Your Grandma, neighbor, or nephew asks you “What do you study? Why does it matter?” What would your response be in 3 minutes or less with no slides to demonstrate or explain (Props are acceptable)? ‘What we do’ and ‘how we communicate it’ does matter.

II Trainees (this challenge is open to all levels – undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral fellow) submit briefly, in 1 sentence, the lay version of what you study, to compete at the 2025 Immunology Symposium on October 23, 2025. Entries will be reviewed based on diversity of topics and we will confirm participation with selected applicants. At the Immunology Symposium, the audience will vote for the best explanation and the winner will receive $150 cash prize.

Entry form is below. Application Deadline is September 26, 2025. Selection of entries chosen to compete will be confirmed in early October.

If you do not receive a confirmation email after submission, please send your application directly to Carol Ballinger at caball@uab.edu. Thank you.