Graduate Student Research Day 2025 (GSRD) is just around the corner! Graduate School students will be participating in competitions Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the Cooley Center — attending students, faculty and staff are in for an exciting day highlighting the groundbreaking work of our students. Learn more about the day's specific events and register (by June 18) on the GSRD page.

We are honored to welcome David A. Relman, MD, as this year’s keynote speaker. Relman is a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University and a  renowned expert in infectious diseases, human-microbe interactions, and microbial disease agents. His talk, “Human-Microbe Relationships: Diversity, Biogeography, and Resilience,” promises to provide valuable insight into the intricate dynamics of microbial ecosystems and their implications for human health.

GSRD is a cornerstone event that allows students to showcase their research to faculty, staff, peers. In addition to traditional research presentations, the event will feature an Elevator Pitch Competition, where students present their work in a clear and engaging way to a general audience. This exercise helps sharpen communication skills for real-world scenarios, whether students and future alumni are explaining their research to potential collaborators, policymakers, or curious family and friends.

What do our students have to say about GSRD 2025?

We talked with three students who are participating this year:

While GSRD is a day full of many outstanding presentations of differing formats, I always look forward to the elevator pitches. It is always a fun time seeing how our peers communicate their research in creative ways that leave lasting impressions. I would encourage those going for the first time to interact with attendees outside their own programs and cohorts, whether by visiting different posters or initiating conversations during breaks.

— Kaylene Lu, 5^th -year PhD student, Cancer Biology

I’m always looking for new avenues to enhance my scientific communication, and GSRD is the perfect platform for that! It also gives me the chance to formally share what I do with my peers and friends — beyond quick chats over lunch or during shuttle rides.

— Alec Solis, 1st-year PhD student, Immunology

As a first-year student, this is my first time participating in GSRD. I attended last year as an incoming student and was truly inspired by the research being presented. I never imagined that a year later, I’d be competing in the Elevator Pitch contest! I'm especially excited to learn more about the incredible work being done by my peers — many have played a huge role in making this first year so meaningful.

— Candise Tat, 1st-year PhD student, Biomedical Sciences

We can’t wait to celebrate the research advancement of our students at GSRD 2025 and follow up afterward on our news page and social media about competition winners!