Future of Public Health/Community Nutrition Student Communication Challenge

Starting in 2019, the Student Committee created the Future of Public Health/Community Nutrition Student Communication Challenge to allow PHCN DPG student members to creatively discuss emerging and trending topics in public health/community nutrition and to recognize PHCN DPG student members who excel in public health/community nutrition communication.

Theme:

The 2022 Future of Public Health/Community Nutrition Communication Challenge theme is food insecurity.  This theme was chosen because of the multifactorial nature of the problem, as well as the long-term implications and impacts associated with food insecurity. With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, food insecurity rates have risen even more dramatically, and addressing food insecurity is a pressing issue facing public health/community nutrition students and professionals.

Students applying will need to answer the following prompt questions:

  • How feasible are the proposed dietary recommendations for individuals facing food insecurity? 
  • What implications do rates of food insecurity have on the field of nutrition and dietetics?
  • How can millennial registered dietitians advance the dialogue on food insecurity?

We are providing you with two resources; you can use other resources as well.

Students will compete individually and may not submit the work of a team. Students may enter the competition in one of the following communication medium categories that best conveys their message or students may select a method or combination of mediums.  

  • Written (500-750 words Op-Ed piece)
  • Visual (1 page (8.5x11”) infographic)
  • Spoken (short video, 2-5 minutes)
  • Audio (podcast with audio-only, 2-5 minutes)

Submission

All submissions must be completed no later than 11:59pm CST on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.  Click on the link below to complete the application and submission of your work.

All submissions must include one of the following.

  • For the Written and Visual categories, submission must be saved as a PDF and uploaded with the application
  • For the Spoken category, upload your submission to YouTube and include the YouTube link of your video with the application
  • For the Audio category, submissions must be saved as a mp3 file and uploaded with your application
Application and Submission

 
Criteria for Award Selection

The competition is open only to PHCN DPG student members. Submissions will be blindly judged by a panel of 3 experts in public health/community nutrition from within the PHCN practice group. Panel members will be selected by the PHCN DPG Student Committee Chair. If the average panel’s scores result in a tie, the PHCN practice group Chair will select the winner of the tie. The panel’s scores will not be released following judging, and the decision of the panel is final. Submissions will be judged based on the following criteria. Each criterion is worth 25pts for a maximum score of 100pts.

  • Thoroughness of answers to question prompts
  • Evidence-based opinions and discussion to the 2022 theme: Food Insecurity
  • Appropriate language for target audience and communication medium
  • Overall creativity and innovation of submission

Awards

All students who submit will receive a Certificate of Participation in the Challenge. The highest scoring submission in each category will receive a Certificate of Achievement and be recognized at the 2022 PHCN DPG Business Meeting at FNCE® and in the PHCN DPG Annual Report. Winners will also receive free PHCN DPG membership for 2022-2023 (requires Academy membership). The submission with the highest points will receive a $500 monetary award.