MCYR 2026 Blog Writing Competition “Your Research, Your Story”

Can you explain your research to someone outside your field? Can you turn scientific findings into a story that is engaging, relatable, and easy to understand?

At a scientific conference, research is communicated through structured scientific formats, abstracts, oral presentations, posters, data, and evidence. These formats are essential for sharing knowledge within the scientific community. But impactful science also needs another voice: one that can reach beyond experts and connect scientific discoveries with society.

At MCYR, we believe that young researchers should be able to communicate their science in both ways: with scientific rigour for academic audiences and with clarity and creativity for non-specialists and the wider public.

The MCYR 2026 Blog Writing Competition “Your Research, Your Story:” invites researchers presenting their work at the conference to take on this second communication challenge. Transform the same scientific contribution you are presenting at MCYR into an engaging blog story that people outside your field can understand, connect with, and remember.

The challenge is simple: take the research you are presenting at MCYR 2026 and tell its story in a new voice.

If your abstract is accepted for MCYR 2026 and you attend the conference in person to present your research, you are eligible to participate in the Blog Writing Competition.

Your task is to transform the scientific contribution you are presenting at MCYR into a 500–800-word narrative for a non-specialist audience. Your story should remain scientifically accurate while communicating your research in clear, accessible, and engaging language, highlighting why it matters, what problem it addresses, and how it connects to one of the eight competition topics.

Each entry should highlight the human, societal, environmental, or broader real-world relevance of the research in a way that readers outside the participant's field of expertise can understand and appreciate.

Choose one of the eight thematic topics below as a creative lens through which to tell the story of your own research.

Explore how research can transform waste, residues, and overlooked resources into valuable solutions. Stories may connect scientific discoveries with biotechnology, circularity, resource recovery, renewable energy, or more sustainable ways of managing waste.

Tell a story of research addressing the unique opportunities and challenges of tropical regions. From agriculture and food systems to biodiversity, natural resources, and communities, show how innovation can contribute to resilience and meaningful real-world change.

Explore the power of research and collaboration to shape more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems. Stories may highlight new scientific ideas, knowledge exchange, international cooperation, or solutions that connect researchers, agriculture, and society.

Explore how openness can make science stronger, more reliable, and more connected to society. Stories may highlight transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, data sharing, or new ways of making research more accessible and trustworthy—both within the scientific community and beyond.

Explore the many ways biodiversity creates value for people, economies, and the planet. Stories may reveal why nature matters, how research helps us understand its value, or how innovative thinking and investment can help protect and restore it.

Tell a story about science stepping outside universities and engaging with the real world. Explore how research, knowledge, and innovation can respond to societal needs, strengthen communities, and create meaningful connections between academia and society.

Explore how science can change the way we understand, manage, treat, and reuse wastewater. From industrial and mining-affected water to agriculture and communities, tell a story about turning water challenges into opportunities for a more sustainable future.

Explore the connection between climate change, adaptation, resilience, and the decisions that determine which solutions become reality. Tell a story about preparing communities, ecosystems, or economies for a changing climate, and the role of finance and investment in making that transformation possible.

Eligibility: Open exclusively to authors of accepted MCYR 2026 abstracts who attend the conference in person and present their research as an oral presentation or scientific poster.

To take part in the competition, please complete the Blog Submission Form at the link provided. Your submission should be based on the scientific contribution you are presenting at MCYR 2026 and connected to one of the eight competition topics.

 

 

Eight winners will be selected, one for each of the eight competition topics. Winners will receive:

Finalists may also be invited to participate in future project communication activities, blog features, or international dissemination efforts.

The ability to communicate research clearly beyond academia is an essential skill for today's researchers. The MCYR Blog Writing Competition gives you an opportunity to:

For any questions regarding the competition, please contact the organising committee via the MCYR contact page.