For the 2026–27 academic year, we would like to offer greater flexibility. To make presenting more accessible and to allow more students to participate, speakers giving Standard or “What is…?” talks may request either a 45-minute or 20-minute slot. Please choose the length that best suits the scope of your topic and let the organizers know when signing up.
Research talk (20 or 45 min)
Present your own research with/or without results.
You can also use this to practice for an upcoming conference presentation
"What is...?" talks (20 or 45 min).
Give an introductory speech on any topic (not necessarily your own work). Example talks are detailed here.
or give a survey of research areas. This is especially helpful for early-year PhD students who are learning about research in our department.
Please scope your presentation to the graduate student audience. Speakers should practice the talk they are about to give at a conference. But please remember that the audience are fellow graduate students, many without the speaker's domain knowledge. We ask speakers to create an abridged talk for the benefit of the audience.
Keep talks within the time given.
Priority sign-ups. Some priority for presentation slots will be given to those who have not presented before and/or upper-year students.
Optionally, we upload presentation slides so that attendees can revisit them. Sharing your slides is not necessary. (Please know that this website is public, so use caution on what you are willing and not willing to put online! For example, your research is not yet uploaded to arXiv or published.)