University of Oxford - The Chairman's Prize for presentation in the Physics Department Speaking Competition

The Chairman's Prize

The prize for the best presentation at the annual public speaking competition organised by the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford is a one-off cash prize of about 126 EUR (£100). The competition is a public speaking contest that forms an integral part of the physics degree programme. First, students give a presentation at their own college. Each college then selects one student to compete in the university-wide final. A panel of physics professors and lecturers assesses the presentations, and the Chair’s Prize is awarded to the student who comes first.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are studying physics at the University of Oxford (BA or MPhys).
• Level: You are a Bachelor’s student, usually in your second year, and are taking part in the ‘Final Honour School of Physics’.
• Nationality: Open to students of all nationalities.
• How you qualify: You are giving the presentation, which is a compulsory part of the course, and your university has selected you to represent it in the final.

How to apply

No separate registration is required. Participation takes place automatically as part of the compulsory oral examination in your physics course. Your university will select one student to go through to the final, where the departmental jury will determine the winner.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a single prize intended exclusively for first-year physics students at the University of Oxford who reach the final of a specific competition; as a result, the pool of entrants is very small, but the standard is high. You cannot apply directly. First, your own college must select you, and then you compete against representatives from the other colleges. The reward is more about recognition than a large sum of money, and it ultimately comes down to the quality of a single presentation on the day.