Postdoc Slam Rules and Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • Postdoc Slam is open to UCSF-affiliated postdocs in any discipline who are currently appointed in a postdoc position at UCSF, HHMI, or the Gladstone Institutes.
  • You must be a current UCSF-affiliated postdoc at UCSF (appointed in a UCSF postdoc title code) or with HHMI or the Gladstone Institutes at the time of entering the contest, and through October 2024.
  • Your presentation must be based on your own, original research.
  • Postdocs who entered the contest or who were finalists in previous years ARE eligible to enter again; however, the first, second, and third prize winners of previous contests are not eligible to enter again.

How to enter

Postdocs wishing to compete in the Postdoc Slam competition must follow these steps:

  1. Declare your intent to enter the competition by Monday, July 15, by filling out the short online form.
  2. Develop and practice your talk, then record a video of yourself presenting your research in three minutes or less. (See video format requirements below.)
  3. By July 30 (11:59 p.m. PDT), upload your video to a designated UCSF Box folder. Only those individuals who have completed step I above will be invited to upload their entry to the UCSF Box folder.
  4. If you are chosen as a finalist, you must give your research presentation live at the UCSF Postdoc Slam event, on September 18, 4-6 p.m. at the Mission Bay campus in order to be eligible to win the competition.

Video Submissions

Format

  1. In regard to talk format, the same rules apply for the videotaped presentation as apply for the live presentation at the event on September 18. (See the rules for live presentation and the judging criteria.)
  2. Video should be submitted as an MP4 file if at all possible. An MOV file is also acceptable.
  3. Your final, live presentation may differ slightly from your video presentation, as you will have practiced and improved it; however, the subject matter should be the same.
  4. All video files should be named with this convention: "firstname_lastname_postdocslam.mp4" or "firstname_lastname_postdocslam.mov"
  5. At the very beginning of your video, please state your full name and the title of your presentation.  The time it takes to do this will not be counted against the three minutes you may take to present your research.
  6. You may submit your single optional slide as a separate file if you wish, or use the slide as a backdrop. It does not need to be visible in the video submission. You may also elect not to submit or use a slide with your video. (If you are selected as a finalist, you will be asked to create a slide.)
  7. You will not be judged on your skills as a videographer, and you do not need to use professional video equipment. As long as the judges can see your image, and the audio is clear and understandable, that is sufficient. (You may get help creating your video if you like.)
  8. You are not required to memorize your talk for the video submission. However, if you do read your talk (off a screen or paper), remember that you are also being judged on your presentation skills and your ability to engage an audience!

Deadline 

The deadline to upload your video entry is Tuesday, July 30 (11:59 p.m. PDT). The video you submit will be shared only with the screening judges. It will not be shown or used in any other way without your written permission.

Rules for Final Live Presentations

(The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners, and people's choice awardee will be decided at the live event on September 18.)

  • Your presentation must be based on your own original research.
  • Only ONE, single, static PowerPoint slide is permitted. Your slide does not need to have your name on it; the Graduate Division will create a slide that includes the finalist's name, department, mentor, and title of the presentation. Ideally, your slide will enhance your presentation, but the slide is not the focus of the contest.
  • No slide transitions or animations of any kind are allowed.
  • The slide is to be presented from the beginning of your talk.
  • No additional media (e.g. sound or video files) are permitted.
  • No props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
  • Presentations will be timed and strictly limited to three minutes. Competitors exceeding three minutes will be automatically disqualified and may be asked to leave the stage.
  • Presentations are to be spoken word (i.e. not sung or otherwise performed).
  • Presentations must be made on the stage, in person, at the live event on September 18.
  • The judges' decision is final. Judges will use these criteria to evaluate talks.

IMPORTANT: Finalists will be required to submit the final, single slide they intend to use in their live presentation by a designated deadline (TBD) in September, so that they may be compiled for the event. Postdocs will also be invited to choose a short clip of "walk-up music" which will be played for a few seconds as they are taking the stage to speak. 

Prizes

The 1st prize winner will receive $4,000; the 2nd prize winner will receive $2,000; the 3rd prize winner will receive $1,000; the people's choice awardee will receive $750. (Winnings may be taxable.) Live event finalists who do not win a cash prize will each receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

Additionally, each eligible postdoc who enters the contest by submitting a video presentation that meets the guidelines and addresses the basic contest criteria, will receive a $50 Amazon gift card (to be distributed in August 2024).

Videotaping of Live Event

The September 18 Postdoc Slam live event will be photographed as well as live-streamed and videotaped. By entering the contest, you agree to allow the UCSF Graduate Division to use the resulting photographs and/or video, which may include your image or presentation, in publicity and documentation surrounding the contest and/or in other contexts, such as websites, promotional materials, etc. (The initial video entries will not be shared with anyone except the screening judges without your express, written permission.)

The Graduate Division reserves the right to cancel this contest if fewer than 20 entries are received.