Announcing the 2026 edition of the Short Talks, Big Impacts competition

Last year, more than 750 people joined us for the global finale of the inaugural Short Talks, Big Impacts Women in Science Spotlight Competition. This year, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February, OWSD is excited to announce the second annual edition of the competition, which provides women scientists from around the world with a platform to showcase the significance of their research and its potential impact on local and global challenges.

The competition will take place in four regional sessions: Africa (18 February); Latin America and the Caribbean (25 February), Asia-Pacific (3 March); and the Arab region (4 March). Each regional session will feature selected OWSD members presenting their research in a dynamic 3-minute format. These concise, impactful presentations will be followed by live audience voting. The top two presenters from each regional session will advance to the global finale (11 March), where the global winner(s) will be chosen by a combination of public votes and an expert panel of judges.

How It Works:

• Regional Sessions: Women scientists from OWSD’s global membership will be selected to present their research in live webinars. The audience will vote for the most engaging and impactful presentation.
• Grand Finale: The top two winners from each region will move on to the grand finale, which will be live-streamed globally. Here, both public voting and expert panelists will select the competition’s global winner(s).

Who Can Participate: The competition is open to all OWSD members. Women scientists, regardless of career stage, are encouraged to submit their research. This event is designed to highlight the importance of clear, accessible communication, and to celebrate the innovative contributions of women in science.

Application Process: OWSD members can apply by completing the registration form here. Participants will need to submit their research title, a brief description, and a photo. A selection committee will choose up to 12 participants per region, prioritizing geographical diversity and variety in research topics.

Judging Criteria:

• Clarity and Accessibility: How well the research is communicated to a general audience in just 3 minutes.
• Global Impact: How clearly the potential relevance of the research to addressing local or global issues is highlighted.
• Engagement: The ability to captivate and connect with the audience.

How to apply: To register for the competition, click here. The application deadline is 11 February 2025.

How to watch: To watch the competition and vote for the winning presenters, please use the following links to register:

• Africa region - Wednesday, 18 February at 15:00 CET (UTC+1)
• Latin America and Caribbean region - Wednesday, 25 February at 17:00 CET (UTC+1)
• Asia-Pacific region - Tuesday, 3 March at 10:00 CET (UTC+1)
• Arab region - Wednesday, 4 March at 14:00 CET (UTC+1)
• Global finale - Wednesday, 11 March at 15:00 CET (UTC+1)

If you'd like to catch up on last year's competition, you can find all regional sessions as well as the exciting finale competition on our YouTube channel.

Join us in celebrating the power of women in science and the impact they continue to make on the world!