Speed Science Contest
A science communication training program to help AI scientists better explain their research to non-specialists.
The rapid growth of AI affects all facets of society, but the inner workings of this technology and the community of experts who shape it remain relatively misunderstood.
Scientists can benefit from popularization skills to share their knowledge with society at large, yet traditional academic careers offer limited opportunities to hone these skills. To bridge this gap, Mila has created a science communication contest to help Master's and PhD students in AI be better science communicators, inspired by the Ma thèse en 180 secondes / Three Minute Thesis initiatives.
The Concept
Over the course of several weeks, Mila researchers develop their science communication and storytelling skills in a professional training and mentorship program. Through workshops and feedback sessions, participants learn to craft compelling three-minute presentations about their research. The program culminates in a public grand finale where a jury of non-specialists selects the top three presentations, and the audience gets the chance to choose a crowd favourite.
In an era of misinformation, the role of scientists is to provide the real facts and present them to the public. The competition was a wonderful opportunity to learn how to make a good presentation and how to tell a great story.
Dounia Shaaban-Kabakibo - first prize and audience choice award, Speed Science 2024
Goals
- Raise awareness among researchers about the importance of science communication and scientists’ role within society.
- Train participants through scientific communication workshops and personalized coaching, helping them explain their research in a clear and concise manner.
- Help them develop an engaging, concise presentation of their research topic, which is useful in the academic and professional world, as well as in their daily lives.
- Increase visibility of Mila projects for the research community and a non-specialist audience.
Dates
The contest is held every year in the spring and in the fall.
The next edition will take place in the fall of 2025 at Mila.
For any questions about the program, contact communications@mila.quebec.
The second edition of Mila's Speed Science competition, which brought together six of Mila's talented researchers who took to the stage to present their work in three minutes to a jury and an audience of peers, industry professionals, media members, and the general public, was a resounding success.
The grand finale of the competition was held on June 5, 2025 at Mila and 4 prizes were awarded, including a public choice award.
The competition concluded with a networking cocktail with the participants and members of the audience.
It was a full house for the inaugural edition of the 2024 Speed Science competition, where Mila community gathered to hear nine student researchers present their work.
The first edition of Mila's Speed Science competition, which was held on November 14, 2024.
This program highlighted the importance of clear and responsible communication, particularly when engaging with the public about AI advancements. It also encouraged me to prioritize accuracy and avoid contributing to unnecessary hype, while also presenting complex ideas in an accessible way.
Arna Ghosh - second prize, Speed Science 2024
Watch the Spring 2025 Edition
Discover the full presentation of each participant during the spring edition of the Speed Science contest.
Kusha Sareen, Master’s student at McGill University, won the first prize for his presentation “Teaching AI to Check Its Own Math”.
Amar Kumar, PhD student at McGill University, won the second prize for his presentation “From Algorithm to Clinic: Explainable AI for Trustworthy Diagnosis”.
Rashid Mushkani, PhD Student at Université de Montréal, won the third prize for his presentation “Locked Out by Design”.
Michael Przystupa, Research Intern at Université de Montréal, won the audience choice award for his presentation “From Math to Mobility: Empowering People Through Smarter Control”.
Carol Altimas, Master’s student at Université de Montréal: Becoming a Tree Detective.
Benno Krojer, PhD student at McGil University : From a soup of raw pixels to abstract meaning.
“What I liked most about the program is the cooperation among the students during the preparation stage, where my colleagues provided me with feedback to improve my presentation, and vice versa. It brought me more confidence in my public speaking and communication skills.”
Abdelrahman Zayed - third prize, Speed Science 2024
