UCLA psychology graduate student wins UC Grad Slam competition

University of CaliforniaLeslie Rith-Najarian examined how different marketing techniques influenced men and women to use her mental wellness tool. A UCLA psychology student claimed the Grad Slam championship, explaining in three crisp and engaging minutes how her research into depression and anxiety led to development of an online tool to help college students cope with stress.Leslie Rith-Najarian won the systemwide trophy — known as the Slammy — after edging out lightning-paced presentations on everything from building a tabletop particle accelerator to understanding how brain chemistry helps parents love their children.Rith-Najarian, who became interested in addressing mental health issues after losing two friends to suicide when she was an undergrad, said she was encouraged by winning the top prize.“A lot of time in grad school you are focusing on what needs to be improved, and you don’t spend much time thinking about why you got into this work in the first place,” Rith-Najarian said. “This reinforces for me the knowledge that this research is worth doing — that it matters.”Now in its third year, Grad Slam helps master ’s and Ph.D. students strengthen their communications chops by challenging them to present their research in three engaging, jargon-free minutes.The contest, which was livestreamed, is one of the ways that UC is helping grad students hone the skills to explain what they do — and why their work makes a difference — to the public outside...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news