Graduate students are on the forefront of the research.
Even though we have the word "student" in our title,
we're doing real things.
We're doing real research that is very relevant.
I'm helping and supporting the next cutting edge to develop.
And that's what graduate work actually is.
To be able to bring their passions to life, both
within the laboratory, but also outside the laboratory
and share that with the community is really important.
Every day our graduate students are making new discoveries,
building on knowledge, and inspiring undergraduates
in the classroom.
Today we're celebrating the power of their ideas.
Doing Research Matters was an amazing experience.
The power of doing research, but also presenting research.
It was really important for me to think about my research
in a broader context.
The chance to really think at a new level
about what your research is and why it's important.
The Research Matters Program was an opportunity
for students to give their research significance
in a public way to a lay audience
through direction and mentorship.
The idea of giving a select group of grad students
the opportunity to speak to their research
and also to the passion that goes into it.
[APPLAUSE]
When I got nominated, first I wondered like who nominated me?
Wow.
I was excited to be able to participate in something
that was Ted style.
That was oriented specifically toward grad students.
Jessica Tabak is a Ph.D. candidate
in the English department.
When I heard my name and I stepped out on stage
it was kind of scary.
In the back room, those are the most nerve wracking moments
because you don't exactly know what to expect.
I sat there in the green room feeling fine,
feeling like this is a really nice event to be part of.
And then the door swung open and I think my heart hit my chin
or there abouts.
You know I felt my heart sort of go into my throat.
There was this split second where I thought,
oh my gosh, what am I doing?
And then about two sentences in I was fine.
As soon as I went up on stage, it was gone.
In this dreamlike autopilot state.
My autopilot just took over.
And then you feel really, really good.
It's kind of like an endorphin high.
One of the best things about Research Matters
was meeting students in other fields.
We all gave each other constant positive reinforcement.
It was a very neutral and supportive community.
Steve is a Ph.D. Candidate.
I learned a lot about stage presence
throughout this program.
It's really interesting watching yourself on tape.
Seeing yourself so small on such a big stage.
Most importantly--
What is the most effective way of explaining a topic,
being able to become proficient at this skill
is an opportunity that I think everyone should try to seek.
I think it's a challenge because we're trained and ingrained so
much to be so specific.
It made me understand my research better
and it made me better understand why it is that I'm doing it.
The initial video that I made for Research Matters and then
the subsequent refinements of that video, significantly
affected how I ended up writing my dissertation this year.
We really are going to have to be proficient at communication.
It doesn't matter what it is you do.
Your immune systems, over time, have developed really cool ways
at generally dealing with pathogens.
That was the idea, to give the talk in a way Mom
could understand.
The Research Matters video has been extremely useful for me
professionally.
Having the video clip then afterwards,
which I featured on my website.
I put it on my LinkedIn profile.
I've mentioned it in all my cover letters.
Interviewers are actually finding this video online.
Star Trek is wrong.
Neuroscience is the final frontier.
My advice for everyone as they begin to prep their audition
video is don't be bashful.
If you're afraid of public speaking and you get nominated,
you should go for it.
If the idea of bringing your research
from its fullness and its thick detail down into a kernel,
if that sounds intimidating, I'd say do it anyway.
I would tell students who are not
necessarily comfortable with speaking
that this is the perfect way to get comfortable with it.
It was a really empowering experience.
It's really been a great experience.
It's fun.
Research Matters was absolutely fun.
It was very, very cool.
The only other thing I would say, I guess,
is that I really hope Brown continues
to run Research Matters.