Congratulations to our 12 finalists for 2018! Come cheer them on at the Grad Slam and vote for the People’s Choice Award:

Tony Assi
Kimberley Bitterwolf
Stephan Bitterwolf
Eilin Francis
Sharmistha Guha
Helen Holmlund
Courtney Kersten
Nickolas Knightly
Stephanie Montgomery
Rebecca Ora
Tiffany Thang
Talia Waltzer

Grad Slam, a competition also referred to as the 3-Minute Thesis Challenge,* challenges graduate students to present years’ worth of academic research in a concise, compelling, three-minute talk to a non-expert audience. It encourages students to clarify their ideas and help others understand and appreciate the significance of their research or other graduate work. The contest is open to all graduate students.

The winner of the UCSC Grad Slam receives $3,000; the runner-up receives $1,500; and the people’s choice winner receives $750. The UCSC Grad Slam winner goes on to compete in the UC-wide Grad Slam in late April or early May. UCSC’s 2017 champion, John Felts, took second place at the UC Grad Slam held May 4, 2017, at LinkedIn, 222 2nd Street in San Francisco. Visit UCOP Grad Slam to view the 2017 finalists from all UC campuses and learn the first-place, third-place, and people’s choice winner of that competition.

Registration for the 2018 Grad Slam opened November 13, 2017, and closed January 21, 2018, at midnight PST. All registrants must submit a 3-minute-maximum video of their presentation via a share link entered in the registration form. A panel of UCSC staff judges will review the videos and select the finalists (10 to 12 graduate students) to compete in UCSC’s live Grad Slam on Friday, February 23, 2018, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Music Center Recital Hall, with a reception following for competitors and audience.

Check out the 2017 winners here.

View video of the three awardees, and the complete list of finalists from the UCSC 2016 Grad Slam
View video of the three awardees, and the complete list of finalists from the UCSC 2015 Grad Slam

*Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a registered trademark of The University of Queensland.