The Graduate Research Symposium (GRS) is organized for and by graduate students. Past symposiums have featured keynote speakers, the final round of the Three Minute Thesis academic research competition, podium presentations, poster presentations, career and alumni panels, and networking sessions.
11th Annual Graduate Research Symposium
Friday, April 03, 2026
For more information about this year's symposium:
- 2026 Graduate Research Symposium Program.
- 2026 Graduate Research Symposium Abstract Book.
- Watch 2026 Three Minute Thesis presentations here.
Congratulations to the 11th Annual Graduate Research Symposium Award Winners!
“Best Of” Podium Presentation Awards
- Sahiti Tamirisakandala, Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Sarah Tedesco, Biological Sciences
“Runner-Up” Podium Presentation Awards
- Carlos Eduardo Nogales Herrera, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
- Rui Li, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Master’s Poster Presentation Awards
- First Place: Ryan Rebetti, Aeronautical Engineering
- Second Place (tie): Nathan Nguyen, Aeronautical Engineering
- Second Place (tie): Md Marjanual Haque, Nuclear Engineering
- Third Place: Michael Lauver, Aeronautical Engineering
PhD Poster Presentation Awards
- First Place: Ajay Singh, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
- Second Place (tie): Gwendolyn Morgan, Cognitive Science
- Second Place (tie): Riddhesh Patil, Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Second Place (tie): Jared Viggers, Chemistry
- Third Place: Zhenyu Kang - Civil and Environmental Engineering
Three Minute Thesis Awards
- First Place: Soha Yusuf – Mechanical Engineering
- Runner Up (tie): Ismail Erbas – Biomedical Engineering
- Runner Up (tie): Shuhan Xu – Environmental Engineering
- People’s Choice: Sahiti Tamirisakandala – Chemical and Biological Engineering
Previous Symposiums
10th Annual Graduate Research Symposium
Friday, April 11, 2025
Congratulations to the 10th Annual Graduate Research Symposium Award Winners!
“Best Of” Podium Presentation Awards
- Carlos Eduardo Nogales Herrera, Chemistry
- Nikita Waskiewicz. Biomedical Engineering
Master’s Poster Presentation Awards
- First Place (tie): Adrien Neveu, Mechanical Engineering
- First Place (tie): Lauren Spaulding, Mechanical Engineering
- Second Place (tie): George Rizos, Aeronautical Engineering
- Second Place (tie): Jacob Steingart, Mechanical Engineering
- Third Place: Calvin Chan, Aeronautical Engineering
PhD Poster Presentation Awards
- First Place: Julia Danischewski, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
- Second Place (tie): Nathan Smith, Biological Sciences
- Second Place (tie): Aditi Dey Tithi, Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Third Place: M. Subbir Parvej, Mechanical Engineering
Three Minute Thesis Awards
- First Place: Rebecca Greene-Cramer, Chemistry
- Runner Up and People’s Choice: Kavita Ramnath, Chemistry
For more information about the 2025 symposium:
- 2025 Graduate Research Symposium Program
- 2025 Graduate Research Symposium Abstract Book
- Watch 2025 Three Minute Thesis presentations here.
2024 Graduate Research Symposium Program
2024 Graduate Research Symposium Abstract Book
Congratulations to the 9th Annual Graduate Research Symposium Award Winners!
“Best Of” Podium Presentation Awards
- Justin Park, Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Julia Danischewski, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
- Anshuman Thakral, Materials Science and Engineering
- Sharleen Buel, Biology
- Jeongae Kim, Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Dimitri Lopez, Computer Science
Master’s Poster Presentation Awards
- First Place: Justin Smith, Aeronautical Engineering
- Second Place (tie): Mark Haddleton, Mechanical Engineering and Dimitri Lopez, Computer Science
- Third Place (tie): Jason Gibbons, Aeronautical Engineering and Alexis Tendilla, Mechanical Engineering
PhD Poster Presentation Awards
- First Place: Manasa Chillara, Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Second Place: Julia Hubbard, Earth and Environmental Science
- Third Place: Nathan Smith, Biochemistry and Biophysics
Three Minute Thesis Awards
- First Place: Sariah Marth, Chemistry
- Runner Up: Alli Carson, Mathematics
- People's Choice (tie): John Wylie, Aeronautical Engineering and Chukwuemeka Ike, Electrical Engineering
2024 Graduate Research Symposium Highlights
- Keynote with Jonathan Dordick, Ph.D., Vice President for Strategic Alliances and Translation and Institute Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering: "Graduate School: A Highly Personal Journey into the Future"
- Three Minute Thesis Recorded Presentations"
- “The PhD: Reflections on the Past and Predictions for the Future" Panel
- Panelists:
- Thomas Begley Ph.D., Dean, Lally School of Management
- Dr. Agung Julius, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering
- Lucy T. Zhang, Associate Professor of Mechanical, Aerospace, & Nuclear Engineering
- Michael Hughes Ph.D., Director of Faculty Development (promoted to Associate Dean as of July 2024), Rensselaer at Work
- Panelists:
2023 Graduate Research Symposium Program
2023 Graduate Research Symposium Abstract Book
2023 Graduate Research Symposium Highlights
- Keynote with President Martin Schmidt '81, Ph. D.
- Three Minute Thesis Awards and Recorded Presentations
- "Normalizing Failure" Faculty Panel
- "Early Career Pathways" Panel
Podium Presentation Awards
“Best of” Podium Presentations – best of each podium group:
- Gretchen Clark, Biology
- Anshuman Thakral, Materials Science and Engineering
- Justin Park, Earth and Environmental Science
- Lucky Yerimah, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Poster Presentations Awards
PhD Posters
- First Place: Gretchen Clark, Biology
- Second Place: Patrick Landry, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
- Third Place: Lauren Gandy, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Poster Presentations Awards
Master’s Posters
- First Place (tie): Megan Beaulieu, Aeronautical Engineering
- First Place (tie): Sai Vaishnav Chadalavada, Aeronautical Engineering
- Second Place (tie): Kaleb Brown, Mechanical Engineering
- Second Place (tie): Rachel Soto-Garcia, Mechanical Engineering
- Third Place: Trenton Squires, Mechanical Engineering
