Meet Fatima Hussain,
Chemistry Graduate Student and Grad Slam Finalist

Name
Fatima Hussain

​Program and Degree
Chemistry, Ph.D, 3rd year

Research Interests
Sustainable mesoporous materials for water remediation

Previous Degree(s) and College(s)
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, San Jose State University

Grad Slam Presentation Title
Responding to Oil Spills Effectively

Describe your presentation style in three words.
Enthusiastic, informative, and relatable!

What did you do to prepare for Grad Slam?
I started by going through one of my previous speech outlines to create a template of my talk. I thought of key points that I wanted to share in order to tell a complete story, and used visuals in my slide to give the audience an overview of my topic. I also watched videos of finalists from previous years and used other resources on the UC Davis Graduate Studies website. Finally, practice makes perfect!

What initially attracted you to your field of study?
I was always curious about how things work, especially how what we do can impact our environment. I pursued this passion in my undergraduate career as I researched aerosol particles in the atmosphere. In graduate school, I decided to focus on water remediation as water is essential not only for human life but for the entire ecosystem. It's shocking that 70% of the planet is covered in water but only a small fraction of it is accessible.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I love exploring: this includes traveling to different places, trying new foods, or reading a good book from the comfort of my home. I love going for boba, playing board games with my friends, and cooking new recipes and sharing them. I also enjoy participating in chemistry outreach events.

If you could invite one person (from any point in history) to sit in the audience and view your presentation at the March 13 Final Round, who would it be and why?
I would invite Katherine Johnson, the mathematician whose work at NASA facilitated the first U.S. manned spaceflight. As a minority in STEM, she is a true inspiration and I would want her to see how her efforts have fueled a new generation of passionate scientists.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself leading a group of people to solve the world's pressing issues that impact the environment and human health. I want to be able to inspire people and help them achieve their dreams through my knowledge and experience.

About Grad Slam

UC Grad Slam is an annual contest in which master’s and Ph.D. students across UC campuses – in disciplines ranging from hard sciences to humanities – compete to sum up their research for a general audience. Students should present the significance and fundamental points of their work at UC Davis in a clear, direct, and interesting manner.

Presentations should be no longer than three minutes in length and prepared for a diverse audience comprised of students, faculty, and community members. Judges will strongly consider clarity and effectiveness of the presentation by a general university audience. 

Learn more by visiting the Grad Slam webpage.

About Graduate Studies

Graduate Studies at UC Davis includes over 100 dynamic degree programs and a diverse and interactive student body from around the world. Known for our state-of-the-art research facilities, productive laboratories and progressive spirit – UC Davis offers collaborative and interdisciplinary curricula through graduate groups and designated emphasis options, bringing students and faculty of different academic disciplines together to address real-world challenges.

UC Davis graduate students and postdoctoral scholars become leaders in their fields: researchers, teachers, politicians, mentors and entrepreneurs. They go on to guide, define and impact change within our global community.

For information on Graduate Studies’ current strategic initiatives, visit the Graduate Studies strategic plan page.