Competitors in Semifinal Round 3 enjoy a laugh as they take questions from the audience. Credit: Patricia Marroquin
The 2015 Grad Slam Semifinal Round 3 was held on Wednesday afternoon in the Engineering Science Building. Eight competitors came, only four moved on to the finals. Be sure to read to the very end for an exciting twist in this Semifinal round!
Presenting in Semifinal Round 3 were, clockwise from left, Mary Toothman, Ashley Sanford, and Jamie Booth. Credit: Patricia MarroquinHere are the noble contenders and their provocative topics.
- Jamie Booth, Mechanical Engineering: “Gecko-Inspired Adhesive Materials.” Jamie's research investigates the adhesive properties of the toes of geckos in order replicate the structure that generates intimate contact with almost any surface. Jamie is working to take the insights gained from micro-scale replications of these adhesive properties and address macro-scale problems of implementation.
- Selvi Ersoy, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology: “Killing Me Softly with Antibiotics.” Selvi's presentation showcased the problems with current protocols in antibiotic efficacy testing. She compared lab test environments (in which antibiotics are tested in a lab broth akin to a Caesar's Palace buffet) to actual physiological environments (in which antibiotics face immunity systems that rival the tenacity of Mr. T) in order to show that scientists have been determining antibiotic dosing all wrong.
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Graduate Division Associate Dean Karen Myers goes over procedures with the Semifinal Round 3 judges, who include Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, foreground. Credit: Patricia MarroquinMatthew Gebbie, Materials: “Simplifying Nature's Invention: Engineering Mussel Proteins into Biomedical Glues." Matthew's research takes inspiration from the way that mussels adhere to surfaces in aqueous environments as the basis for developing simplified versions of these adhesives in order to produce more positive and less traumatic outcomes in orthopedic surgery.- Daniel Hieber, Linguistics: “Renaissance on the Bayou: Reviving the Chitimacha Language.” Daniel is working with language documentation material recorded over 70 years ago in order to revive the Chitimacha language in Louisiana.
- Celeste Pilegard, Psychological and Brain Sciences: “What Can We Learn From Video Games?” Celeste's research is investigating how to transform highly motivated types of learning in video game environments into long-lasting and meaningful learning using reflective techniques.
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Associate Dean Karen Myers congratulates Selvi Ersoy. Credit: Patricia MarroquinAshley Sanford, Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology: “The Science of Meaning-Making.” Ashley's talk presented the other side of the post-traumatic stress coin: post-traumatic growth. She is researching how people make sense of traumatic experiences and are ultimately able to grow and learn from those experiences.- Erik Spickard, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology: “Gonads to Guts: Reprogramming an Organ in the Nematode C. elegans.” Erik is trying to figure out why a little worm's gonad turned into a second gut when a particular gene was turned on in the worm. He believes that this process of changing one organ into another (or "transorganogenesis") could revolutionize the way that doctors treat failing or dysfunctional organs in humans.
- Mary Toothman, Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology: “In the Water or in the Genes? What Makes an Infectious Disease Deadly (or Not)?" Mary's research investigates the influence of both genetics and physical environments in determining the fatality of a particular type of fungus in frogs.
After deliberating, the judges selected four presenters to compete in the Grad Slam Final Round this Friday, April 17, at 3 p.m. in Corwin Pavilion. Not only that, each of the advancing presenters gets a $200 cash prize!
And the Semifinal Round 3 winners are ...
Selvi Ersoy
Matthew Gebbie
Erik Spickard
Celeste Pilegard*
Well done to all!
Shawn's Superlatives:
Erik Spickard explains "transorganogenesis." Credit: Patricia MarroquinBest Accent: Jamie Booth
Best Grey's Anatomy Moment: Matthew Gebbie (showing an orthoscopic image from his own shoulder surgery)
Best Use of a Foreign Language: Daniel Hieber (Chitimacha)
Best Marrying of Nature and Nurture: Mary Toothman
Most Optimistic: Celeste Pilegard ("Video games might have a place in the classroom of the future!")
Most Inspirational: Ashley Sanford ("The tree with the deepest roots is the last to go down in a storm.")
Most Imperative: Selvi Ersoy ("What you don't know CAN kill you.")
Daniel Hieber was chosen to advance to the Final round when Celeste Pilegard withdrew due to a previous commitment. Credit: Patricia MarroquinLongest Word: Eric Spickard ("Transorganogenesis")
* Plot Twist!
Due to a previous commitment to present her research at a conference this Friday, Celeste Pilegard withdrew from participation in the Grad Slam Final Round. As a result, the competitor with the next-highest score from both of the judges' semifinal rounds (which occurred Monday and today) was selected to replace Celeste in the Finals.
And that competitor is ...
Daniel Hieber!
The winners of Semifinal Round 3 are, from left, Matthew Gebbie (Materials); Celeste Pilegard (Psychological and Brain Sciences); Selvi Ersoy (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology); and Erik Spickard (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology). Celeste is unable to advance to the Finals due to a previous commitment, so Daniel Hieber (Linguistics) will join Selvi, Matthew, and Erik at the Finals on Friday. Credit: Patricia Marroquin