Lightning Rounds

Lightning presentations are short talks that challenge researchers to distil the highlights of their work and explain its importance in a very brief span of time. NZACRes would like to showcase the incredible work of emerging clinical researchers that is occurring in Aotearoa New Zealand. We will invite up to six post-graduate students to give lightning round presentations at the NZACRes 2025 conference highlighting innovative and forward thinking research based on “Horizons of Health: Exploring the Future of Clinical Research”.

• The lightning round session will be held on Thursday 21st August 2025 4.30-6.00pm
• Post-graduate Students; up to 6 x 5-minute presentations + 2 mins Q&A from NZ-Based post-graduate university Students
• Lightning round speakers will receive free registration for the Thursday of the NZACRes conference and one Networking Event ticket.

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​Rules and Guidelines

• The research presented must be clinical research; that is, research involving human research participants in New Zealand.
• The research presented must have ethics committee (EC) approval. The EC approval details should be included on a slide in the presentation.
• Abstracts will be selected based on novelty of the research questions and the use of innovative technology. Preference will be given to projects focusing on equity and research conducted with Māori and Pacific Island populations.
• Post-graduate students must be enrolled in a New Zealand University masters or doctoral program. Honours presentations may also be considered.
• Presentations will be strictly 5 minutes in duration, followed by 2 mins of question time.
• Abstracts are to be no longer than 100 words excluding the title and author affiliations.
  

Spread the word! Feel free to distribute our poster to your colleagues. Click on the image above to download the poster!

• Abstract submissions must include: 

          - Full name 
          - Contact details: email address and mobile phone number 
          - University or hospital affiliation 
          - Which session category you are applying under: clinical researcher or post-graduate student.  
          - Clinician Researchers should indicate where they are at in their training program. 
          - ​Post-graduate students should indicate which program they are currently enrolled in.  
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• Abstracts must be submitted by midnight Monday 30-Jun-2025 to [email protected] 

• Please include “Lightning Round” and your name in the subject line.
• The NZACRes Conference Sub-Committee will review the abstracts. Acceptance letters will be emailed by Monday 14-Jul-2025.
• PowerPoint presentations must be no longer than 5 slides long.
• Handouts are not permitted.
• PowerPoint presentations must be submitted by Monday, 28-Jul-2025.
• NZACRes does not offer travel grants for the lightning round presenters. Post-graduate students should check with their academic institution whether PReSS accounts may be used to support travel expenses. 
• For more tips on how to craft your presentation, we recommend this article from the American Historical Association. 

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​Downloads available

Download a PPT Template here

​(optional to use)

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Winner takes all!

We are delighted to announce that Code Blue have offered a prize for the Student Lightening Round winner. Presentations will be judged and the winner awarded a Haier 87L Beverage Center Bar Fridge - Black (HRF90UC)

Please note: the terms of receiving the prize include:

• only post-grad students are eligible for the prize; medical doctors competing in the Clinician-Investigator Lightning Round are not eligible for this prize.
• the winner agrees to a photograph taken receiving the award
• the winner agrees to allow NZACRes and Code Blue to share their name on social media, our conference website and mobile app