Research Talks: Translating Complex Research into Community Impact
For many graduate students, the most daunting question isn’t asked by a dissertation chair or a grant reviewer. It’s asked at a Thanksgiving table or a networking mixer: “So, what is your research actually about?”
The Office of Professional Development (OPD) at the Graduate School prioritizes creating opportunities and spaces for graduate students to practice the skill of translating academic research into real-world impact. While the 3-Minute Thesis is a staple of research communication, some stories need more room to breathe. This is what led to the development of the Research Talks event designed to bridge the gap between deep academic expertise and broad public impact.
Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Manu Gupta shares this vision by saying, “Research Talk is more than a presentation; it is a bridge between complex discovery and the community it serves, proving that communication is as vital to research as the data itself. By stripping away jargon and embracing the art of storytelling, you transform your technical expertise into a compelling narrative that sparks curiosity and drives real-world change.”
Presenters are challenged to distill years of inquiry into a 12-minute narrative, using just 10 slides to bridge the gap between their research and real life to an interdisciplinary audience. Presenters used this time and space to weave a narrative that honors the complexity of their work while stripping away the dense jargon that often acts as a barrier to understanding. Presenters presented in session panels that brought together graduate students covering similar topics across various disciplines. This brought together the interdisciplinary perspectives on these impactful topics. While presenters did their own individual presentation, the audience was able to view these topics from multiple lenses and ask questions to all panelists at the conclusion of the presentations.
Gabriel Driver, a PhD student in the School of Education, represents how this event brings the academic and real life impact into focus by saying, “Presenting When Grief Goes to School: Leadership, Policy, and the Emotional Lives of Black Boys during Research Talks was a powerful reminder that research is not only about ideas—it is about people. Sharing this work invited me to reflect more deeply on how grief lives within educational spaces and how leadership and policy shape the ways Black boys’ emotional lives are seen, supported, or overlooked. The dialogue that followed affirmed the importance of creating scholarly spaces where vulnerability, inquiry, and justice-centered research can exist together.”
The first annual VCU Graduate School Research Talks was held on Friday, February 27, 2026. There were 26 graduate students who presented at the event from the College of Humanities and Sciences, School of Education, College of Health Professionals, School of Pharmacy, Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, School of Engineering, and School of Arts. A full list of presenters and topics covered in the event can be found in the event digital program.
For events like this, campus partners help to bring everything together. Bennita Peacemaker, Head Librarian of Academic Outreach at VCU’s James Branch Cabell Library said, “VCU Libraries is committed to advancing graduate student research. Our valued partnership with the Graduate School allows us to support graduate students and their growth as researchers and communicators. The Research Talks event offers students a unique opportunity to connect with a non-specialist audience. As an audience member at this year’s event, I was blown away by the presenter’s dedication to their research and their generosity as they shared it with a new audience.”
An important focus of the Office of Professional Development for this event was to provide training and support leading up to the event so that students felt comfortable taking on this challenge and presenting their research in this context. To that end, the OPD offered these two professional development sessions.
- Public Speaking: Learning to command a room and manage the “stage fright” that affects even the most seasoned scholars.
- Slide Design: Moving away from text-heavy bullets toward visual storytelling that enhances the verbal message.
In addition, participants were invited to attend a slide revision session where they were able to receive feedback from the OPD but also from their fellow participants. For all of these efforts, participants receive the intermediate badge in Presentation of Research.
Reinetta Scaringello, an online PhD student in the Health Related Sciences program in the College of Health Professionals, said “Research Talks provided insightful content and guidance from both the staff coordinating the event and VCU colleagues who I otherwise would not have crossed paths with as a remote student. It was more challenging than I expected to provide a concise and effective 10-minute presentation targeted to a broader audience of professionals. This workshop and presentation experience has equipped me with not only the tools but also the confidence to go on and present at national conferences this year!” Student experiences like this represent how the workshops and the event work together to build confidence amongst the presenters that will take them into the next phase of research dissemination.
The Office of Professional Development plans to make Research Talks part of its regularly scheduled Scholarship and Impact opportunities. With this addition, there will be the 3-Minute Thesis Competition in the fall to provide a short form elevator pitch style presentation, Research Talks in the spring to provide a job-talk or conference-style interdisciplinary presentation, as well as the Graduate Research Symposium in the spring to provide the poster presentation experience. Graduate students are invited to participate in all three events during their time at VCU to ensure their research dissemination skills are well-tested and well-rounded.