Irvine, Calif. – The University of California, Irvine will host its 11th annual Grad Slam competition inside the Verano 8 Community Center on March 13th. Cie Digital Labs has been named the Second Place sponsor for this event.
Part of UCI’s Graduate Division, Grad Slam is a systemwide competition that showcases and awards the best three-minute research presentations by graduate scholars. The competition not only highlights the excellence, importance, and relevance of UCI graduate scholars and their research, but it’s also designed to increase graduate students’ communication skills.
“We’re so grateful for our continued partnership with Cie,” said Jaymi Smith, Interim Vice Provost for Graduate Education at UC Irvine. “Cie and Anderee have been dedicated partners of UCI for many years now. They align perfectly with our mission at UCI and we’re proud to have them back once again.
Cie is a venture studio that serves as an innovation lab for internally generated ideas and as an accelerator for bold entrepreneurs who want to transform disruptive ideas into thriving ventures. It will be the Second Place Sponsor of the event. In addition, founder and CEO Anderee Berengian will serve as a judge.
“I’ve been proud to work with UCI Graduate Division and this event for several years now,” said Berengian. “Having served as a judge before, I’ve been able to get a first-hand look at some of these impressive scholars and their innovative ideas through the years. I’m truly proud to support these scholars and this worthwhile event.”
With more than 20 years of experience steering corporate and product strategy, Berengian is an accomplished entrepreneur, technologist, and investor passionate about driving progress through digital innovation. At Cie, Berengian is responsible for building a world-class execution-focused team and growing Cie’s digital transformation ideas into sustainable, profitable companies.
Grad Slam winners receive cash prizes up to $6,500 and a competitive resume line.
Presentation clarity and effectiveness for a general university audience is strongly considered in the judging process.
Thank you to all our sponsors: NIWC Pacific, Leonid Capital, WISE, Pfizer, UCI Chief Executive Roundtable, UC Irvine Chancellor’s Club, UC Irvine Charlie Dunlap School of Biological Sciences, UCI Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education, UC Irvine School of Social Sciences, UC Irvine Student Housing, UCI – OC Alliance, UC Irvine Foundation, and UCI School of Social Ecology
For more information on the event, please contact Raslyn Rendon at rrendon@uci.edu.
About the University of California, Irvine
Founded in 1965, UCI is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.