Undergraduate Research Program

Information for Lightning Talk Presentation Participants

mysymposium for presenters

Preparing Your Lightning Talk Presentation

Your lightning talk should have the following format:

    • Slide/visual presentation (pre-recorded)
    • Maximum of 5 minutes
    • Maximum of 7 slides
    • 1 title slide
    • 1-5 content slides
    • 1 slide with acknowledgements and references, as applicable
    • You will need to submit a link to a pre-recorded video of your talk. Visit MySymposium for instructions on how to record your video, add closed captioning, and create a link for your video presentation.

URP Lightning Talk Workshops

On the day of the Symposium

Zoom Etiquette (Tips) for the Day of Symposium
On Symposium Day, you will be presenting your poster talk in Microsoft Zoom. The Zoom session will include other presenters with either poster talks or lightning talks and be managed by a facilitator who will navigate each presentation and Q&A for each presenter. In preparation for your presentation and Q&A session on symposium day, we highly recommend that you adhere to the following instructions:

  1. Dressing in business casual attire.
  2. Muting your mic as soon as you sign on and whenever you are not speaking.
  3. Turning audio & video on during your live Q&A portion.
  4. Closing unneeded applications on your computer to keep the video optimally functioning.
  5. Using a headset with an external mic for best hearing and speaking capabilities, if available.
  6. When asking a question, physically raise your hand or use the “raise hand” feature that is available at the bottom center of your screen.
  7. You can ask questions and make comments silently if desired using the “Chat” feature.
  8. Be mindful of background lighting and noise. Try to find a quiet place when signing on and attending the Zoom session.
  9. Be sure that there is nothing visually distracting (e.g., cars or people going by).
  10. Remember to sign out or “leave the meeting” when the session is finished.