2021 Grad Slam

A sixth-year PhD student from Belgium, Adélaïde studies how cells in our brain sense our energy status and modulate hunger and weight gain. Upon completing her PhD she will be looking for a postdoc focused on neuroscience. As a non-native English speaker, being part of this competition and getting to share her research to a broad audience is a very exciting challenge.

A final-year Ph.D. student from Israel, Neta currently studies the neural circuits and hormonal mechanisms underlying ovulation, pregnancy, and birth. After graduating she plans to pursue a career outside academia where she will solve challenges related to female reproductive health.

Iemaan is a first-year PhD student who is also attending medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. By integrating her fascination with environmentally-mediated disease and her commitment to serving those in need, she hopes to address poignant questions in both basic and translational research as a physician-scientist.

A seventh-year Ph.D. student, Michelle identifies as a lifelong migrant. She wants to work in research and communications for human rights and social justice internationally, particularly seeking the best routes for reform regarding social policies, economics, and equity.

Wren is a sixth-year PhD student from Raleigh, North Carolina. Next year, she will continue studying the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time as a joint UC Santa Cruz – Stanford postdoctoral fellow. In addition to research and mentoring, Wren views outreach as a fundamental part of her job as a scientist.

A fourth-year Ph.D. student from Laguna Niguel, California, AJ wants to teach and mentor the next generation of archaeologists, research the impacts of climate change on humans in novel and impactful ways, and engage the public to make informed decisions on the environment.

A fifth-year Ph.D. student, Rachel believes complex challenges like climate change require that scientists collaborate on tech-based solutions, and also connect with the non-scientific community to develop trust-based solutions. Her research interests range from solar cells’ tiny crystal contacts to their societal impacts, and her career goal is to contribute to an equitable renewable energy transformation.