UQ Summer Research Scholar Program: Insights and Reflections from the Pitching Research 'I-TEMPLATES' Team

Abstract

Spanning a 10-week period over the Southern Summer of 2016-7, six University of Queensland Research Scholars signed up to be part of a unique cohort focused on “pitching research” [PR] – in the “i-TEMPLATES” team. The Summer Research Scholars engaged in a range of pitching activities including: creating reverse engineering pitches for assigned and selected papers; attending the UQAPS Pitching Final; a pitch “sparring” exercise; a “fantasy pitching” exercise; a mentor-supervised reverse engineered pitch; a self-directed personal pitch exercise; collaborating on “pitching research letter” papers and pitching-related “champion” roles. The set of activities involved both individual and group work, as well as developing both written and oral skills – but, critically all related to research. The current paper provides a narrative review of this unique pitching research program.