Skip to content

Grad Slam Competition

WHAT IS GRAD SLAM?

We already know that you are working hard to find answers to the world’s most important and pressing research questions. But can you distill your research into the key ’sound bites’ that will be necessary to convey its importance, usefulness, and timeliness toGrad Slam logo in blue and gold, microphone others outside your field — like faculty hiring committees, professionals, administrators, lawmakers, co-workers, friends…even your parents?

Grad Slam is a UC systemwide competition that provides you with a forum to explain the methods, results, and significance of your research via a three-minute presentation to a non-specialty audience and panel of judges.

As a participant, you will be challenged to practice and perfect your answer to the inevitable question, “What is your research about?” Along the way, you will improve your presentation and PowerPoint skills, learn more about the research your fellow graduate students are doing here at UC Merced, and compete for some great prizes.

REGISTER

Register HERE by February 5, 2025 by 12 p.m. (noon). Note that you will also be required to complete an Intent to Participate form once the registration closes. This will finalize your registration and participation in Grad Slam 2025. 

PRIZES

More than a competition, Grad Slam is a celebration of the accomplishments of our graduate students.

MORE TO COME! 

PAST WINNERS

Check out some of our past winners and their videos. 

IMPORTANT DATES - TBA 

Registration Deadline: February 5, 2025 by 12 p.m. (noon)

Qualifying Round: Videos due February 18th 

Finalists Announced: February 26th 

Final round: March 12th 

UC Finals: April 29, 2025

RULES AND JUDGING

1. Eligibility: All graduate students currently enrolled in UC Merced Master's or doctoral programs are eligible to compete. 

2. Collaboration: In cases of collaborative research, the presenter's contribution to the project must be clearly specified.

3. You may have a maximum of 2 slides total: (1) Title Slide with your name, graduate program, and the title of your presentation, and (2) a stagnant Presentation Slide. Note that slide is not required and the focus should remain on the content of your talk.

· Note that your slide design should accommodate for placement of video of yourself (see point # 2)

4. All recordings can take place in either PowerPoint or ZOOM. Please find the necessary requirements below:

· Keep your camera at eye-level and no more than 2.5-3 feet away from you.

· You must keep yourself in the top right corner when looking at the screen. Please note that the placement of your wording, etc., may need to be adjusted.

5. Video should be submitted as an MP4 file if at all possible. An MOV file is also acceptable.

All files should be named thusly: “firstname_lastname_gradslam.mp4” or “firstname_lastname_gradslam.mov” or “firstname_lastname_gradslam.ppt” or “firstname_lastname_gradslam.pdf”.

At the very beginning of your video, please state your full name and the title of your presentation. The time it takes to do this will not be counted against the three minutes you may take to present your research.

6. The presentation time will commence from the moment the presenter starts talking and/or making sounds or movements that are clearly part of the presentation. Timing will commence from the moment the student begins her/his presentation. The presentation begins at the moment the student engages with the audience (if s/he starts with a hand clap, a gesture, an audio or video clip or any other such engagement, prior to speaking, the clock begins at that time; if there is no such engagement the clock starts when the student begins speaking). Points will be deducted from the final score, beginning with one point at 3:03, and one point being taken off for every two seconds the speaker continues after that. See below:

· 3:03-3:04 -1 point

· 3:05-3:06 – 2 points

· 3:07-3:08 – 3 points

· 3:09-3:10 – 4 points

· 3:11-3:12 – 5 points

· etc.

7. You will not be judged on your skills as a videographer, and you do not need to use professional video equipment. As long as the judges can see your image, and the audio is clear and understandable, that is sufficient.

 

JUDGING & SCORING

All judging will occur asynchronously and synchronously during the 2024 competition. For the qualifying round (via video submissions), judging panels of faculty members will judge each video submission in two rounds according to the UC Merced Grad Slam Scorecard. The final round (in-person) will be judged by prominent members from the campus community, donors and community members. Judges are selected to ensure disciplinary diversity and every effort will be made to minimize conflicts of interest.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Jen Quiralte or the Graduate Resource Center.

Presentation Examples

  1. Video from past UCOP Grad Slam Finals
  2. UC San Diego 2014 Grad Slam
  3. UC Santa Barbara 2014 Grad Slam Finals

Helpful Resources

  1. The Secret to Giving a Great TED Talk
  2. Preparing Your 3MT Presentation
  3. TED Talks
  4. 10 Most Common Rookie Mistakes in Public Speaking
  5. Top Ten Tips for Writing and Delivering Very Brief Speeches

More Presentation Resources are available here.

*All prizes are awarded in the form of a one-time fellowship after the completion of the competition.