Monday, May 19, 2025, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, St. Petersburg High School
This event is modeled after the well-known Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competitions held at many universities worldwide. Participating Students and Postdocs will present a 5-minute summary (one slide) of your thesis work to an audience of eager high school students.
VSS will provide transportation to and from the high school for participants.
The audience will vote to choose their favorite, and the winning presenter will win $200!
Who can participate?
Any current graduate student who is working on a dissertation, or any current postdoctoral trainee or postdoctoral research associate who has completed their dissertation, is eligible provided you are registered to attend VSS 2025.
Does the work I describe have to be my dissertation?
Yes, just like in the Three Minute Thesis® competitions held worldwide. The work may be in progress and your slide can describe preliminary results.
One slide? 3 minutes?
We’re going to keep to the one-slide policy of 3MT®, but we’ll give you up to 5 minutes.
I already participated in a 3MT® competition. Can I apply to join this event and can I use the same slide?
Yes! In fact, we encourage those who already have their slide ready to apply to join this event.
Where can I find out more about a 3MT®-style slide? Can I see examples?
The 3MT® was developed by the University of Queensland, Australia. Official 3MT® competitions occur worldwide. There is plenty of information on the 3MT® website
What are the benefits?
You benefit and the community benefits. You benefit from the opportunity to explain the essence of your work to an attentive audience who are not experts in your field. The presentations will be followed by opportunities to meet the students in small groups and talk to them about your path: Why did you decide to study vision? How did you prepare? Did you face special challenges? The students attending benefit from the chance to learn something about vision and to be inspired by your example.
OK I’m in. How do I apply?
Send one PDF file containing:
· Full contact information (name, email, phone, current address)
· Name of your current research supervisor
· Name of your doctoral research supervisor (if different)
· Date your Ph.D. was earned or expected
· Institution that awarded or is awarding the Ph.D.
The name of the PDF file should be YOURLASTNAME_YOURFIRSTNAME_3MTEXPO.pdf. Send it to VSS by the deadline of May 1, 2025. In the event VSS receives too many submissions to evaluate in the allotted time, preference will be given to those who submitted earliest.
The slide you send need not be the final version. If you are selected you will have the opportunity to get some feedback and revise if needed. In particular, strive to design your slide and your talk to reach THIS audience: high school students who don’t know any vision science and don’t know our jargon or why we do what we do nor why it’s important and useful.
Can I attend the event if I’m not speaking?
Unfortunately, the audience will be limited to the high school students and their teachers and the ten VSS participants. The venue will not have room for additional people.
Will there be virtual options?
The event is in-person only.
Will I get some recognition for participating?
Yes. VSS will acknowledge your participation with a letter from the Board of Directors.
As part of VSS’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative for VSS 2025 to help offset costs of childcare at the annual meeting. These funds will make it easier for members with children to attend a wider range of meeting events.
Value: Up to $500 per family. In the event that the number of requests exceeds the funding available, preference will be given to applicants in the early stages of their careers.
Number: Up to 20 awards.
Use of Funds
Recipients can use funds to support childcare in the form that best serves the family. Note that due to logistical constraints, VSS will not be offering an in-house childcare program. Recipients will be responsible for organizing their own childcare solutions. The VSS Discord server, dedicated to VSS participants, provides an avenue for attendees to engage with one another, fostering connections and facilitating the coordination and sharing of services like childcare.
Eligible expenses for the budget can include:
Third party dependent care services for the duration of the conference.
Travel costs for the designated caregiver.
Per diem of up to $50/day for the designated caregiver.
Recommended Childcare Services
The TradeWinds recommends both Jovie.com and Care.com for parents looking to hire babysitters or nannies during the VSS meeting.
How to Apply
The deadline for applications is March 4, 2025. Awardees will be notified by email by March 18, 2025.
Receipt of Funds
Recipients should come to the registration desk accompanied by the child(ren) to receive the subsidy on the final day of the conference (or last day of attendance).
Schedule
Applications Open: February 11, 2025 Applications Close: March 4, 2025 Announcement of Awards: March 18, 2025
Update (January 2025): VSS 2027 will be held in Seattle, WA!
VSS 2025: May 16-20, St. Pete Beach, FL
VSS 2026: May 15-19, St. Pete Beach, FL
VSS 2027: May 21-25, Seattle, WA
VSS 2028 and beyond: to be determined
Why did VSS initially decide to look at alternative sites to the Tradewinds in Florida?
Due to requests from a significant proportion of our members, who expressed concerns about safety due to recent changes in Florida laws regarding education, abortion rights, race and gender expression.
What years are we considering holding VSS ‘off-site’ from the TradeWinds”?
Due to existing contractual constraints with the TradeWinds, the first potential off-site year for the conference will be 2027. If successful, we may adopt an alternating model (2027, 2029, 2031, and so on).
Is the decision to alternate sites permanent?
No, the decision is not permanent. We are exploring alternatives for 2027, 2028 and beyond, but location decisions will depend on availability of sites and feedback from the VSS community. If a strong preference emerges for staying at the TradeWinds permanently or leaving it entirely, we will reassess.
What are the main constraints for choosing a venue?
The primary constraints, in no particular order, are:
Environmental and Transportation Costs: Venues must be in close proximity to a major airport with direct national and international flights.
Conference Expenses: These include hotel room costs, food and beverage minimums, and meeting space fees.
Safety: This includes both crime statistics, and the political climate, specifically regarding inclusiveness and attendee safety.
Weather: While VSS meets outside the main hurricane season, we must consider the potential impact of hurricanes on venue availability. For example, the TradeWinds was seriously damaged following two hurricanes in Fall 2024.
Conference Size: With approximately 2,000 attendees, our conference size presents a unique challenge. Our group is too large for many hotels with meeting spaces to host comfortably. It is also too small for many convention centers, which may result in excessive costs or underutilized space. The venue must strike the right balance while providing a warmth and “personality” that aligns with VSS’s character (casual & friendly). As such, we are most likely looking at a hotel equipped with conference facilities that can accommodate our group size and needs, efficiently and cost-effectively.
What is the VSS Board doing to find an alternate venue?
After the 2024 meeting, the VSS Board formed a sub-committee to evaluate options. This sub-committee is working closely with Shauney Wilson (VSS Executive Director) to investigate sites and negotiate with potential host cities and hotels.
When will we have a clear idea about viable options?
The VSS sub-committee has thoroughly investigated over 40 potential locations and has narrowed the list to several finalists. Site visits to several locations took place in Winter 2024. We have signed a contract to host VSS 2027 in Seattle, WA. Contracts for 2028 and beyond are under investigation.
What alternative locations to the TradeWinds are currently being considered?
The current short list includes sites in Denver, Seattle, and Boston. Each of these cities was chosen based on a comprehensive evaluation of the key factors listed above (accessibility, cost, safety, inclusiveness, venue suitability, etc.).
What locations are ruled out, and why?
As mentioned earlier, over 40 potential locations have been evaluated. Below are the primary reasons for excluding some of the most notable options.
Puerto Rico
Initial Appeal: Puerto Rico was initially considered due to its tropical setting, unique cultural offerings, and the potential for an affordable venue.
Reasons for Exclusion: Concerns about inclusiveness were raised, and the Island’s infrastructure hasn’t fully recovered from the hurricanes of 2017.
Europe
Initial Appeal: Europe has numerous advantages, including excellent infrastructure, attractive venues, and ease of travel.
Reasons for Exclusion: The Board is worried that a Spring meeting in Europe could negatively impact attendance for ECVP, typically held in August. This worry was shared by some European members of VSS (note that, ECVP not being linked with a society, it could not be formally consulted).
Canada
Initial Appeal: Canada offers proximity to the U.S., a politically inclusive environment, and world-class venues in cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
Reasons for Exclusion: Despite serious consideration, these cities were ultimately ruled out due to high costs, limited availability of suitable venues, and visa challenges for international students studying in the U.S., as well as other international attendees.
Virginia Beach
Initial Appeal: Virginia Beach was considered as a potential ‘beachy’ alternative to the TradeWinds, with the added benefit of inclusiveness.
Reasons for Exclusion: Lack of accessibility to a major international airport combined with susceptibility to hurricanes presented too great a risk for long-term planning.
California
Initial Appeal: California offers international airport hubs, good weather, and a range of cultural opportunities for attendees.
Reasons for Exclusion: All quotes received from attractive California locations (Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Fransisco) far exceeded our budget. Also, travel distance posed a challenge for a large proportion of VSS attendees, particularly those traveling from Europe or the Middle East.
How will the venue change impact registration rates and other meeting costs?
Our current research suggests that any alternative to the TradeWinds will likely result in increased hotel and food costs for both VSS and attendees. These increases could be offset by lower travel costs for some attendees. It is also worth noting that costs at the TradeWinds are expected to rise at rates exceeding inflation over the next several years.
Each abstract is assigned a unique 4 or 5-digit number based on when and where it is being presented. Talk presentations are a 4-digit number and Poster presentations are a 5-digit number (the last two digits of a poster are the board number). See Abstract Numbering.
Audiovisual Equipment for Talks
LCD projectors are provided in the talk rooms for giving slide presentations. Computers are NOT provided. Presenters must bring their own laptop computers and set them up BEFORE the start of the session in which they are presenting. Please review the Talk Presentation Instructions for more information.
For speakers who cannot bring a laptop, there is a loaner Windows PC laptop available in the talk room. Please make advance arrangements with Jeff Wilson at the VSS Registration Desk.
Baggage Check
Bags can be checked with the Bell Hop in the main lobby.
Business Center
The Business Center is located in the hotel lobby. Computer terminals are available in the Social Lounge (located in Royal Tern). A printer is available in the VSS Social Lounge.
Business Meeting
The VSS Business Meeting is Tuesday, May 20, 12:15 – 1:15 pm in Talk Room 2. All VSS members are encouraged to attend. This is your opportunity to hear about VSS, ask questions, and give feedback.
Cashless Property
TradeWinds Island Resorts is now a cashless property with cash no longer accepted for payment throughout the properties. There is a “Cash to Card” machine at the RumFish Beach Resort. This machine works as a reverse ATM (without the fees) converting cash to pre-paid debit cards that can be used anywhere. Employee partners are still able to accept cash for gratuities, but they will not be able to make change onsite.
Certificates of Attendance
Certificates of Attendance will be available in your VSS account the last day of the meeting. If you require additional assistance, visit the Registration Desk.
Code of Conduct
The Vision Sciences Society (VSS) is dedicated to the open exchange of ideas and the freedom of thought and expression. We are committed to running a successful meeting that fosters collegiality and celebrates the international and interdisciplinary nature of the Vision Sciences community. These aims and goals require an environment that recognizes the inherent worth of every person and group, and that fosters tolerance, dignity, understanding, and mutual respect. To help ensure these goals, each presenter, speaker, and attendee must adhere to the Code of Conduct.
Community Table
Introduced just last year is the VSS Community Table, located near the Registration Desk. Here, representatives from SPC, FoVea, Spark and Visibility will be on hand to share information about their communities as well as events happening at VSS. Stop by to learn more about newcomer gatherings or to find a VSS buddy.
Contact Us
If you need to reach VSS meeting personnel while at the meeting, call extension 7814 from a house phone. From outside the hotel, call (727) 367-6461, extension 7814. VSS staff can also be reached by email at .
Disclaimer
The Program Committee reserves the right to change the meeting program at any time without notice. Please note that this program was correct at the time of printing.
Discord
The VSS Student and Postdoctoral Committee (SPC) has created a VSS server on the Discord instant messaging platform to facilitate communication among VSS attendees. You’ll find channels such as #accommodation, #ride-sharing, and #childcare-private helpful to find buddies or share resources. Channels such as #fovea, #visibility, #spark and #spc will facilitate networking with people from the various VSS communities. See the Registration desk to join the Discord server.
Drink Tickets
Each attendee will receive two “free drink” tickets which may be redeemed at the Opening Night Reception (May 16), Demo Night (May 19), or at either Club Vision or Chill Vision (May 20).
Exhibits
All exhibits are located in the Pavilion. See our list of Exhibitors.
Exhibit Hours Saturday, May 17, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm Sunday, May 18, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm Monday, May 19, 8:00 am – 12:30 pm Tuesday, May 20, 8:00 am – 5:30 pm
Exhibitor Setup and Tear down Setup: Friday, May 16, 4:00 – 7:00 pm and Saturday, May 17, 7:00 – 9:00 am Tear down: Tuesday, May 20, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Fitness Center
The RumFish Beach Resort fitness center is open 24/7 with a room key. The Center is available to attendees staying at either of the TradeWinds hotels. The TradeWinds Island Grand fitness center is currently closed.
Food Service/Catering
Complimentary coffee and tea, as well as a light continental breakfast is available each morning in the Garden Courtyard and the Pavilion. Coffee, tea, and refreshments will also be served each afternoon between afternoon talk sessions.
Your VSS registration includes the Opening Night Reception held on Friday night. The Reception will take place outdoors (weather permitting). Attendees may purchase a Friends & Family Pass, which will allow their guests to attend the food and social events.
Each attendee will be given two “free drink” tickets, good at the Opening Night Reception, Demo Night, and at Club Vision and Chill Vision.
The VSS schedule provides a generous two-hour lunch period on most days to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings and amenities of the TradeWinds Island Grand Hotel and the RumFish Beach Resort.
Note: VSS meeting attendees will receive a 5% discount on all food and beverage purchases in ALL TradeWinds Islands Resorts restaurants and bars. You must present your VSS badge to receive the discount.
The 5% discount does not apply to food or drinks at VSS events, such as the Opening Night Reception, or Grab and Go Lunches. Discounted pricing has already been applied to these functions.
Grab and Go Lunches The TradeWinds will offer a selection of reasonably-priced lunch items just for VSS attendees. Friday – Tuesday 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, in the Garden Courtyard
Friends & Family Pass
The Friends & Family Pass allows your family to enjoy our fun VSS social events. For $100.00, your travel companion can attend the Opening Night Reception, and enjoy all Coffee/Snack Breaks and the Daily Continental Breakfast! Passes are only $100.00 for guests and $40.00 for children ages 6 through 12. Children under the age of 6 are free. To purchase a Family & Friends Pass, please visit the VSS Registration Desk onsite.
Passes are required for entrance to all social events and meals, including the Friday evening Welcome Reception.
Note: The Friends & Family Pass does not cover entrance to the scientific sessions. For a guest pass to a scientific session, please inquire at the VSS Registration Desk. For more information, please see Guests below.
Guests
Guests are allowed complimentary entry into one VSS session to see the poster or talk of the person they are guests of at the meeting.
Guests must register at the VSS Registration Desk upon arrival and must be accompanied by a VSS attendee. Guests must wear their guest badge for entrance into the session they attend.
To attend social functions, including the Opening Night Reception, Coffee/Snack Breaks and Daily Continental Breakfast, attendees’ guests will need to purchase a Friends & Family Pass, available at the VSS Registration Desk.
Health Protocols
We strongly encourage attendees to ensure their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date prior to the meeting. Masks will be available at the VSS Registration Desk. See Health and Safety Protocols.
Internet Access
VSS provides free wireless internet access in the meeting areas, guest rooms, and VSS lounges. In the VSS meeting space, connect to twgroup; password is Event5500!. In the hotel common areas, connect to the wireless network that automatically pops up. Click “Connect” when prompted, and once the TW website opens, you can close it and you’re all set.
If you did not bring your own computer, a limited number of laptop computers with free internet access are available for your use in both the Quiet and Social Lounges.
Lost and Found
The Lost and found is located at the VSS Registration Desk in the Grand Palm Colonnade.
Lounges
VSS offers two lounge areas exclusively for meeting attendees:
Quiet Lounge The VSS Quiet Lounge is designed especially for attendees who need a quiet place to read, work, silently meditate, or relax. There are two laptops available. The Quiet Lounge is located in the Compass room in on the second floor of the Grand Palm Colonnade. Quiet Lounge Hours: Friday: 7:00 am – 10:00 pm Saturday: 7:00 am – 10:00 pm Sunday: 7:00 am – 10:00 pm Monday, 7:00 am – 2:30 pm Tuesday, 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Social Lounge The VSS Social Lounge features comfortable seating for relaxing and visiting with colleagues. There are two laptops and a printer available, as well as phone charging stations. The Social Lounge is located in the Royal Tern room on the second floor of the Grand Palm Colonnade. Social Lounge Hours: Friday: 7:00 am – 10:00 pm Saturday: 7:00 am – 10:00 pm Sunday: 7:00 am – 10:00 pm Monday, 7:00 am – 2:30 pm Tuesday, 7:00 am – 10:00 pm
Message Center
Messages for registrants can be left and retrieved at the VSS Registration Desk. A bulletin board will be available in the Grand Palm Colonnade for announcements and job postings.
Moderators
Please arrive at the meeting room 30 minutes prior to the start of your session to allow time for setup and to check in with your speakers. See Moderator Instructions.
Parking
Complimentary self-parking is available to all meeting attendees. Access is through the Island Grand guard gate. Valet parking is available at the TradeWinds Grand Island Resort lobby for an additional fee.
Phone Charging Station
Phone charging stations will be located at the VSS Registration Desk and in the VSS Social Lounge.
Photographing/Videotaping Presentations
Unless otherwise noted, photographing and videotaping posters and talks is permitted at VSS. Presenters who do NOT wish to be photographed or videotaped should indicate this by displaying our “No videos and photos” image on their poster or the title slide at the beginning of their talk. The image can be downloaded from the VSS website or you can pick up a printed version at the Registration Desk.
Poster Sessions
All poster sessions are held in Banyan Breezeway and the Pavilion. The last three digits of your poster number indicate the number of your poster board. See Abstract Numbering.
Posters should be put up at the beginning of a session and taken down at the end. Abstracts not presented at the meeting will not be published in the Journal of Vision. See Poster Presentation Instructions.
Please be courteous and take down your poster promptly at the end of the session so that the board is empty when the next presenter arrives to put up their poster.
Push pins are available for your use and are located in the Banyan Breezeway and Pavilion.
Printing
Need your poster printed? The local UPS store offers a variety of services.
The Registration Desk is located in the Grand Palm Colonnade. The Registration Desk is open during the following times:
Thursday, May 15, 4:00 – 7:00 pm Friday, May 16, 7:00 am – 6:00 pm Saturday, May 17, 7:30 am – 6:45 pm Sunday, May 18, 7:30 am – 6:45 pm Monday, May 19, 7:45 am – 2:30 pm Tuesday, May 20, 7:45 am – 7:30 pm
Shipping
To ship your poster or other items home from the meeting, ask for the Concierge at the front desk of the TradeWinds Island Grand.
Undergraduate Meetup – it all starts here! Friday, 7:15 – 8:15 pm Banyan/Citrus
VSS Newcomer Lemonade Social Friday, 7:15 – 8:15 pm Pirate Island
Opening Night Reception Friday, 7:30 – 9:30 pm RumFish Beach
Demo Night Monday, 7:00- 10:00 pm Talk Rooms 1-2
Connect with Industry Tuesday, 1:15 – 2:45 pm Blue Heron, Spotted Curlew, Snowy Egret
Visibility: A Gathering of LGBTQ+ Vision Scientists and Friends Tuesday, 8:30 – 10:00 pm Banyan/Citrus
Club Vision Tuesday, 10:00 pm – 2:00 am Talk Room 1
Chill Vision Tuesday, 10:00 pm – 2:00 am Palm/Sabal/Sawgrass
Spa Services
The BodyWorks Spa is located at RumFish Beach Resort inside the Loggerhead Building. The Spa is open Daily from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. For appointments call 727.363.2348 or extension 6019 from your room. Appointments must be made 24 hours in advance.
Speakers
Please arrive at the meeting room 30 minutes prior to the start of your session to allow time for setup and to check your presentation. Please see Talk Presentation Instructions.
Student Events
Undergraduate Meetup – it all starts here! Friday, 7:15- 8:15 pm Banyan/Citrus
VSS Newcomer Lemonade Social Friday, 7:15- 8:15 pm Pirate Island
3MT® Competition for Students and Postdocs Monday, 2:00 – 3:00 pm Offsite (St. Petersburg High School)
Meet the Professors Monday, 4:00- 5:30 pm Banyan Breezeway
Connect with Industry Tuesday, 1:15 – 2:45 pm Blue Heron, Spotted Curlew, Snowy Egret
The winning image of the Website Banner Competition will also be used for the program covers, onsite signage, PowerPoint slides, bulk emails, printed materials, and other places where needed.
The winning image of the T-Shirt Design Competition will be used on the VSS 2025 T-shirt and may also be used for other purposes, such as tote bags, pens, hats, and mugs/water bottles.
You may submit more than one image for consideration and you are allowed to enter images in both competitions. You may submit the same image to both competitions as long as the file format requirements can be met.
Images may be related to scientific content, the Vision Sciences Society, or St. Pete Beach and the surrounding area. The image may include the VSS logo or be an alteration of the VSS logo.
The winner of each competition grants VSS unlimited rights to copy, publish, edit, print, and use the images for any purpose, including publishing images online and on other electronic and hard-copy media.
Winning images are chosen by a vote of the VSS Board of Directors.
Submissions for Website Banner Competition must be received no later than September 15, 2024. Submissions for the T-Shirt Design Competition must be received no later than January 10, 2025.
To submit an image for consideration, you must have been active in VSS within the last two years.
Website Banner Competition
The Website Banner Competition is a contest to select an image that will serve as the brand, or theme, of the annual meeting by providing imagery that will be used throughout the VSS meeting. Although the winning image will be used for many purposes, to enter the competition you need to submit proposed images for the primary website banner and the secondary page website banner. Other items will be created using variations of the winning image.
Your proposed primary website banner design will replace the current banner on the VSS website home page. Your secondary page website banner will replace the banner shown at the top of this page. At a minimum, your proposed banner image should include the name of the society and the dates of the meeting.
To enter the Website Banner Competition, please submit two full-color raster images in .jpg or .png format.
The primary website banner image must be 3070 pixels by 534 pixels. The secondary page website banner must be 3070 pixels by 178 pixels.
If your image is chosen as the winning design, in addition to the banner image, you will be asked to provide variations of your image for use on the printed program cover, signs, and other purposes.
The winner of the Website Banner Competition will be awarded $500 USD and will be recognized in the meeting program, on the meeting website, and at the Awards session at the VSS meeting.
Deadline to submit an image for the Website Banner Competition is September 15, 2024. You must have been active in VSS within the last two years to submit an image.
The T-Shirt Design Competition is a contest to select an image for the VSS t-shirt. The image may also be used on other items that require line art.
Two images are needed for the t-shirt: one for the back and one for the breast. The maximum print area for the back image is approximately 11 inches square; the breast image print area is 3″ square. You can submit one image for both purposes or separate images. The images will be printed on black t-shirts and white t-shirts, so the image must be usable on both black an white backgrounds.
The images should include at least the name and year of the meeting (eg: VSS 2025), but may also include other information, such as the meeting dates and location.
T-shirts are printed using a silkscreen process, so the image must be line art that uses a maximum of four spot colors (solid colors, not composite colors). Large areas of solid colors are discouraged as these are more difficult to print and result in an image with a plastic feel that is not comfortable to wear.
To enter the T-Shirt Design Competition, please submit a PDF of your proposed design showing your images as they would appear on a white background and a black background.
If your image is chosen as the winning design, you will be asked to provide your artwork in a scalable vector graphic file, such as Adobe Illustrator or compatible.
The winner of the T-Shirt Design Competition will be awarded $500 USD and will be recognized in the meeting program, on the meeting website, and at the Awards session at the VSS meeting.
Deadline to submit an image for theT-shirt Design Competition is January 10, 2025. You must have been active in VSS within the last two years to submit an image.
Email your images to as an attachment. One email per submission, please. Specify which competition you are entering in your subject line. Include a brief description of your image that the board will consider when reviewing the submitted images.
Schedule Deadline to submit an image for Website Banner Competition: September 15, 2024 Website Banner Competition image chosen: by October 1, 2024
Deadline to submit an image for T-shirt Design Competition: January 10, 2025 T-shirt image chosen: by January 31, 2025
Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 1:15 – 2:45 pm, Blue Heron, Snowy Egret and Spotted Curlew
To reflect the range of interests and career goals of VSS attendees, we are pleased to offer our popular ‘Connect with Industry’ event at VSS 2025. This is an opportunity for our members to interact with representatives of industry. Representatives from a range of organizations and industries will be present to discuss opportunities for vision scientists in their companies and to answer questions about collaborating with, and working within, their organizations. No advance sign-up is required.
Representatives from the following companies will be present to discuss opportunities for vision scientists in their companies and to answer questions about collaborating with and working within, their organizations.
Three 25-minute sessions will be scheduled (1:15– 1:40 pm, 1:45 – 2:10 pm, and 2:15 – 2:40 pm). Drop in for one, or stay for all time slots. Representatives will present an introduction to their company at the start of each session (1:15 pm, 1:45 pm, and 2:15 pm).
No sign-ups are required. Although light snacks will be served, please feel free to bring your brown bag lunch to enjoy during the event.
The VSS Student and Postdoctoral Committee (SPC) has created a VSS server on the Discord instant messaging platform to facilitate communication among VSS attendees.
Sharing Accommodations
Are you looking to find roommates to share a hotel room or off-site rental? Check out the#accommodationchannel.
Sharing Rides
Would you like to share a ride to/from the airport or supermarket? Check out the#ride-sharingchannel.
Sharing Childcare
Are you a parent looking to share childcare with other parents at VSS? Check out the#childcare-privatechannel.
For security, this channel is private. To join it, send a direct message on Discord to @VSSmoderator
Getting to know the VSS community
Would you like to network with people from VSS community organizations? Check out channels for#fovea for the Females of Vision et al. (FoVea),#visibility(for LGBTQ+ members and allies),#sparkfor the SPARK Society (networking for scientists of color), and#spcfor the Student Postdoc Committee.
How to sign up
Current VSS members and registrants can join the server. An invitation will be sent to the email address associated with the VSS account for all 2025 registrants and members. If you do not receive an email today, but would like to join, email for the link.
The VSS Discord server is intended only for the VSS community. Pleasedo NOT share sign-up information with others or post on public forums (e.g., Twitter/X).
Information you post is visible to all others who have joined the VSS Discord server.
Please do not post sensitive information. For safety, the “childcare” channel has been made private, but still, users of the #childcare-private channel should be careful not to overshare information and should take extended discussions to another medium (e.g., email or text messaging).
Please be respectful. Communications over Discord will be subject to the VSS Code of Conduct. Any problematic posts or users will be removed. If problems arise, contact @VSSModerator on Discord or email .
Monday, May 20, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, St. Petersburg High School
This event is modeled after the well-known Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competitions held at many universities worldwide. Participating Students and Postdocs will present a 5-minute summary (one slide) of your thesis work to an audience of eager high school students.
VSS will provide transportation to and from the high school for participants.
The audience will vote to choose their favorite, and the winning presenter will win $200!
ALL PARTICIPATING STUDENTS AND POSTDOCS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED ON THE VSS WEBSITE.
Who can participate?
Any current graduate student who is working on a dissertation, or any current postdoctoral trainee or postdoctoral research associate who has completed their dissertation, is eligible provided you are registered to attend VSS 2024.
Does the work I describe have to be my dissertation?
Yes, just like in the Three Minute Thesis® competitions held worldwide. The work may be in progress and your slide can describe preliminary results.
One slide? 3 minutes?
We’re going to keep to the one-slide policy of 3MT®, but we’ll give you up to 5 minutes.
I already participated in a 3MT® competition. Can I apply to join this event and can I use the same slide?
Yes! In fact, we encourage those who already have their slide ready to apply to join this event.
Where can I find out more about a 3MT-style slide? Can I see examples?
The 3MT® was developed by the University of Queensland, Australia. Official 3MT® competitions occur worldwide. There is plenty of information on the 3MT® website
What are the benefits?
You benefit and the community benefits. You benefit from the opportunity to explain the essence of your work to an attentive audience who are not experts in your field. The presentations will be followed by opportunities to meet the students in small groups and talk to them about your path: Why did you decide to study vision? How did you prepare? Did you face special challenges? The students attending benefit from the chance to learn something about vision and to be inspired by your example.
OK I’m in. How do I apply?
Send one PDF file containing:
· A single 3MT style slide
· Full contact information (name, email, phone, current address)
· Name of your current research supervisor
· Name of your doctoral research supervisor (if different)
· Date your Ph.D. was earned or expected
· Institution who granted or is granting the Ph.D.
The name of the PDF file should be YOURLASTNAME_YOURFIRSTNAME_3MTEXPO.pdf. Send it to VSS by the extended deadline of May 1, 2024. In the event VSS receives too many submissions to evaluate in the allotted time, preference will be given to those who submitted earliest.
The slide you send need not be the final version. If you are selected you will have the opportunity to get some feedback and revise if needed. In particular, strive to design your slide and your talk to reach THIS audience: high school students who don’t know any vision science and don’t know our jargon or why we do what we do nor why it’s important and useful.
Can I attend the event if I’m not speaking?
Unfortunately, the audience will be limited to the high school students and their teachers and the ten VSS participants. The venue will not have room for additional people.
Will there be virtual options?
The event is in-person only.
Will I get some recognition for participating?
Yes. VSS will acknowledge your participation with a letter from the Board of Directors.
