Big Ideas, Short Time: How to Deliver a Powerful 3-Minute Talk
Speaker: Dana Lowry, PhD (Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Ottawa)
Webinar description: We’re all comfortable filling 45 minutes—but what if you only had three? Delivering a clear, engaging 3-minute flash presentation is often more challenging than a traditional presentation. Three-minute talks require sharp focus, careful message selection, and confident delivery. This webinar will introduce participants to the principles of effective flash presentations (also known as 3-minute talks), with a focus on helping nutrition professionals communicate complex ideas clearly and memorably in a very limited time. Through practical examples and evidence-informed tips, participants will learn how to distill their message, engage diverse audiences, and make every second count—whether presenting research, clinical insights, or community nutrition messages. This presentation will also help prepare students chosen for the flash presentations at the CNS conference.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the webinar participants will be able to:
- Define the principles of an effective flash talk
- Describe verbal communication strategies that enhance presentation delivery
- Rewrite a conference abstract as a 3-minute flash talk outline
Moderator: To be confirmed
About the Speaker:
Dana Lowry, PhD is a CIHR-funded Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawa, where her research focuses on pregnancy, the placenta, and their interactions with the maternal microbiome. She completed her PhD in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, investigating how early-life nutrition and maternal fiber intake shape milk composition, gut microbiota, and offspring metabolic health. Dana is a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship. She is also an award-winning science communicator, having won the University of Calgary’s Three Minute Thesis competition, placing second at the Western Regionals, and advancing to the national finals. Dana regularly mentors trainees and delivers workshops on effective research communication and concise scientific storytelling.
This webinar is supported by the CIHR INMD Training and Community Support Grant

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