The IRI Pitch Competition challenges students to communicate their research clearly and compellingly in a three-minute live pitch—highlighting their ability to explain complex ideas to a broad audience.

Key dates (Fall 2026):
• September 22 — All entries must be submitted by midnight
• October 5 — Top ten entries are announced
• October 22, 7:00 PM EDT — Live and online pitch competition, broadcast from Duke University campus. The top 10 entries compete in random order.

Who can join: Current and former IRI students.

How to enter: Register on this website as a Participant and submit an abstract of your research (plain text, max 250 words) with your registration. No email submission required.

Awards:
• 1 First Place: $250 and $3,000 scholarship to any IRI program
• 3 Second Place: $125 and $1,500 scholarship to any IRI program
• 3 Third Place: $75 and $750 scholarship to any IRI program
• 3 Honorable Mentions: $750 scholarship to any IRI program
• Highly Commended (undisclosed number): $500 scholarship to any IRI program

Interested in attending or watching live? Register as an Attendee to receive the livestream link and event updates.

Register for IRI Pitch Competition