Graduate Student Resource Center

Supporting Graduate Students' Academic and Professional Success

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UCR Grad Slam
You are doing great research--learn how to show it off, and win prizes!
Visit our Grad Slam 2025 Site

Grad Slam

Graduate Division is proud to showcase the groundbreaking contributions of our exceptional graduate students.

Please visit our Grad Slam 2025 page to get the latest on this year's competition

Overview

Grad Slam is a UC-wide public speaking competition and professional development opportunity in which graduate students describe their research or creative project in three minutes, with a maximum of one PowerPoint slide, to a non-specialist audience. Participating students are supported through public speaking workshops and feedback sessions, and progress through several preliminary and semi-final rounds. Contestants have the opportunity to win up to $5,000 at the UCR level, and another $7,000 at the UC-wide level of competition.

Stay tuned for the Grad Slam 2025 Orientation

Grad Slam 2023        Grad Slam 2022     Grad Slam 2021     Grad Slam 2020  

Grad Slam 2019      Grad Slam 2018          Grad Slam 2017

38%
Of participants are in the humanities, arts & social sciences
21%
Of contestants make it to the campus finals
26%
Of finalists are international students
It was a wonderful experience and I can't wait to come back even stronger next year!
Alexandria Costantino
2019 UCR Grad Slam Finalist
I recently applied for a fellowship that asked me to describe my project in just 400 words, so I pasted in my talk from Grad Slam. Last week I found out I won the fellowship - thanks Grad Slam!
Kevin Pham
2019 UCR Grad Slam Champion
Palm Desert was a great experience!
Salma Alavi
2019 UCR Grad Slam Finalist