S&TR Oct/Nov 2025 Research SLAM! issue

Abstract

Postdoctoral research offers value to Lawrence Livermore’s scientific and technological efforts. Uplifting early-career researchers as the next generation of scientists benefits their futures and the Laboratory’s. Taking inspiration from the University of California Grad Slam, which challenges participants to explain their theses in three minutes, the Research SLAM at Livermore provides postdoctoral researchers an opportunity to share their research while honing their communication skills and preparing them for a career in collaborative science. The first spinoff of the Livermore SLAM extended the competition to all Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories in the San Francisco Bay Area. A competition among DOE national laboratories across the country has followed, spurring a nationwide appreciation for budding scientists and the art of connecting high-level science with the nonexpert.