The Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium (GRADS) is the annual showcases of Mines graduate student research. This year's event will be held April 1st-3rd and will include oral presentations and poster sessions with networking, a keynote speaker, workshops, and more. This year is the 10th anniversary of GRADS, and the program will be the biggest and best one yet. And we need YOUR help!
Minimum qualifications to judge - Judges must have either earned a STEM-based graduate degree, OR have 3+ years of relevant professional work experience.
To be a judge - Review the judging timeslots and topics below, then click the "Respond" button to select the shifts you are interested in. Direct questions to the GRADS Chair, Molly O'Halloran (mohalloran@mines.edu), or Judge Coordinator, Ellie Miller (ellie_miller@mines.edu).
Judging Assignment Schedule
Wednesday, 4/1
| Time | Judging Type | Topics | Location |
| 9:00am - 11:30am | Oral Presentation |
| Mines Student Center Ballrooms |
| 1:00pm - 3:30pm | Oral Presentation |
Thursday, 4/2
| Time | Judging Type | Topics | Location |
| 9:00am - 11:30am |
Oral Presentation |
|
Mines Student Center Ballrooms |
| 1:00pm - 3:30pm |
Oral Presentation |
||
| 3:30pm - 5:30pm | Poster Session | All Topics | CoorsTek Atrium |
Friday, 4/3
| Time |
Judging Type | Topics | Location |
| 9:00am - 10:00am |
Oral Presentation |
| Mines Student Center Ballrooms |
| 10:30am - 11:30am | Oral Presentation | ||
| 12:00am - 1:00pm | Oral Presentation |
The categories to be judged are:
Fundamental, Discovery, and Molecular Sciences: Research that probes the foundational laws of nature and the building blocks of matter, and students whose work focuses on uncovering the "how" and "why" of physical, chemical, and biological phenomena at a theoretical, atomic, or molecular level.
Earth and Environmental Systems, Resources, and Subsurface Engineering: The study, management, and responsible utilization of the Earth or space and its natural resources. It brings together research involving the physical earth, from deep subsurface engineering and mineral extraction to the management of water systems and planetary science.
Energy and Mechanical Systems: The systems, forces, and infrastructure that power and move our world, with potential topics focused on energy generation, transmission, and storage, as well as the design and analysis of complex mechanical structures.
Materials, Processing, and Manufacturing Sciences: Focused on the "creation" phase of STEM, this category explores how we manipulate and transform matter into functional tools and technologies. Research in this category spans from material property analysis to industrial-scale production, including the development of new alloys, the synthesis of chemical compounds, and the optimization of manufacturing processes like 3D printing or metallurgical processing.
Computing, Data, Modeling, and Robotics: This category is designed for research where the primary innovation lies in digital logic, algorithms, and automated systems. It focuses on how we process information, simulate complex physical realities, and automate physical tasks through robotics.
Technology, Policy, Health and Human Systems: This category addresses the intersection of technical expertise with other systems, whether they be human, social, physiological, or economic. It focuses on how technology is developed and managed, how policies shape use, and how engineering and science can be applied in the world.
Judges and attendees are invited to join the GRADS happy hours on 4/2 from 5:30pm-6:30pm in CoorsTek. The link to the GRADS website is listed below. Thank you for your supporting Mines graduate students!
