Take First 101

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What is Take First! ? 

Take First! is an 8-week program that prepares you to win your graduate research competition (GRC). The title, Take First!, is a play on the idea of winning first place. The expression is somewhat colloquial to the English language. When we are talking about a competitive situation in English, it is not uncommon for someone to say "I/s/he/we took first/second/third". I chose the title as a reflection of my aspirations for you in your GRC.

How am I qualified to guide you in your GRC journey? 

From 2016 – 2021, I taught graduate courses at the University of Virginia (UVA) in the USA on how to communicate complex research. We learned how to discover our audiences, curate a message for that audience, and deliver the message with passion and clarity. In parallel to teaching, I also organized the University of Virginia’s Three-Minute Thesis, better known as the 3MT. 

Why Take First! ? 

Simple: Because there are limited resources available to help graduate students prepare for GRCs. This is true for grad students broadly, but perhaps even moreso for international graduate students. I am making Take First! available at no cost in the hopes that grad students around the world can benefit from the  program.

How is Take First! different from GRC prep workshops at my university? 

From time to time, universities will offer workshops and other sessions to help students prepare. This is good, and you should definitely participate. 

In my research building Take First!, what I found was that these workshops were usually an hour or two long, focusing on the presentation and presentation skills. 

Take First! is distinct in that it offers is a methodical and strategic approach to winning your GRC. It does take a lot more time than a two-hour workshop, but the odds of making it to the finals increase greatly. 

How did I develop the Take First program? 

Take First synthesizes years of teaching research communication with my experience running a graduate research competition. My original idea was for a book, but for several reasons, I decided to make it available as a free digital resource.