Dublin City University
Hosted annually by the Graduate Studies Office, Tell It Straight competition enables postgraduate research students to communicate their research in a dynamic and innovative way. The competition challenges participants to communicate their research suitable to a non-specialist audience.
The Tell It Straight communications competition challenges research students to communicate their research - and its potential impact - to a non-specialist audience in a concise, dynamic and innovative way.
Finalists are assessed by an expert judging panel on the following criteria:
1. Content is suitable for a non-specialist audience. Avoidance of jargon.
2. Good use of technology/visual aids.
3. Clear articulation of the value of the research.
4. A high standard of communication skills e.g. vocal mechanism such as pace, pitch, volume, vocal variety; and the message is effectively communicated to the audience.
5. Research methods and approach are clearly presented in an accessible manner to a non-specialist audience.
The competition is open to registered research students in all years of study, however, finalists from the previous year's competition are excluded from entering.
Research students are permitted to enter abstracts for both the oral and the video category.
All abstracts are assessed by an expert judging panel on the following criteria:
For any queries, please contact Linda Prosa, Graduate Skills Officer | linda.prosa@dcu.ie
Thank you to all participating research students. All abstract entries are presently being assessed by an expert panel of judges and entrants will be notified in due course.
Congratulations to the winners and runners-up from 2025:
Category 1: Oral Presentations (Year-1 only)
Winner from Category 1: Jake Tiernan - School of Psychology, ‘The Game Within: Exploring the Brain Processes behind Split-Second Decisions in Elite Footballers’
Runner-Up from Category 1: Deirbhle Nic An Aoire - School of Psychology, ‘Understanding and responding to intimate partner violence in the LGBTQIA+ community’
Category 2: Oral Presentations (Year-2 onwards)
Winner from Category 2: Megan Griffiths - School of Policy & Practice, ‘Best Practices in Science Education for Gifted Students: Developing Resources, Worked Examples and Guidelines for Teachers’
Runner-Up from Category 2: Hugh Mohan - School of Chemical Sciences, ‘Improving Cancer Treatments with Carbon Nano-Onions'
Category 3: Video Presentations (all years)
Winner from Category 3: Méabh Ní Shluáin - Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge, ‘What's the Scéal? First-Hand Tales from University Learners of the Irish Language’
Runner-Up from Category 3: Sukanya Shukla - School of Theology, Philosophy & Music, ‘The Ethics of Green Nudging’
Read the article from Tell It Straight 2025.
The full list of last year's Tell It Straight Finalists are:
Category 1: Oral Presentations (Year-1 only)
Deirbhle Nic An Aoire, School of Psychology
Jake Tiernan, School of Psychology
Kate Murphy, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge
Teresa Clifford, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge
Therese Lundin, School of Applied Language & Intercultural Studies
Category 2: Oral Presentations (Year-2 onwards)
Hugh Mohan, School of Chemical Sciences
Jane Gaffey, School of Psychology
Megan Griffiths, School of Policy & Practice
Michela Lorandi, School of Computing
Michele Pringle, School of Policy & Practice
Category 3: Video Presentations (all years)
Avril Deegan, School of Psychology
Larissa Bless, School of Biotechnology
Lorna Doherty, School of Health & Human Performance
Méabh Ní Shluáin, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge
Sukanya Shukla, School of Theology, Philosophy & Music