Schedule

Our team will be ready to assist with your registration, provide conference materials, and answer any queries.

The 2025 GEG Symposium Welcome, daily overview and lunch followed by remarks from Rickey Hall, Vice President of the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity and University Diversity Officer.

Our opening Keynote Speaker, Professor Alexes Harris, kicks off the first day of the Gabriel E. Gallardo Research, Student Leadership & Advocacy Symposium!

Keynote Talks

Talk to graduate program recruiters from both the UW and nationally who are promoting programs across disciplines, from STEM to Social Sciences to Humanities! Recruiters will have information on a broad scope of opportunities: in addition to Ph.D. and Master's programs, there will also be information about graduate school funding, undergraduate summer research, post-bacc training, and more! Take a look at the Grad Fair page on our website to find out which programs and institutions will be at this year's GEG Symposium Graduate School Fair!

Social & Networking Events
Committed to Research & Graduate School
Exploring Research & Graduate School

Deciding to pursue a professional or graduate degree in the biosciences is difficult. Students often ask: Why would I chose to pursue additional education and training after my undergraduate experience? For students interested in translational careers in biomedicine, there are additional considerations: Should I pursue a MD, a PhD, or a combined MD-PhD degree (and what is an MD-PhD!)? In this session, we’ll explore each of these educational and career paths, highlighting differences between the various educational options, the pros and cons of each path, and general advice for preparation for a future in the clinic, at the research bench, or both.

Committed to Research & Graduate School

Learn from the UW Office of Undergraduate Research about how you get involved with research, what research can look like (it doesn't have to be lab or field work!), and why you might want to do research as an undergraduate. It can be intimidating to start searching for and applying to research opportunities, but this workshop will break it down where to start, who to talk to, and what steps you can take either at the UW or at your home institution to try to find research opportunities that are a good match for you, your skills, and your goals. Regardless of experience, everyone who has an interest in conducting research can get involved - so come to this session and see if undergraduate research is for you!

Exploring Research & Graduate School

Mental health is critical, especially when you're a college or graduate student during this time. Find out in this workshop how to take care of your mental health, both inside and out of academic spaces. We’ll do experiential activities (grounding, meditation) and go over "self/community care" for life, research, and work you do (especially social justice work!).

Committed to Research & Graduate School
Exploring Research & Graduate School
Leadership & Advocacy

Grad school doesn't have to mean enormous debt! In this session, learn about fellowships that can support you in extending your studies/research/other work internationally as well as through graduate education. Robin from the UW Office of Merit Scholarships & Awards and our panel of fellowship awardees (NSF-GRFP, Fulbright, GEM, P.D. Soros) are here to answer your fellowship questions and demystify the application process! Panel Moderator: Robin Chang, Director, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards, University of Washington

Committed to Research & Graduate School

The Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (PNASH) conducts research and promotes best safety and health practices for Northwest producers, workers, and communities in farming, fishing, and forestry. Hear about the nature of our research, goals, and ways of helping the community, specifically how to involve community and set community-driven goals in the research.

Leadership & Advocacy

Professors can become your strongest advocates and mentors, but approaching them—either online or in person—may feel uncomfortable for you. Have you thought about what you might say to your professor if you need to miss a class or if you can’t turn in an assignment on time? What if you find their class boring? Or you feel like a grade you received is lower than it should be? If you want to participate in a workshop that helps you learn about communicating with your professors in ways that will encourage them to respond positively to you, this workshop is right for you.

Exploring Research & Graduate School

Despite their importance in shaping mentees' experiences, careers, etc., good research mentors are not a given. In this workshop, we will explore ways you can leverage institutional support and networks to create an academic experience that allows you to thrive and be successful. We will also cover strategies that you as a mentee can take to be more active participants in your mentoring relationships, and get the most out of your mentorship!

Committed to Research & Graduate School

Going to grad school doesn't have to be a direct path from undergrad. There's gap years, post-bacc programs, or getting a master's degree as a stepping stone to the next professional degree. In this session, hear from our panelists in their early career stages about the diverse paths they took post undergrad. Moderator : Daniela Acuña, M.Ed. Education Services Recruiter, Amergis Health Staffing

Exploring Research & Graduate School

Join us for this interactive faculty panel session where faculty will share their journeys into research, experiences in academia, any challenges/difficulties faced, and what it's like to balance teaching and research. The faculty panel can also answer questions about graduate school mentorships, how to get paid (fellowships, stipends, TAships), the application selection process, what does success in graduate school look like, and more! Moderator : Teri Ward, Director of UW Health Sciences Center Minority Students Program, and UW LSAMP Program

Committed to Research & Graduate School

Students are often underestimated because of their positionality within power structures, and yet many institutions and norms have fallen or changed in response to student-led activism. Join this panel discussion to hear from undergraduate leaders about their experiences in leadership, advocacy, and marshalling community power, and how that work aligns with their academic research and purpose. Moderator : Kam Yee, Deputy Director, Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, University of Washington.

Leadership & Advocacy

Connect with graduate students, eat pizza and play games--bowling, pool, video games, and more--with us down in the HUB Games Room!

Social & Networking Events