Postgraduate Research Symposium
The Postgraduate Research Symposium is an annual event that provides an opportunity for AUT postgraduate research students to take part in the abstract review process, and to showcase and present their research to their friends, family and peers.
The 2025 Postgraduate Research Symposium will take place on Thursday 13 September on AUT North Campus as part of Research Week.
Abstract submission
To apply to present, complete the abstract form linked below. The form requires you to submit a presentation title, and presentation key words, as well as an abstract outlining the nature of your research, including methodology, approach and sample, any key literature, arguments, findings and/or conclusions (maximum 300 words; APA 7th referencing preferred; limit of 3 references). Your abstract should give an indication of what audiences could expect from your presentation.
All abstracts will be subject to an academic review process through the Graduate Research School. You may be asked to revise the abstract during the review process. If accepted, you'll be confirmed to present at the 2025 Postgraduate Research Symposium and your abstract will be published in the symposium programme.
Who can submit an abstract?
- PhD and professional doctorate students
Active doctoral candidates (including students whose thesis is under submission) are eligible to submit an abstract. Graduates are not eligible. - Master’s research students
Master’s research students (including students whose thesis is under submission) enrolled in a research project of 60 points or more are eligible to submit an abstract. Graduates are not eligible. - Bachelor of honours research students
Bachelor of honours research students (including students whose thesis is under submission) enrolled in a research project of 60 points or more are eligible to submit an abstract. Graduates are not eligible.
When to submit your abstract
Abstracts for the 2025 Postgraduate Research Symposium are now open. Abstract submissions close Friday 4 July 2025.
Presentation options
Ways to present your research
You can present your research in one of three ways:
- Oral presentation
An oral presentation is a 15-minute verbal presentation with PowerPoint or other visual aids as support. After your talk, there will be 5 minutes for Q&A with the audience. You will need to prepare your visual aids in advance and submit them to the Graduate Research School. There is also an option to present remotely or via a pre-recorded talk if you are unable to be physically present at the symposium. - Creative exhibition
A creative exhibition is a 15-minute performance, exhibition, or demonstration, with 5 minutes for Q&A with the audience. This can include dance, song, visual media, screenings of film or audio clips, demonstrations of tools or techniques, and much more. This may especially suit those in practice-led research (Format 3), but is open to anyone who would like to creatively interpret or demonstrate their research. - Poster presentation
Communicate your research on an A0 or A1 sized poster! Posters will be on display for the day of the Postgraduate Research Symposium, and presenters will be asked to attend for a short Q&A session with the audience. Your poster can incorporate text, images, graphics, tables, etc - check out our design tips on Thesislink. You will need to design and print your poster and get it to us at the Graduate Research School in advance of the symposium.
^Poster presentations are limited to face to face format only
Formats to present your research
You can present your research in one of three formats:
- Face to face on AUT’s North Campus
- Online live (for example via Zoom)*
- Online via pre-recorded presentation*
*Priority for online presentations will be given to offshore and distance students
^Poster presentations are limited to face to face format only
Awards
Best poster presentation
Those whose abstracts are accepted to present their research as a poster at the 2025 Postgraduate Research Symposium will be eligible for the best poster presentation award.
All those who attend the 2025 Postgraduate Research Symposium will be invited to cast a vote for best poster presentation after the Poster Presentation session. The poster with the most votes will be deemed the best poster presentation. The award for best poster presentation will be announced at the end of the symposium.
Best abstract
Those who submit an abstract for the 2025 Postgraduate Research Symposium will be eligible to be nominated for the best abstract award.
The judging of the best abstract award is based on the student’s abstract submission meeting the following criteria:
- Communicates the purpose of the presentation
- Describes the research project
- Communicates the methodology used (or planned)
- Communicates the implication and significance of the research
- Gives an indication of findings (or anticipated findings)
Workshops
Workshops will be available to help you prepare your abstract for submission. These sessions will be listed on Elab within the Events & Workshops section once they're confirmed.
Past symposia
The event opened with a keynote address by Associate Professor Barbara Bollard, a Senior Lecturer at AUT in the School of Applied Sciences within the Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, titled, 'To Infinity and Beyond: Fly Above to Sea Below'. Associate Professor Bollard discussed how she built an exciting research career based on a childhood fascination with satellites.
Watch Associate Professor Barbara Bollard's keynote address
The day then split out into eleven streams of student presentations, with over 30 students giving 15-minute presentations on topics from cloud computing, to healthcare for the elderly, to the experiences of non-standard workers. An array of student posters were also on display throughout the day. The day concluded with the 2019 AUT 3MT Competition finals.
Presenters Tanya Ewertowska and Amr Mahmoud took home awards for the Best Abstract and Best Poster, respectively.
Read about the 2019 AUT 3MT Competition finals here.
Check out photos from the event on the Thesislink Facebook page.
Check out videos from the event on the Thesislink YouTube feed.
The day opened with a keynote address, before launching into a variety of research presentations by postgraduate research students.
Keynote address
We had Dr Diana Albarrán González as our keynote speaker for 2021’s event, sharing her keynote address, “Corazonar: Weaving values into the heart of research”.
Diana is a Native Latin American design researcher from Mexico who completed her PhD here at AUT within the Faculty of Te Ara Poutama. Her PhD research focused on Decolonising Design in collaboration with Indigenous (Mayan) communities and ethical-sustainable consumption.
Diana has more than 18 years of international experience in places like New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Spain and Mexico applying, re-learning, researching and teaching design. This has given her the ability to address challenges in a variety of contexts, and the opportunity to develop a meaningful sense of culture and diversity awareness and sensitivity. She is a craftivist, a mother and an active member of the Latin American community seeking to contribute to community well-being and support connections between Moana-nui-a-Kiwa and Abya Yala.
Best Abstract award
The winner of the 2021 AUT Postgraduate Research Symposium Best Abstract award was Hazel Abraham.
The judging of the Best Abstract award was based on the student’s abstract submission meeting the following criteria:
- Communicates the purpose of the presentation
- Describes the research project
- Communicates the methodology used (or planned)
- Communicates the implication and significance of the research
- Gives an indication of findings (or anticipated findings)
Best Poster Presentation award
All those who attended the 2021 Postgraduate Research Symposium were invited to cast a vote for Best Poster Presentation. The winner of the 2021 AUT Postgraduate Research Symposium Best Poster Presentation award was Awanis Azizan.
Thanks to all those who came out to the AUT Postgraduate Research Symposium on 17 November, and helped celebrate AUT’s brilliant postgraduate researchers! We had a fab day of talks, posters, kai, and conversation.
Event photos and videos
The photos and videos from the event are now up on:
If you presented at the event, you will be pictured (unless you opted out of having your image published), so check out the Facebook photos, and share with friends and family.
Keynote presentation
Don’t miss the recorded keynote presentation from Dr Peter Jean-Paul, a recent AUT graduate who Zoomed in all the way from Saint Lucia to share his insights on how to succeed in a postgraduate research programme. He emphasised how ‘growing your environment', talking to as many people as possible, planning and prioritising self-care can create the conditions for a productive research career.
Postgraduate Research Symposium Programme
Download the full programme for the 2023 symposium and the different events offered on the day.
Keynote address
Damon Yu was the keynote speaker for the 2023 Postgraduate Research Symposium. His keynote address was titled, “Enjoy your Research Journey”. He is a PhD candidate in the Finance Department at AUT, as well as the postgraduate affairs officer at the AUT Student Representative Council. He has received his bachelor’s degree major in finance and accounting, and two postgraduate degrees, Master of Applied Finance and Master of Business in Finance, from AUT. Damon was one of the team members that represented AUT in the CFA Institute Research Challenge 2018 where the team placed second among eight New Zealand universities. He also worked as a research assistant at the New Zealand Commission for Financial Capability. His teaching at AUT includes Financial Decision Making and Information System, and Corporate Financial Management. Damon’s current doctoral research focuses on behavioural finance. He aims to understand the influence of psychology on the behaviour of individual investors.
Student speakers
Following the keynote address, a diverse and exciting range of research across AUT faculties and departments was represented through student presentations. 31 postgraduate students gave oral presentations on their research.
Best poster presentation award
We invited all those who attended the event to cast their vote for best poster presentation after the poster presentation session.
The winner of best poster presentation at the 2023 Postgraduate Research Symposium was Mackenzie Freeman, with her poster presentation titled “The interplay between supply chain resilience and climate change”.
Best abstract award
Five students were nominated for the best abstract award based on their original submission meeting the following criteria:
- Communicates the purpose of the presentation
- Communicates the implications and significance of the research
- Gives an indication of findings
- Communicates the methodology used
- Describes the research project
The winner of best abstract at the 2023 Postgraduate Research Symposium was Yousef Adeeb Chamchaei, with his abstract titled “Predicting Rainfall-Induced Landslides in Muriwai, Auckland: A Comprehensive Multi-Model Approach for Enhanced Risk Management”
Photos and videos
Photos and a short highlights video from the 2023 Postgraduate Research Symposium are available through the Graduate Research School’s Facebook page.
Keynote speaker
Dr Atakohu Middleton (Photo by Simon Smith)The keynote speaker for the 2024 Postgraduate Research Symposium was Dr Atakohu Middleton. Atakohu is a reo Māori journalist and communications advisor, and published the non-fiction book, Kia Hiwa Rā!: Māori Journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Keynote address
Dr Atakohu Middleton’s path to university study and, eventually, a PhD in Māori journalism was long, winding and featured a few potholes. With her PhD turned into the book Kia Hiwa Rā! Māori journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, a publication aimed at the general-interest and education markets, she shared some of the things she has learned about life, doctoral study and turning a PhD into a book in her keynote address, “Insights from an accidental academic: What you need in your PhD toolkit”.
Student speakers
Following the keynote address, a diverse and exciting range of research across AUT faculties and departments was represented through student presentations. 31 postgraduate students gave oral presentations on their research.
Awards
Best Poster Presentation
We invited all those who attended the event to cast their vote for Best Poster Presentation after the Poster Presentation session.
The winner of the Best Poster Presentation award at the 2024 Postgraduate Research Symposium was Mohammad Hossein Shirazi.
Best Abstract
The winner of the 2024 Best Abstract award was Jessica Worchel.
The judging of the Best Abstract award was based on the student’s abstract submission meeting the following criteria:
- Communicates the purpose of the presentation
- Describes the research project
- Communicates the methodology used (or planned)
- Communicates the implication and significance of the research
- Gives an indication of findings (or anticipated findings)
Programme
Download the 2024 Postgraduate Research Symposium programme
Photos and videos
Photos from the 2024 Postgraduate Research Symposium have been provided by Visionworks Photography, and are available on Facebook.
A video recording of the keynote address from the 2024 Postgraduate Research Symposium has been provided by AUT Events and is available together with other Research Week recordings on YouTube.
Contact us
Graduate Research School
Phone: +64 9 921 9907
Email: grs@aut.ac.nz
City Campus - level 5, WU Building
Other postgraduate events
You may also be interested in the postgraduate student events below: