CSU Grad Slam: Finalist

Jennifer Krebsbach hits a Grand Slam as CSU Sacramento’s finalist in the

College of Education student, Jennifer Krebsbach, is on her way to a fantastic finale, completing her MA in Behavior Science, Gender Equity Studies degree, and representing the University on Thursday, May 6 at the CSU wide Grad Slam competition.

On April 20, Krebsbach and others from across Sacramento State competed in an event known as the CSU Grad Slam, a take on the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), to celebrate the exciting research conducted by graduate students. Krebsbach won the top slot with her presentation entitled: Participation by Women in Behavior Analytic Journals. She now moves on to the CSU wide competition next month.

When asked why she got involved in the CSU Grad Slam competition, Krebsbach stated, “I wanted the chance to share my research with a larger audience, but also challenge myself to do it effectively in three minutes.”

Graduating this May, Jennifer Krebsbach has worked in the field of applied behavior analysis for more than 15 years and saw a lot of inequity in leadership and prestigious positions. She pursued her current line of research, because she felt it was important to shine a light on what inequity looks like, so as a group we can come together to find solutions.

Jennifer hopes that people take away from her presentation that the topic is important to larger groups, not just those in her specific applied behavioral analysis field. She hopes that students see that the time and passion they put into their research can really pay off, and hopefully inspires others to participate in years to come.

As her research unfolds, she plans to expand the study to other female-dominated fields (such as nursing and education), taking a deeper look into the editorial review process and the other two aspects of the tenure trifecta (student evaluations and service to the university). Her research ambitions have grown over the course of her study and she now has a list of dozens of potential research topics. She doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon.

She notes she has been very fortunate to have so many faculty members who are genuinely interested in their student’s research and supporting them through the process. Several faculty members have met with her, giving advice, support, and suggestions to help take her academic career to the next level. Jennifer says, “I feel like part of the family here, and the College of Education is the reason for it.”

So how do you practice for a three-minute thesis competition? According to Jennifer, you record yourself, many times. Then watch, take notes, and try again. She says she feels more prepared now to talk about her research in interviews for PhD programs and future jobs, thanks to all the practice. “The more you talk about it, the better you are at engaging those you’re speaking with,” she says.

“I wanted the chance to share my research with a larger audience, but also challenge myself to do it effectively in three minutes.”

~ Jennifer Krebsbach