Have the Courage to Pitch: “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Three minutes—that was all the time Emma Herbst had to explain her research at the Falling Walls Lab Rhineland-Palatinate. The physics Ph.D. candidate pitched her way to second place and left the stage as the RPTU’s “Local Hero.” For her, however, the experience she gained is more important than the prize. Looking back, she shares her advice for other early-career researchers.

“Why not?” she thought to herself when she read about the competition in a university-wide email, Emma Herbst explains. “I was especially drawn to the challenge. I wanted to try my hand at explaining my research topic to a broad audience. Usually, you talk about it with people who are already interested in the subject. Then it’s often about the details. But when you only have three minutes, you have to ask yourself: What’s the story behind my research?”

The 25-year-old hadn’t necessarily expected to walk off the stage as a prize winner at the Falling Walls Lab, an international pitch competition that took place for the first time in Kaiserslautern in April. After all, it’s certainly no easy task to distill her research on detecting free radicals using nanodiamonds into a concise presentation when the clock is ticking.

Diamonds as Quantum Sensors

The physicist uses quantum sensors based on nanodiamonds: “We use imperfections in the tiny diamonds—the same ones that give gem-quality diamonds their color—as highly sensitive measuring instruments,” she explains.

“We use imperfections in the tiny diamonds—which give gemstones their color—as highly sensitive measuring instruments,” says Emma Herbst, describing her research.

This allows for the detection of free radicals—highly reactive molecules that form both in chemical processes and in the human body and have so far been extremely difficult to observe. Free radicals play a role, for example, in diseases and in energy processes. “I find it absolutely fascinating to gain insights into processes that normally remain hidden.”

At the 42Kaiserslautern venue, the doctoral candidate succeeded in conveying this enthusiasm to the audience. For her three-minute pitch, she chose an example from energy research. She explained why free radicals play an important role in the production of green hydrogen via photocatalytic processes—that is, chemical reactions triggered by light—and how her quantum sensors could help us better understand the underlying processes.

Instead of relying on formulas and technical terms, she focused on a fundamental question: How do you track something that appears for only a fraction of a second? It was a problem the audience could relate to—and its unusual solution involving nanodiamonds, which Emma Herbst demonstrated live on stage, sparked moments of revelation.

This also convinced the jury, which evaluated not only the presentation but, above all, the level of innovation and the potential for a breakthrough in the ideas presented. In the end, Herbst took second place. In addition, the Friends of RPTU honored her as a “Local Hero.”

Professional Coaching and Greater Visibility

“The response afterward was incredibly positive,” she reports. Both her work and she herself as a researcher have become much more visible as a result of the competition: “I’ve since received several requests to present my topic at other events and conferences as well.”

For her, however, the experience she gained is more important than the prize. The startup office at RPTU and Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, which jointly organized the Falling Walls Lab, did a fantastic job. “No matter what questions you had, they always helped out very quickly.” The organizers had specifically hired an experienced pitch coach who offered a day of preparation. “That helped me figure out which direction I wanted to go in.”

Using the tips she received there, Emma Herbst then fine-tuned her presentation at home, developed her slides, and recorded herself repeatedly on her cell phone. “The coach even took the time to give me feedback after the workshop: Did I speak clearly enough? Do I need to break things down further or emphasize certain points more? That was really helpful.”

The nervousness quickly faded

“I’m not the kind of person who just walks onto the stage. I was super nervous and didn’t know if I’d even be able to get my words out straight.” The nervousness quickly faded. “The atmosphere was incredibly supportive, which made it easy. Usually at conferences, you mostly get feedback from people in similar research groups. It was surprising that my topic sparked such widespread interest even outside my research group.”

“The atmosphere was incredibly supportive, which made it easy.”

In fact, after the pitch, several people even gave her their business cards and offered to get in touch if she ever wanted to start her own business. “I hadn’t expected the topic to be so well-received at all.”

“Just go ahead and sign up”

Emma Herbst never expected that three minutes could make such a difference. The preparation and the nerves were worth it just for the experience of explaining her own research in an accessible way. She also advises other early-career researchers to just give this kind of event a try—“just sign up.” If you make it through the selection process, you can make the most of it. “You’ll definitely make connections and learn from the experience. What’s the worst that could happen?”