For our annual Respiratory Retreat in 2026, we are calling for abstracts and presentation summaries to fill our program under 3 categories: New Investigator, Genius Bar and the Travel Award.
The deadline for abstracts and presentation summaries is Monday 5 October 2026. All abstracts and presentation summaries must be submitted via the form below.
The purpose, key details and eligibility and scoring information for each session can be found below.
New Investigator
Purpose
The purpose of the New Investigator session at the Centre’s scientific retreat is to provide opportunities for students and Research Assistants in the Centre to showcase their work.
Key details
- 10-minute talk with 5 minutes for Q&A.
- First prize $500. Second prize $250. The prizes are to be used for professional development activities.
- Apply by submitting a 250-word abstract in the form below.
Eligibility and Scoring
Open to:
- All current Wal-yan students
- Students who have submitted their thesis but have not had it passed
- Research Assistants who do not have a PhD and are not undertaking one
Scoring is based on our Wal-yan Assessment Scores matrix found below.
All abstracts will be scored by the Quokkammittee. Where conflicts of interest are present, suitable reviewers from across the Centre will be approached to help with scoring. Abstract scoring will judge the research out of 10 points.
People with the top scores will be invited to present at the scientific retreat. Scoring at the retreat will be conducted by a panel who will judge the research out of 10 points and the presentation/delivery out of 10 points.
| Score | Description | Additional Guidance on Strengths/Weaknesses |
| 10 | Exceptional | Exceptionally strong with essentially no weaknesses |
| 9 | Outstanding | Extremely strong with negligible weaknesses |
| 8 | Excellent | Very strong with only some minor weaknesses |
| 7 | Very Good | Strong but with numerous minor weaknesses |
| 6 | Good | Strong but with at least one moderate weakness |
| 5 | Satisfactory | Some strengths but also some moderate weaknesses |
| 4 | Fair | Some strengths but with at least one major weakness |
| 3 | Marginal | A few strengths and a few major weaknesses |
| 2 | Poor | Very few strengths and numerous major weaknesses |
| 1 | Very Poor | No strengths and numerous major weaknesses |
Genius Bar
Do you have a problem or questions about your current work? Or do you have any new ideas you want feedback on? Would you like the views of all your colleagues?
Then apply for a session at the Genius Bar!
Purpose
The purpose of this session is to provide opportunities for staff in the Centre to either:
- Showcase their work that is in progress, to prompt discussion or help answer curly questions and invite feedback.
- Present new ideas and discuss the possibility of new collaborations.
Key details
- Flexible length of presentations.
- Sessions available on both Thursday 19 November and Friday 20 November.
- Apply by completing the form with the title of your proposed presentation, a 2-3 sentence summary, how many questions you’d like to pose, and what length slot you would like (anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes).
Eligibility and Scoring
This session is open to all current Wal-yan staff, student and affiliates, but you must have 1-3 questions to ask the audience.
If we get more applications to present than there are places, the Quokkammittee will select the speakers.
Presentations in this category are not scored and there are no prizes.
Travel Pitch
Purpose
The purpose of the travel award pitch session at the Wal-yan Centre scientific retreat is to provide an opportunity for staff in the Centre to pitch for a $1,000 travel award to be used for travel to a conference or other continuing professional development events.
Key details
- 4-minute talk, using only 4 slides, with no text
- Any text at all = elimination
- Apply by completing the form below with the title of your proposed presentation
- There is one $1,000 prize available
Eligibility and Scoring
Open to:
- Students
- Project and program staff
- RAs
- ECRs (no more than 5 years post highest degree)
If we get more applications to present than there are places, the Quokkammittee will pull names out of a hat (as it is not possible to fairly shortlist this session).
Presentations at the retreat in this category are scored against the following criteria:
- Purpose of the travel (awarded up to 20 points)
- Benefit to individual’s career (awarded up to 30 points)
- Relevance to the Wal-yan Respiratory Centre (awarded up to 30 points)
- Relevance to individual’s field of work (awarded up to 20 points)