Presenting your research is an important part of the work of a scientist. Preparing and delivering a scientific talk is important both to improve your presentation skills and as an opportunity to clarify your own thinking about the direction of your research and its place in the larger context of the field.
As part of the departmental degree requirements, each graduate student in their second or later year is required to present a scientific research talk at least once a year. In the third year, the presentation at the preliminary exam can count toward this requirement. In general, the requirement can be met in many ways:
If you are unsure whether you have met the requirement, discuss this with the DGS.
The annual report submitted to the committee members and the DGS should include a report on a research talk presented by the student. This should include the forum at which the talk was given, the title and an abstract or a list of topics.