2025
2025 Grad Slam Finalists
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Joseph Farah
Physics
The Black Hole Explorer and the Edge of the Universe
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Yuting Ma
Statistics & Applied Probability
Will the Lights Stay On? Forecasting Electricity Demand in a Warmer California
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Lisa Månsson
Materials
Lighting the Way to Glioblastoma Containment
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Alexandria Muller
Education
Beyond the Exhibits: Embedding DEAI in Science Centers from the Boardroom to the Floor
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Kirstin Rollins
Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology
A Sticky Situation: Target Cell Adhesion Inhibits Macrophage Therapy
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Michaela Sten
Marine Science
Kelp Me if You Can, I'm Sinking Down
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Tiffany Ta
Music
Dissonant Depictions: Musical Topics and the Troping of Autism
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Kylie Woodman
Communication
Breaking the Media Panic Cycle
2025 Grad Slam Preliminary Rounds Runners-Up
Rimika Jaiswal (Physics)
Second Chance Round
Choreographing Electron Dances: One Twist at a Time
Srijita Karmakar (Psychological & Brain Sciences)
Second Chance Round
Seeing Through Others' Eyes: The Fovea and The Periphery in Gaze Following
Haarika Manda (Computer Science)
Second Chance Round
How Do We Measure the Internet ?
2025 Grad Slam Presenters
Sophie Bartley
Environmental Science & Management
The Biodiversity Implications of Nature-based Carbon Credit Projects
Annie Broughton
Global Studies
Grappling with Belonging on Stolen Land: Towards Alternative Models of White Settler Identity
Ivette Castaneda
Environmental Science & Management
Biobusiness: A Pathway to Amazonian Environmental Conservation
AJ Chavez
Chemistry
An Unexpected Alternative to Fossil Fuels
Jacquelyn Chin
Counseling, Clinical & School Psychology
Black, Queer & Liberated
Lucas d'Alva Duchrow
Environmental Science & Management
Saltwater Stories: Elevating Marine Science Education Through the Voices of Environmental Professionals
Jaber Daneshamooz
Computer Science
No One Left Behind: Bridging Internet Quality Gaps for Education and Work
Alexander Davydov
Mechanical Engineering
Fortune Favors the Robust: Toward Reliable Control of Engineering Systems
Ajaykrishnan Edamana Illam Satheeshkumar
Computer Science
Fair Division on Graphs: Avoiding Envy Isn’t Easy
Nicolla Eddy
Global Studies
Child Marriage in Africa
Joseph Farah
Physics
The Black Hole Explorer and the Edge of the Universe
Jemma Fendley
Physics
The Mosaic Mystery of Phage Genomes
Liliana Garcia
Education
Quantum Education: Empowering the Next Generation
Anand Gokhale
Mechanical Engineering
Whose Job Is It Anyway? The Science of Task Allocation in Teams
Kyle Hansen
Mathematics
Who Cut the High-Dimensional Cheese?
Rimika Jaiswal (Physics)
Second Chance Round
Choreographing Electron Dances: One Twist at a Time
Emily Johnson (Anthropology)
Second Chance Round
How Maize Shaped History: The Cooking Process Behind Mesoamerican Civilization
Srijita Karmakar (Psychological & Brain Sciences)
Second Chance Round
Seeing Through Others' Eyes: The Fovea and The Periphery in Gaze Following
Samuel Kim
History
The Tetrarchic Economic Inflation and the Great Persecution
Xiangwei Kong
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Optical Switch That Enable Future AI
Jennifer Lai
Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology
Look Around to Get a Sense of Direction
Cormac League (Linguistics)
Second Chance Round
Not a non-negative discourse marker
Yuting Ma
Statistics & Applied Probability
Will the Lights Stay On? Forecasting Electricity Demand in a Warmer California
Haarika Manda (Computer Science)
Second Chance Round
How Do We Measure the Internet ?
Lisa Månsson
Materials
Lighting the Way to Glioblastoma Containment
Taylor Martin del Campo
Counseling, Clinical & School Psychology
Exploring Sense of Belongingness Among Formerly Incarcerated Students in Higher Education Institutions: A Qualitative Study
Alexandria Muller
Education
Beyond the Exhibits: Embedding DEAI in Science Centers from the Boardroom to the Floor
Hannah Overbye-Thompson
Communication
Risk Perceptions of Algorithmic Bias
Rushikesh Patil
Physics
Quantum Measurements, Randomness, and Critical Phenomena
Anna Perko
Environmental Science & Management
Repurposing Palm Waste for Carbon Solutions
Margot Plunkett
Communication
Eating (or Not) in the Workplace: Control and Workplace Culture
Adam Quintero
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Reinforcement Learning for Industrial Cold Storage Optimization
Fabio Ricci
Mathematics
The Isoperimetric Problem: Why Pizzas are Usually Round
Arnold Rodriguez Robles
Counseling, Clinical & School Psychology
Ready for School? Developing a Multidimensional Screener to Assess School Readiness
Kirstin Rollins
Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology
A Sticky Situation: Target Cell Adhesion Inhibits Macrophage Therapy
Jakob Romine
Spanish & Portuguese
The Affective and Performative Dimensions of Nueva Canción in Latin America and Spain: Power of Political Song in Four Contexts
Cristhian Salas
Earth Science
Deep Signals: Exploring Earth's Mantle Properties Through Seismic Velocity and Attenuation
Jean Pauline Serrano (Counseling, Clinical & School Psychology)
Second Chance Round
Navigating Adversity: Exploring the School Experiences and Family Dynamics of Marginalized Youth
Divyoj Singh
Physics
How the Heart Beats! The Orchestra That Pumps Up the Life
Emily Spitaleri
Mechanical Engineering
Electrospun Membranes
Michaela Sten
Marine Science
Kelp Me if You Can, I'm Sinking Down
Tiffany Ta
Music
Dissonant Depictions: Musical Topics and the Troping of Autism
Yuxi Tan
Statistics & Applied Probability
Fast Data Inversion
Giovanni Vimercati
Film & Media Studies
Film Capital: Beirut and the Centrality of a Peripheral Market
Yifei Wang
Communication
Social Media Status and Its Discontent
Kevin Whitesides
Religious Studies
Out of the Ashes of Dead Treasons: Shared Dissent and the Dynamics of Counter-Discourse
Sunny Wong
Physics
The Fastest Stars in the Galaxy
Kylie Woodman
Communication
Breaking the Media Panic Cycle
Shangcheng Zhao
Psychological & Brain Sciences
The Power of a Glance: How First Impressions Predict Political Success
Xiangyi Zhu
Geography
Homelessness in the U.S. and San Diego: A Growing Social Crisis
2025 Grad Slam Final Round Judges
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Dr. Miroslava Chavez-Garcia
Professor of History & Affiliate in Chicana/o, Feminist, and Iberian/Latin American Studies, Faculty Director for the McNair Scholars Program
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Dr. Cherie Briggs
Mellichamp Chair and Professor in EEMB, BMSE, CBE
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Terri Dowen
Senior Vice President of Sales, Yardi
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Macey Hartmann
2024 Undergraduate Research Slam Champion and Bren Environmental Studies Fellow
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Dr. Milan Minksy
VP of Product, Leela AI, UCSB Graduate Dean's Cabinet
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Liz Montaño
Chief Operating Officer at Gotham FC, UCSB Graduate Dean's Cabinet
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Royce Olarte
2024 Grad Slam Runner-Up and Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Education
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Dr. Krystal Onyekwuluje
Student Initiatives & Strategic Partnerships Coordinator, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
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Randy Rowse
Mayor of Santa Barbara
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Dr. Carrie Towbes
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
2025 Grad Slam Preliminary Round Judges
Amanda Nichols
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Environmental Studies Department
Cooper Bedin
Graduate Student, Linguistics Department
Deborah Bettencourt
Human Resources Consultant
Olivia Bievenue
Doctoral Student, English Department
Spenser Biske
Undergraduate Student, Physics Department
Linda Burrows
Graduate Dean's Cabinet Member
Mike Cole
Retired Entrepreneur
Kaamini M Dhanabalan
Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemical Engineering Department
Sabine Frühstück
Distinguished Professor, Chair of Japanese Cultural Studies
Chris Gifford
Assistant Director of Academic Appointments, Graduate Council
Jessy Gonzales
Undergraduate Student, Biochemistry Department
Kohanya Groff
Cultural Anthropologist
Kohanya Groff
Cultural Anthropologist
Danielle Harlow
Associate Dean of Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, Education Department Faculty
Darryl Heller
Merger and Acquisition Advisor, Keystone Business Advisors
Jeffrey Hoelle
Associate Professor, Anthropology Department
Teresa Holden
Assistant Director, Academic Programs
Tania Israel
Professor, Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology Department
Anna Jensen
Director, Isla Vista Arts
Jordan Kear
Principal Hydrogeologist, Kear Groundwater
Peter Kedron
Associate Professor, Geography Department
Liora Krantz
Undergraduate Student, Earth & Biological Sciences Department
Lorraine Lisiecki
Professor and Vice Chair, Earth Science
Zachary Macas
Graduate Student, Mechanical Engineering Department
Jayline Naranjo
Undergraduate Student, Communications Department
Erin Nerstad
Executive Director, Master of Technology Management
Shaun Nowicki
Doctoral Candidate, English Department
Laury Oaks
Professor, Feminist Studies
Haley Orton
Director of Academic Advising, Engineering Department
Boris Palencia
Finance & Administration Manager, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education
Lois Phillips
Communications Consultant
Conor Pugsley
Undergraduate Student, Chemistry Department
Kelly Rivera
Associate Director, Academic Senate Staff
Daniela Rivera Mirabel
Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering Department
Danny Rose
Undergraduate Student, Engineering Department
Sara Sadjadi
Undergraduate Student, Theater & Dance Department
David Sherman
Professor, Psychological & Brain Sciences
Rickie Smith
Systems Operation and Analysis Director, Graduate Division
Daniella Walter
Graduate Student, Engineering Department
Kathleen Zhang
Undergraduate Studedent, English & Biology Departments