We are looking for speakers for our pitching competition & live media interviews

Science Night LIVE! at Heureka is looking for speakers!

Would you like to pitch your research or get a chance to be interviewed about your work in front of a live audience? This is your chance to join Science Night LIVE! as a speaker if you are a foreign academic living in Finland. We are inviting applicants from a wide range of academic backgrounds - whether you’re a PhD student, post-doc or a more senior professor, you’re welcome to apply! Deadline to apply is 27 January, 4pm (UTC+2).

You can decide between two different formats:

1. Pitching competition: The Problems my research solves – and why it matters?

A pitching competition will take place on the event’s main stage. Based on 1-minute-long application videos, we will invite six top candidates to compete in the event. Do not worry, we will not be evaluating your video-making skills, but the way you can make a compelling pitch about your work in a limited time.

• In the event, each participant will have a 3-minute-long pitch. The theme of the pitches is: “The problems my research solves – and why it matters?” 

• Our impressive jury with representatives from Business Finland, CGI Finland, The Technology Industries of Finland and the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers will reward the best pitch(es). Read more about our jury here.

What we offer to each of the six speakers shortlisted in this format: 

• The jury will evaluate the pitches and allocate a prize fund of 6 000 EUR to the best pitch(es).

• A 300 EUR compensation for participating in the format. 

• Free entry to the event for the person shortlisted + two friends. 

• Travel costs (bus, train) for those shortlisted competitors that come outside of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.

• Invitation to a complimentary pre-event online meeting (13 March 2023, at 2pm to 5pm), where there is a chance to get to know fellow speakers and get training and tips to improve the pitches. The recording will be made available for those unable to attend.

• Visibility: Science Night LIVE! at Heureka will publish the names and organisations of the six shortlisted speakers on the event’s home page and social media channels. Participants can also appear in other forms of event's communication, if so mutually agreed upon.  

2. Live interviews on the media stage  

Our media stage offers speakers a chance to be interviewed about their work in front of a live audience by journalism students from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. There are two different options in this format:  

• 7-minute-long solo interviews, or  

• 15-minute-long interviews, to which it is possible to apply either individually or with a colleague, if both work on the same theme. 

What we offer to all selected participants for this format:

• 150 EUR compensation for participating in the format. 

• Free entry to the event for the participant + for one friend.

• Travel costs (bus, train) for those participants that come outside of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.

• Invitation to a complimentary pre-event online meeting (8 March 2023, at 2pm to 5pm) where there is a chance to get to know fellow speakers and get training and tips to improve interview skills. Recording will be available for those unable to attend.

• Pre-interviews in preparation for the event, conducted by Haaga-Helia's journalism students. 

• Visibility: Science Night LIVE! at Heureka will publish the names and organisations of those chosen for this event on the event’s home page and social media channels. They can also appear in the event's other communication, if so mutually agreed upon.