Competitions

• Oral Presentation Skills Competitions

  Pre-Candidacy PhD & MS Finalists - 9:45 am
  Student Name	Category	Advisor	Program
  Stephen Farmer	Pre-candidacy PhD	Sheng Zhang, PhD	Biochemistry & Cell Biology
  Peyton High	1st year PhD	Kendra Carmon, PhD	Biochemistry & Cell Biology
  Penju Gong	Pre-candidacy PhD	Chunru Lin, PhD	Cancer Biology
  Erin Snoddy	Pre-candidacy PhD	Kristy Brock, PhD	Medical Physics
  Llaran Turner	Pre-candidacy PhD	George Eisenhoffer, PhD	Genetics & Epigenetics

  Post-Candidacy Finalists - 3:00 pm
  Student Name	Category	Advisor	Program
  Heather Sonnemann	Post-Candidacy PhD	Gregory Lizee, PhD	Immunology
  Tanvi Visal	Post-Candidacy PhD	George Calin, MD, PhD	Cancer Biology
  Alaa Mohamed	Post-Candidacy PhD	Scott Kopetz, MD, PhD	Cancer Biology
  Heather Tsong	Post-Candidacy PhD	Andrea Stavoe, PhD	Genetics & Epigenetics
  Xin Ru Jiang	Post-Candidacy PhD	Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD	Immunology

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  Oral Presentation Skills Competitions - Guidelines

  Oral presentations sessions are designed to give presenters an opportunity to formally present their research to the GSBS and larger TMC audience. The purpose of the presentation is to clearly convey your research to an educated scientific audience. Presentations should include sufficient information for audience members to understand the methods, results, and significance of the research.

  Eligibility:

  All GSBS degree students who have affiliated with a primary research advisor, and are in good academic standing, may apply.

  Format:

  • Oral presentations will be presented in-person during GSRD at Cooley Center. Students must apply to present an oral presentation. Ten contestants will be selected as finalists to compete. The deadline to apply for consideration for the competition is May 3 by 11:59 pm.
  • Each oral presentation will be allotted 10 minutes consisting of a 7-minute presentation and a 3-minute question & answer period before a panel of judges and the public audience.
  • Finalists should plan to be present for the entirety of their assigned oral session. The order of presentations within each session will be assigned randomly and delivered in the order indicated in the GSRD program.
  • Students will compete in two categories: (1) Pre-candidacy PhD students, MS students and SMS; and (2) Post-candidacy PhD students. Students should apply to the category that best matches their current status at the time of application.
  • Finalists competing in the Oral Presentation Skills competition may also apply to present a poster. Space permitting, they may present their poster, but they may not compete and their poster number will be labeled “NC” [non-competing].
    
    

  Application link: 2023GSRD_OPSContests

  Application Materials:

  • Research abstract: This summary should be written in language understandable by a broad general science audience and should be a concise and engaging description of the student’s research project that includes the title, background/objective, brief methods, results/progress, conclusions and future work. The abstract body should be at least 150 words, but no more than 300 words. Abstracts not meeting these criteria will be disqualified.
  • Curriculum vitae: Include past speaking and/or poster presentation experiences.
  • Approval form from advisor addressing the student's presentation skills: 2023GSRD_OPSFacApprovalForm 

  
  Selection and award criteria:

  • Preliminary judges will select the finalists and students will be notified on May 23. In the preliminary phase, the project abstract and other application materials will be evaluated for scientific merit, and appeal to a general science audience. Evidence of prior presentations will be taken into consideration, but is not a requirement.
  • Finalists will present their oral presentations to faculty and/or PhD-level research scientist judges. Presentations will be evaluated on speaking skills/delivery, scientific content, and overall quality of the presentation. Winners will be announced at the GSRD Awards Ceremony.
  • Rubric for OPS contests
    
    

  Prizes:

  • Category 1: Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS and SMS
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • $300 bonus for best 1^st year student
    
    
  • Category 2: Post-Candidacy PhD
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500

   

• Poster Sessions

  Poster Finalists - Session A - 12:30 pm
  Last Name	First Name	Advisor	Category	Program
  Caggiano	Emily	Cullen Taniguchi, MD, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Chuong	Vicky	Fabricio Do Monte, DVM, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Neuroscience
  Coker	Oluwadara	Scott Kopetz, MD, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Diaz Rohena	Daisy	Deepa Sampath, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Gillard	Andrew	Candelaria Gomez-Manzano, MD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Jacob	Joan	Kendra, Carmon, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Biochemistry & Cell Biology
  Jayabalan	Ruparoshni	Mauro Di Pilato, PhD	1st year PhD	Immunology
  Li	Yating	Cassian Yee, MD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Lu	Kaylene	Jian Hu, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  McManus	Sheighlah	Maria Bertilaccio, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Therapeutics & Pharmacology
  Palacios	Bridgitte	Jian Hu, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Neuroscience
  Peshoff	Mekenzie	Krishna Bhat, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Neuroscience
  Phi	Lan	Anil Sood, MD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Prasad	Rishika	Robert Jenq, MD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Scott	Hayden	Paola Alvarez, MS, Stephen Kry, PhD	1st year PhD	Medical Physics
  Shah	Rutvi	Andrea Viale, MD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Shihabeddin	Eyad	Andrea Viale, MD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Neuroscience
  Subramanian	Shraddha	Kendra Carmon, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Tavizon	Larissa	Danielle Garsin, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

  Poster Finalists - Session B - 1:40 pm
  Last Name	First Name	Advisor	Category	Program
  Cao	Pham Hong Anh	Daniel Frigo, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Biochemistry & Cell Biology
  Chen	Hao-Nien	Dihua Yu, MD, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Chen	Xinru	Jinzhong Yang, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Medical Physics
  Clowers	Michael	Seyed Javad Moghaddam, MD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Dharmaiah	Sharvari	Jason Huse, MD, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Jalloul	Dounya	Michael Beierlein, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Neuroscience
  Lanier	Amanda	Powel Brown, MD, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Liu	Muchen	Radbod Darabi, MD, PhD	MS
  McKenzie	Takese	Jian Hu, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Neuroscience
  Miao	Anna	Don Gibbons, MD, PhD	Pre-Candidacy PhD	Genetics & Epigenetics
  Mondal	Jayanta	Jason Huse, MD, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Riba	Morgan	Stephanie Watowich, PhD, Cassian Yee, MD	1st year PhD	Immunology
  Shaleen	Menna-t-Allah	Anirban Maitra, MBBS	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Sun	Yimo	Gregory Lizee, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Sunga	Gemalene	Simon Young, DDS, PhD, MD,  Andrew Sikora, MD, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Xu	Ping	Nicholas Navin, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology

  Poster Session - Guidelines

  Poster sessions are designed to give presenters an opportunity to discuss their research with colleagues and other researchers. The purpose of the poster is to visually stimulate interest in the research, to present sufficient information for viewers to understand the methods, results, and significance of the research, and to promote conversations and networking among GSRD attendees.

  Eligibility

  • All GSBS students who have participated in a research project at the GSBS, and are in good academic standing, are eligible to participate.
    
    

  Format:

  • Posters will be presented in-person during GSRD at Cooley Center. Students must apply to present a poster. Space is limited to 40 contestants, so students are encouraged to apply early. Deadline to apply for consideration for the competition is May 3 by 11:59 pm.
  • Students are responsible for printing their posters [size: no larger than 3.3' H x 3.5' W].
  • Poster template and GSBS logo downloads are here.
  • Posters will be on display during the entirety of GSRD. The day before the GSRD (Wednesday, June 21) Poster Session, finalists must set up their posters in the afternoon at Cooley Center. If a finalist cannot go in person, they may ask another student or the DSA staff to set up their poster for them. Each poster board will be numbered. Presenters should attach their posters to the board number corresponding to the number assigned to their poster in the GSRD Program, which will be emailed prior to set up. Presenters should remove their posters at the end of GSRD between the hours of 4:30-6:00 pm. [Presenters are encouraged to display their posters during the reception.]
  • On the day of GSRD, students will present their posters during their assigned session. Students should plan to stand with their posters until their assigned session is completed and they have presented to their faculty and/or PhD-level research scientist judges.
  • Students will compete in two categories: (1) Pre-candidacy PhD students, MS students and SMS; and (2) Post-candidacy PhD students. Students should apply to the category that best matches their current status at the time of application.
  • Students who are chosen as finalists in the GSRD Oral Presentation Skills competition may not compete in the poster session. They may, if space permits, still present a poster and their poster number will be labeled “NC” [non-competing].
    
    

  Application link: 2023GSRD_PosterContests

  Application materials:

  • Research abstract: This summary should be written in language understandable by a broad general science audience and should be a concise and engaging description of the student’s research project that includes the title, background/objective, brief methods, results/progress, conclusions and future work. The abstract body should be at least 150 words, but no more than 300 words. Abstracts not meeting these criteria will be disqualified.
  • Curriculum vitae: Include past speaking and/or poster presentation experiences.
    
    

   Selection and award criteria:

  • Preliminary judges will select the finalists and students will be notified on May 23. Evidence of prior presentations will be taken into consideration but is not a requirement.
  • Finalists will present their posters to faculty and/or PhD-level research scientist judges. Posters will be evaluated on the presence, quality and details of the key sections of a poster (see abstract), as well as level of content knowledge and engagement. Winners will be announced at the GSRD Awards Ceremony.
  • Rubric for poster contests
    
    

  Prizes:   

  • Category 1: Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS and SMS
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • $300 bonus for best 1^st year student
    
    
  • Category 2: Post-Candidacy PhD
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500

   

• Elevator Speech Contests

  Elevator Speech Finalists - 4:00 pm
  Last Name	First Name	Advisor	Category	Program
  Lakshmivenkatesh	Srinath Muralidharan	Sachet Shukla, PhD	1st year PhD
  Rodriguez	Mya		1st year PhD
  Scott	Hayden	Paola Alvarez, MS, Stephen Kry, PhD	1st year PhD	Medical Physics
  Benavente	Maria	Rodrigo Morales, PhD	MS	Neuroscience
  Brahmendra Barathi	Bhargavi	Jason Huse, MD, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Genetics & Epigenetics
  Gupta	Aashish	Kristy Brock, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Medical Physics
  Hanjra	Pahul	Anil Sood, MD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Trusz	Guillaume	Laurence Court, PhD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Umamaheswaran	Sujanitha	Anil Sood, MD	Pre-candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology
  Marquez	Barbara	Laurence Court, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Medical Physics
  Mehrens	Hunter	Stephen Kry, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Medical Physics
  Palacios	Bridgitte	Jian Hu, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Neuroscience
  Rajkumar Bhanu	Krithikaa	Michael Curran, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Immunology
  Zorrilla Veloz	Rocio	Jian Hu, PhD	Post-Candidacy PhD	Cancer Biology

  Elevator Speech Contests - Guidelines
  

  The scientific Elevator Speech is a 90-second summary of the student’s research project intended for an educated, lay audience. The scientific elevator speech is an excellent career tool for students, helping them to establish credibility, form relationships with other scientists, and gain support for their ideas. It also helps students clarify and articulate their thoughts, build professional confidence, and communicate across disciplines.
  
  Students are encouraged to attend special workshops to prepare for this competition.
  Sign up to attend: 2023ElevSpeechWorkshops (deadline to register for workshops is April 21)

  Eligibility:

  All GSBS degree students, who are in good academic standing, are eligible to compete.
  
  Format:

  • Elevator speeches will be presented in-person at GSRD at Cooley Center. Students must apply to present an elevator speech. Twenty contestants will be selected as finalists to compete. The deadline to apply for consideration for the competition is May 3 by 11:59 pm.
  • Each elevator speech will be allotted 90 seconds. The time will begin once a contestant starts speaking. Speakers may use notecards as long as they do not read straight through, and/or may use small props/objects. Speakers are not allowed to use PowerPoint slides. There will be no time allotted for questions during the session.
  • Elevator speeches should be accessible to a non-specialist audience with a basic college education, succinct, and last no more than 90 seconds; they should be well organized and easy to follow, delivered in an engaging manner, and have impact. The speeches should contain key elements commonly found in scientific presentations, including an introduction/background, description of the gap in knowledge or research question being addressed, a brief description of method(s), results if they have been obtained, a statement of significance, and possible next steps if applicable. In addition, the delivery of the speech should be enthusiastic, confident, conversational rather than overly formal, and use accessible language that minimizes jargon.
  • Finalists should plan to be present for the entirety of the elevator speech competition session. The order of presentations will be assigned randomly and delivered in the order indicated in the GSRD program.
  • Students will compete in two categories: (1) Pre-candidacy PhD students, MS students and SMS; and (2) Post-candidacy PhD students. Students should apply to the category that best matches their current status at the time of application.
  • Students who are chosen as finalists in the GSRD Elevator Speech competition may not compete in the poster session. They may, if space permits, still present a poster and their poster number will be labeled “NC” [non-competing].
    
    

  Application link: 2023GSRD_ESContests

  Application materials:

  • Tentative title for elevator speech
  • Short description (1-2 sentences) of the impact, relevance, or importance of the research as it relates to science or a lay audience
    
    

  Selection and award criteria:

  • Preliminary judges will select twenty finalists and students will be notified on May 23. Evidence of prior presentations will be taken into consideration but is not a requirement.
  • Finalists will present their elevator speeches to a panel of judges on June 22 that includes faculty, PhD-level research scientists, and lay community members. Elevator speeches will be evaluated on the delivery of the speech, organization and engagement with the speech content, and impact. The speech will not be evaluated on the complexity of the project, whether experimental results have been obtained so far, minor grammatical mistakes, or speaking with a non-English accent. The audience will choose the People's Choice Award winner. Winners will be announced at the GSRD Awards Ceremony.
  • Rubric for elevator speech contests

  
  Prizes:   

  • Category 1: Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS and SMS
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • People’s choice: $300
    
    
  • Category 2: Post-Candidacy PhD
    
    
  • 1^st prize: $1,000
  • 2^nd prize: $500
  • People’s choice: $300
    
    

  The GSBS gratefully acknowledges the sponsors of this event: Logan & Sue Brown