I have done a project as part of my PhD. After I completed it, I presented the project and some of the findings at 1 international conference, 1 national conference and 1 national research workshop. But I only had to submit an abstract to all of these event. A full paper was not required. The project and my research topic was mentioned (with my name) in a well-known magazines' article and on a local newspaper. I now worry that someone else might publish this work before me. The reason I am paranoid is because a paper for this work has not been published, and I don't know if the inclusion of abstract in the conference website and booklet would count as official proof that I went public with the project first. I hope my question makes sense. Thank you for your opinions in advance.

I forgot to mention, that this project is what my thesis will focus on mainly. Without it, 3 years would go down the drain. And I keep getting emails / suggestions from people that I should protect the idea. I am so confused.

What does your supervisor say?

i also went thro a similar experience after presenting my work at 2 conferences. i am hoping to publish on the specific area asap. only last week a professor from Australia sent me a paper covering a great deal of what i was hoping to publish, but his approach is slightly different. i would say, if you can, then publish asap. if you can't and someone gets there before you, you can always be original in the way you look at your topic.

there is a certain poem on phds that says a bit about that feeling. i'll try and get it and put it on here. all the best and don't panic.

There will come a time when you work on a problem long and hard and SUCCESSFULLY :)
And then you learn that someone else already published. :(
Hard as that may be for you to take, you must view this too as a great opportunity.
Don't turn off. Read what got published.

You will be surprised how often the published paper turns out to be different in some significant way. Roughly
50% of the time, it is NOT at all the same as what you did.
25% of the time, it is the same but not as good.
25% of the time it is better.

This means that 50% of the time or more, you can still publish.

And what about the 25% time that what got published is better than your own?
In that case, you have a great opportunity to learn.
Ask yourself: "How SHOULD I have been thinking to solve the problem in this fine way?"

So, 404 don't worry about it. 75% of the time, someone else's work won't be as good. for the full poem; http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mblum/research/pdf/grad.html

that's very nice jojo

I haven't really asked this to my supervisor, evol_gal. I didn't really want to. But I am very concerned about this issue, especially now. The idea and approach of the project is unique at the moment, but very easy to copy and apply. I feel like if someone does that, it will leave me in a very complex situation, as this "approach" is quite important to my thesis. I only have 5 months left to complete (at least that's when my funding runs out and my supervisor thinks completion can be achieved by then).