The mission
Science POP is a Quebec-wide initiative in scientific communication that aims to promote the dialogue between science and society, while encouraging the personal and professional accomplishment of graduate students in health sciences beyond their research work or academic curriculum.
More than a mere competition, Science POP aims to become a platform that showcases the great talents in communication of our student body and to inspire them to find their passions.
The three challenges
The Science POP competition holds three challenges, each putting a different aspect of scientific communication to the test: To teach. To convince. To inspire.
The challenges are briefly described below. Anyone eligible to become a candidate and wishing to participate can check out the Informations about challenges for further details, including:
- Science POP competition rules
- Specific guidelines for each challenge
- Evaluation criteria
- Examples
- A few ressources
Popularization challenge
OBJECTIVE: Explain a central element of your research project
Candidates taking on this challenge will have to show creativity and teaching skills to explain a key concept of their research project in a clear, simple and accessible manner.
For example:
- A biological process (ex: apoptosis)
- A laboratory technique (e.g. electron microscopy)
- An experimental model (e.g. Drosophila)
- A clinical symptom (e.g. anaphylactic shock)
- A therapeutic treatment (e.g. pancreatic islet transplantation)
Valorization challenge
OBJECTIVE: Highlight the benefits of your research project
For this challenge, candidates will need to delve into the world of journalism and produce a news release of no more than 400 words, showcasing their research project by highlighting :
- The societal needs or issues addressed by their work
- The innovativeness of the research
- The short-, medium- and/or long-term outcomes
- The partnerships that may be generated
Candidates will then have 1 to 2 minutes, during the competition, to capture the audience's attention and convince them to read the news release.
Mobilization challenge
OBJECTIVE: Show personal commitment to sustainable health
Candidates choosing this challenge will have to present a personal project that they wish to implement to promote the well-being and health of the population of Quebec. This can be :
- An approach, a pedagogical tool, an event, a development plan, an invention, a campaign, a large-scale participation in an initiative, or any other concrete action
- In draft form, under development, or completed less than one (1) year as of April 2023
Main steps of the competition
The Quebec-wide initiative will unfold in several phases:
1) Registration of institutions that wish to participate by holding an internal competition, prior to the provincial final;
2) Registration and training of the participants through preparatory workshops;
3) Hosting of internal competitions across selected institutions;
4) Hosting of the provincial final by the IRCM (venue to be confirmed).
