About Us

The Graduate Student Symposium Mission

Since inception, the mission of GSS has centered on four tenets: (1) to provide graduate students a platform to publicly present their research in an atmosphere which is (2) entirely organized by graduate students, (3) composed primarily of peers and (4) affordable (when possible, free) for registrants, attendees, and presenters. Further, GSS is a uniquely low-stress symposium aimed at allowing graduate students to perfect public presentation and networking skills. As a result, there are countless benefits for students attending, but in brief, GSS offers:

· An opportunity to present an oral presentation or poster in a low-stress environment

· Keynote lectures by prominent chemists

· Opportunities for networking with other graduate students from across the United States and Canada

· Opportunities to interact and network with keynotes one-on-one during the numerous networking breaks, lectures, presentation sessions, and special events

The Graduate Student Symposium Legacy

Considered to be the longest running event of its kind, for nearly 40 years GSS has proven to be a vital resource for graduate students developing their nascent careers in chemistry. Attendees from professional backgrounds and keynote speakers are often surprised by the dynamic and professional tenor of the event run at a fraction of the resources of larger technical conferences. In an Analytical Chemistry editorial piece (to the left), the late G. H. Morrison best captured this sentiment:

"Having personally observed this unique event, I urge students from other universities to participate in this or similar 'students only' research symposia. What better way to prepare for the 'real world'?"

The special preparation that GSS provides is further demonstrated by the success of past GSS organizers who have gone on to obtain careers within the field, in both industry and academia.

Reference:

Chemistry Graduate Students' Symposium

Analytical Chemistry 1987 59 (17), 999A-999A

Analytical Chemistry Editorial 1987