The University of Delaware Graduate College invites all UD graduate students and postdocs to submit proposals to present short talks on their research at the spring 2025 Spark! Symposium. The deadline to submit these proposals is Feb. 24 at 11:59 p.m.

The next Spark! Symposium will take place on April 9 from 4-7 p.m. at the Audion on UD’s Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus. This event is designed to showcase graduate students and postdoctoral trainees who can communicate their research to the general public in effective and engaging ways. Submitting a compelling proposal is key to becoming a successful Spark! presenter.

In evaluating talk submissions, the selection committee looks for clear and jargon-free answers to these critical questions:

• What is the core research question?
• Why should we pay attention to this research?
• How does this research help address challenging problems?

A Spark! proposal should be between 250-400 words, with a focus on telling a compelling story rather than providing excessive data and details.

Selected presenters will have the opportunity to network with peers, faculty and industry professionals, gaining valuable feedback and potential collaborations.

Additional information, proposal writing resources and the link for proposal submission can be found on the Spark! Symposium web page.

Questions? Please contact gradsuccess@udel.edu.