Postdocs Ace the Slam!

Alexandra Klein, Postdoc Slam 1st prize winner, holds a giant check as she celebrates her win
Alexandra Klein, PhD, walked away with a giant check for her first place finish at UCSF Postdoc Slam 2024. Event judge Teaster Baird, Jr., PhD, associate dean of the College of Science and Engineering at SF State University, looks on. Photo by Noah Berger.

At the 7th UCSF Postdoc Slam competition on Wednesday, September 18, four postdocs emerged as prize-winners for their 3-minute talks, but all ten of the finalists brought their A-game with impressive and engaging presentations aimed at sharing their research with a broad audience. A lively crowd cheered them on in Byers Auditorium at Mission Bay, and close to 200 more tuned into the YouTube live stream. Produced by the Office for Postdoctoral Scholars and the Graduate Division, the event was a fitting way to celebrate National Postdoc Appreciation Week.

Read all about it in the campus news story: Why Breathing Reduces Anxiety and Boosts Our Mood

Watch the event recording on YouTube.

Ten postdoc finalists receive applause at conclusion of UCSF Postdoc Slam 2024
The ten postdoc finalists receive well-deserved applause at the conclusion of the presentations at UCSF Postdoc Slam 2024. Each finalist had three minutes and one static slide to share their research story in a way that was accessible to a broad audience. Photo by Noah Berger.

 

Congratulations to the prize winners and all of the finalists for an impressive showing:

Prize Winners:


Alexandra Klein

First Prize
Alexandra Klein, PhD

Mazen Kheirbek, PhD, faculty mentor
Take a Deep Breath: Understanding the Neural Basis of How Respiration Influences Emotions

Sonia Nocera

Second Prize & People's Choice Award
Sonia Nocera, PhD

Jonah Chan, PhD, faculty mentor
The Power of a Sugar Mama

Alicer Andrew

Third Prize (tie)
Alicer K. Andrew, PhD

Nadia Roan, PhD, faculty mentor
Hide & Seek: The Game HIV and T Cells Play

Colin Hoy

Third Prize (tie)
Colin Hoy, PhD

Simon Little, PhD, faculty mentor
Stimulating Positivity: Can a Brain Implant Lift Your Mood?

 

Finalists:


Roddrick Dugger

Roddrick Dugger, PhD
Marguerita Lightfoot, PhD and Sheri Lippman, PhD, MPH, faculty mentors
Like PB&J, A Complementary Approach to Reduce Food Insecurity

Jeremy Ford

Jeremy Ford, PhD
Jeanne Paz, PhD, faculty mentor
Innovating Tools to Drive Breakthroughs in Stroke Pain Research

Rebecca L. Knoll

Rebecca L. Knoll, MD
Susan Lynch, PhD, faculty mentor
Outcompeting ChatGPT with Poop

Ana Lyons

Ana Lyons, PhD
Saul Kato, PhD and Noelle L'Etoile, PhD, faculty mentors
From Microscopic to Iconic: Tardigrades, Neuroscience’s New Celebrities

Taylor Rogers

Taylor B. Rogers, PhD, MPH
Joanne Spetz, PhD, faculty mentor
Lift Doula Voices for Birth Equity

Camilla Teng

Camilla Teng, PhD
Jeffrey Bush, PhD, faculty mentor
Zip It: Forming the Upper Lip


Learn more about Postdoc Slam.