Synthesizing Your Research in 2 Minutes
The PHYTO-Synthesis Competition challenges early-stage researchers to communicate their research in a clear, creative and engaging way through a short video presentation.
Eligibility
The competition is open to early-stage researchers who:
- have an abstract accepted for the PSE Meeting 2026 (oral or poster presentation);
- are registered participants of the PSE Meeting 2026.
Submission
Be creative!
PHYTO-Synthesis is not simply a two-minute version of your scientific presentation.
The challenge is to find an original and engaging way to communicate the essence of your research. Rather than trying to summarize your abstract or reproduce a conventional conference talk, think about the key message you want your audience to remember and find a creative way to tell it.
You may use storytelling, analogies, visual elements, animation, humour or any other creative approach that helps make your science accessible and memorable, while remaining scientifically accurate.
Think beyond the slides: synthesize your research, don’t just summarize it.
Participants must submit:
one original video presentation;
maximum duration: 2 minutes (120 seconds);
the video must present the research accepted for presentation at the PSE Meeting 2026.
Technical Specifications
File format: MP4 (.mp4)
Video codec: H.264 (AVC)
Audio codec: AAC (44.1 or 48 kHz, stereo)
Resolution: 1920 × 1080 pixels (Full HD)
Aspect ratio: 16:9 (landscape)
Frame rate: 25 or 30 fps
Maximum file size: 200 MB
Language: English
Submission
To participate in the PHYTO-Synthesis Competition, please complete the online submission form.
The form will ask you to provide your contact details, abstract title and the required authorisations for publication and public voting.
Please note that the video is not uploaded directly through the submission form.
After submitting the form, you will receive an email within 24 hours containing a personalised link and instructions for uploading your video. Please always check your spam folder, if you do not receive the email on time.
Your submission will be considered complete only after the video has been successfully uploaded.
Submission deadline: 11 September
Evaluation
The competition will be evaluated through a combination of jury assessment and public voting.
A dedicated committee appointed by the PSE Meeting 2026 Organizing Committee will evaluate each video according to the following criteria:
– Scientific quality and accuracy
– Clarity of communication
– Originality
– Creativity
– Overall engagement
All submitted videos will also be published on the official PSE Meeting 2026 website and shared through the conference social media channels. During the voting period, participants and the scientific community will be invited to watch the videos and cast their vote.
The final score will take into account both the jury evaluation and the public vote. The decision of the Organizing Committee is final.
Publication and Copyright
By submitting a video, participants grant the PSE Meeting 2026 Organizing Committee permission to publish and share the video on the official conference website and on its social media channels for communication and promotional purposes.
Participants retain copyright of their work and are responsible for ensuring that all images, music, graphics and other materials included in the video comply with applicable copyright regulations.
AI policy: use of AI-based tools is permitted provided they comply with copyright and ethical standards
Award
One winner will receive the PHYTO-Synthesis Award during the PSE Meeting 2026 Award Ceremony.
Additional Information
Further details regarding the voting procedure and award will be published soon on the official PSE Meeting 2026 website.
PSE Meeting 2026 