UK Public Health Science

A national conference dedicated to new research and cross-sector collaboration in Public Health in the UK and Ireland with the support of the Society for Social Medicine and Population Health

Presentation guidelines

Oral presentations

Unlike many conferences where a single presenter takes questions immediately after their talk, the UK Public Health Sciences conference groups five oral presentations together followed by a 10-15 minute panel Q&A session. All of the presenters from the group sit on the panel and the audience can ask specific or general questions. This creates a more collaborative discussion, with the aim of fostering interdisciplinary interactions.

Oral presentation formatting guidelines and advice

  • Oral presentations should be ten minutes long.
  • Presenters are requested to send slides to Danny Bradford [d.bradford.1@research.gla.ac.uk] on or before THURSDAY APRIL 16th 2026. This allows the conference team to pre-load slides onto a laptop and ensure quick transitions between presenters.
  • Presenters are also requested to bring a copy of their slides on a USB or laptop in the unlikely event of slide formatting issues.
  • Presenters are asked to briefly test their slides prior to their session. Conference staff will be on hand from the start of the day and during refreshment breaks to assist.
  • Be aware that the audience is a mix of policy makers, practitioners, and researchers, all of whom have different expertise and levels of experience. Therefore, as far as is possible, your presentation should aim to engage and inform this mixed audience.
  • When using slides as visual aids during your presentation:
    • Engaging presentations use slides as minimal visual aids that increase the accessibility and understanding of your work. There will be plenty of time to discuss technical details with anybody that has a specific interest during refreshment breaks.
    • Powerpoint’s Presenter View will be available if you do wish to use written notes or a script. Your slides can feature relatively minimal text.
    • The recommended aspect ratio for slides is 16:9 widescreen.
  • Question not answered here? Please contact Danny Bradford [d.bradford.1@research.gla.ac.uk].

Poster presentations

Most successful abstracts submitted to the UK Public Health Science conference are awarded poster presentations. The conference recognises the great effort that goes into creating posters and runs a chaired poster session, rather than passive viewing sessions (although posters are displayed for the entirety of the conference for viewing during breaks). The main author, or a nominated substitute, is expected to attend the conference and actively present their work.

Poster session format and timing

  • Groups of 4-8 posters of thematically-similar posters are displayed together.
  • Each presenter is given two minutes to orally summarise their work. This lets you explain details you may have been unable to capture on the poster. Each presentation is followed by a few minutes for questions and discussion.
  • Each group is assigned a chairperson that will encourage discussion and manage timekeeping of the poster session.

Poster display instructions

  • Posters do not need to be submitted in advance.
  • A physical copy of the poster should be brought to the conference by the presenting author.
  • During the registration process, poster presenters will be told their assigned display board number and provided with appropriate materials to attach their poster to their board.
  • Posters should be attached to their assigned display board during the 08.30-09.00 registration window and remain on display throughout the day. This is to allow judges to assess the posters nominated for prizes after the lunchtime poster presentation, with prizes awarded in the closing session.

Post-conference digital poster hosting

Attempts will be made to provide an online display page for all posters after the conference on OSF.io. Digital copies do not need to be submitted in advance. Presenters will be contacted in the weeks following the conference to provide PDF copies of their posters. Digital display of posters will be optional.

Poster formatting guidelines and advice

  • Posters are recommended to be A0 and in portrait layout (landscape A0 is too wide for the available poster boards).
  • The title displayed on the poster must match the title of the submitted extract.
  • The title and the name of the presenting/submitting authors must be displayed clearly at the top or bottom of the poster. This is to facilitate judging for prizes.
  • Adhesive Velcro dots (or similar) are provided on the day to attach posters to poster boards. No other form of fixing is permitted.
  • Be aware that conference delegates are a mix of policy makers, practitioners, researchers, all of whom have different expertise and levels of experience. Thoughtfully consider what you want to communicate about your research, as well as who you want to communicate with.
  • For some general advice about academic conference poster design, this article is useful reading.