Top Stories
Find out who won big and who will go on to represent UCSB at the UC-wide Grad Slam competition!
![grad-slam-banner-white-border grad-slam-banner-white-border](/sites/default/files/styles/max_325x325/public/2023-11/grad-slam-banner-white-border.jpg?itok=HQ3LhjUP)
![finalists_carol_DSC03841_web The finalists are recognized on stage by Graduate Division Dean Carol Genetti. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/finalists_carol_dsc03841_web.jpg)
After two long weeks of preliminary and semifinal rounds, 11 grad students advanced to the Grad Slam Finals to compete âFriday for cash prizes and the chance to represent UCSB at the UC Grad Slam next week in San Francisco. These contestants worked hard to develop and polish public presentations on their graduate research and its significance, which they delivered to a packed house at Corwin Pavilion.
The finalists represented a breadth of subject matters and programs at UCSB. Beyond educating the audience on a variety of research topics, these finalists brought with them some great props, from a bubble machine to a hunting bow from Papua New Guinea. Many presentations also included suggestions for applying their research, from improving human health or the natural environment, to creating more efficient technologies, to empowering women around the world.
The Final Round also featured four esteemed judges who had the difficult job of choosing winners from this group of âstellar presenters. The judges for the Final Round were:
- Timothy Cheng, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Matthew Hall, Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
- Margaret Klawunn, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
- Linda Putnam, Department of Communication
Our Excellent Eleven Finalists were:
Geoff Willard | Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
"Where're Wolves?: Mapping Wolf Habitat and Wolf-Livestock Conflict Hotspots in California"
Watch Video
David Hwang | Materials
"LEDs: Enablers of the Future"
Watch Video
Gokh âAmin | Global Studies
"Seven Years, Three Yemens: The Empowerment and Disenfranchisement of Yemeni Women Between 1989 and 1995"
Watch Video
Nicole Leung | Biomolecular Science & Engineering
"Lighting the Path from the Eye to the Brain"
Watch Video
Katherine Millage | Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
"Fishing for Benefits: Seafood Certifications in Small-Scale Fisheries"
Watch Video
Sara Weinstein | Ecology, Evolution & Marine Biology
"Worms in Raccoons: Worms in You?"
Watch Video
Jesilyn Faust | Global Studies
"Challenging Global Responses to Violence Against Women: The Case of Amina al Falali"
Watch Video
Elizabeth Hiroyasu | Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
"Fun Facts about Wild Pigs and Why We Should Care about Them"
Watch Video
Savannah Dearden | Molecular, Cellular, & Developmental Biology
"Sparkling Sea-Slug Photonics: The Discovery of Nanoscopic Multi-Layer Reflectors in F. Iodinea"
Watch Video
Phillip Rogers | Linguistics
"Featuring the Bituri: Linguistic Fieldwork in Papua New Guinea"
Watch Video
Kendall Mills | Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
"The Market Value of Non-Market Goods: Conservation of Endangered Whale Species in the Santa Barbara Channel"
Watch Video
Without further ado, the judges' choices for the two runners-up (and winners of $2,500 cash prizes each) are:
Geoff Willard
and
Phillip Rogers
And the winner of the 2016 Grad Slam, including a $5,000 cash prize and a chance to win big at the UC Grad Slam against other campuses is:
Nicole Leung
This year's Grad Slam was hugely successful, with over 80 contestants. A big thank you to the Graduate Division coordinators and corporate sponsors for making this run so smoothly!
View photos from the exciting competition below. Also, see more photos in our Facebook album, 2016 UCSB Grad Slam Finals.
![geoff_willard_wolf_DSC03318_web Geoff Willard begins his talk with a howl. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/geoff_willard_wolf_dsc03318_web.jpg)
![savannah_dearden_DSC03669_web Color and sparking sea slug photonics were the topic of Savannah Dearden's talk. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/savannah_dearden_dsc03669_web.jpg)
![kendall_mills_DSC03807_web Kendall Mills discussed conservation of endangered whales in the Santa Barbara Channel. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/kendall_mills_dsc03807_web.jpg)
![david_hwang_DSC03354_web David Hwang spoke about LEDs. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/david_hwang_dsc03354_web.jpg)
![katherine_millage_DSC03492_web Katherine Millage's Grad Slam talk focused on seafood certifications. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/katherine_millage_dsc03492_web.jpg)
![elizabeth_hiroyasu_DSC03605_web Elizabeth Hiroyasu talked about why wild pigs are important. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/elizabeth_hiroyasu_dsc03605_web.jpg)
![jesilyn_faust_DSC03597_web Jesilyn Faust discussed the case of Amina al Falali and global responses to violence against women. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/jesilyn_faust_dsc03597_web.jpg)
![carol_genetti_gokh_amin_DSC03405_web Carol Genetti questions competitor Gokh Amin after her talk. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/carol_genetti_gokh_amin_dsc03405_web.jpg)
![nicole_leung_danny_hieber_DSC03907_web Last year's UCSB Grad Slam Champion, Danny Hieber, presents the 2016 award to Nicole Leung. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/nicole_leung_danny_hieber_dsc03907_web.jpg)
![carol_genetti_phillip_rogers_DSC03747_web Phillip Rogers tells Dean Carol Genetti how he was attracted to UCSB because of the diversity of languages in the Linguistics Department. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/carol_genetti_phillip_rogers_dsc03747_web.jpg)
![leung_hieber_rogers_willard_DSC03901_web Nicole Leung accepts the trophy from 2015 Grad Slam Champion Danny Hieber, while runners-up Phillip Rogers and Geoff Willard applaud. Credit: Patricia Marroquin](/sites/default/files/2023-11/leung_hieber_rogers_willard_dsc03901_web.jpg)