Radford and Radford University Carilion students interested in participating should complete the Research Blitz application online by February 19, 2024.
April 3, 2024, OURS and the College of Graduate Studies will host the first annual Highlander Research Blitz Competition for students enrolled in graduate and undergraduate programs through Radford University (main campus, RUC, RHEC, SVHEC).
Contestants will have three minutes to describe their original mentored research or creative inquiry. Aided by a single image or graphic on a PowerPoint slide, participants compete to see who can best communicate their work and its significance to a non-specialist (layperson) audience.
Radford undergraduate and graduate students (main campus, RUC, RHEC, SVHEC) are eligible to participate in the Highlander Research Blitz competition if they are doing at least one of the following:
Students can present on research, projects, and capstone experiences that are at any stage of development (e.g., planning and development, mid-project, or final stages). Additionally, participants must be in good academic standing with the university at the time of the competition.
Students participating in the Research Blitz Competition agree to abide by these common set of rules:
The 2024 Highlander Research Blitz Competition at Radford will be conducted as an in-person event in Kyle Hall 320 on April 3, 2024 starting at 5 pm. All participants will present for no longer than 3 minutes to qualify for judging consideration.
A panel of alumni, university supporters, and community members will award prizes for first, second, and third place in the undergraduate student competition, during the event on April 3, 2024. Members of the university community will be invited to view the finalists' videos and submit their vote for the People's Choice winner. Voting for the People's Choice Award will be open from April 10-17, 2024.
Highlander Research Blitz speakers and their presentations will be evaluated based on the criteria below. Please note that the decision of the judges and audience is final.
Radford and Radford University Carilion students interested in participating should complete the Research Blitz application online by February 19, 2024.
A three-minute audition video is a required part of the application. Audition videos will not be shown during the competition itself and are not part of the final judging process. For this reason, they can be taken with webcams or cell phones. Audition videos must be submitted as a webpage link, such as YouTube or Vimeo, as a part of the Highlander Research Blitz application form. All application materials, including the audition video, must be received by the College of Graduate Studies and Research by February 19, 2024.
Applicants invited to participate in the competition as finalists will be notified by March 4, 2024. To be eligible for the awards, finalists must present a final, polished version of their presentation on April 3, 2024.
The Office of Graduate Affairs and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) are committed to facilitating an inclusive event. If you are a person with a disability who anticipates needing accommodations to participate meaningfully in the competition, please contact OURS 540-831-5537; ours@radford.edu or visit us in Whitt Hall 118.
If you have questions about the undergraduate application process, please contact OURS at (540) 831-5537 or ours@radford.edu.