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A Message from
Dean Kate Korgan |
Our signature events – Graduate Showcase; Rebel Grad Slam; and Inspiration, Innovation, Impact – give us a chance to pause and take in all the important research our students are working on across campus. And while we host these events every year, I never tire of them because they serve as a reminder for why we’re here: to support our students as they pursue their passions, conduct research that inspires them, and create new knowledge that improves our collective future.
Last week, we hosted our fifth annual Rebel Grad Slam, which challenges students to present their research in three minutes using one slide. It’s a fun, fast-paced research rumble, and one of my favorites. The event lasts all week, with preliminary rounds on Monday through Wednesday, the semi-final round on Thursday, and the final round on Friday.
Students are scored based on how well they explain and communicate the most significant parts of their scholarship/research. Family, friends, faculty members, and community members cheer on the presenters and even cast their vote in the audience choice competition. It’s a great time, and I encourage you to attend next year, particularly if you’ve never been.
Facing steep competition (more than 55 presenters!), Trevor Pollom (Anthropology) came out on top as the 2018 Rebel Grad Slam champion. He will go on to represent UNLV in the Western Association of Graduate Schools’ regional three-minute thesis competition in March and in the Southwest Showdown regional three-minute thesis competition in April. Trevor researches the dietary changes in hunter-gatherer children and the implications for human growth and development.
Henry Castillo (Teaching & Learning), Bhagya De Silva (Chemistry and Biochemistry), and Jessica DeBerardinis (Mechanical Engineering) won second place, third place, and audience choice, respectively. Henry researches how public speaking can be used an an anti-bullying tool, Bhagya is looking at a new approach to discovering drugs for Alzheimer’s, and Jessica is looking at a mathematical model to use in measuring the mechanical properties of the foot when walking.
All the graduate students who presented during Rebel Grad Slam, and the thousands more all across campus, are conducting impactful research. Rebel Grad Slam allows them, and us, to proudly tell the world about the important work they’re doing. These events help break down silos, allowing students to hear from colleagues they wouldn’t otherwise interact with. They also allow us to partner more closely with community members, who fill many of our Rebel Grad Slam judge positions.
Please mark your calendar for our next signature event. Our sixth annual Inspiration, Innovation, Impact event will take place on Friday, Feb. 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom. This event showcases a select group of outstanding graduate students from a variety of colleges who give five-minute, TED-style talks or performances.
Thank you,
Kate Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D.
Interim Dean
UNLV Graduate College
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