the number of slides for submissions?

There is no official limit to the number of slides you can have, however, remember that an overly complex set of slides will be difficult for the general public to understand. Try to keep things as simple as possible.

What exactly does “general audience” that mean?

By general audience, we mean that all talks must be understandable by the average person on the street. Think of your aunt, grandparent, child, or the person seated next to you at a sports match. In general, it works well to aim for a 10-12 year old’s level of comprehension. This person would ideally be interested in your research, however, they would definitely not be an expert.

Who will review submissions, and when will this take place?

Initial submission review will occur by the competition organizers to select semi-finalists. A panel of judges selected from the ISMRM membership will choose the finalists for the final competition.

Can I submit something other than my ISMRM abstract?

The focus of this competition is on presenting your research to the public. The presentation should therefore include the research you have submitted to the ISMRM annual meeting. However, it is fine (and often helpful) if the majority of the presentation focuses on the broader picture of your project or research area.

Can I submit more than one video?

Yes, feel free to submit as many videos as you have accepted abstracts as first author. However, you will only be allowed to present your top submission if you are selected for the final competition.

When and where will the final competition occur?

The final competition will occur during the ISMRM Annual Meeting during a special Magnetic Moments session that will be noted on the Program-at-a-Glance.

Can I post my submission on my local institution’s website?

Yes. While these videos will be used to showcase the breadth of research the ISMRM community undertakes, these are presentations of your research, and so you should feel free to use them as you see fit.

 

2023 Magnetic Moments
Submission Form, Part 1:
Abstract & Author Information

You will upload your video on the following page.