Three minute thesis final winners

Thursday, 21 July 2016

The Three Minute Thesis final was held at the University of Newcastle (UON) on Wednesday 20 July.

Three minute thesis final winners

15 finalists had battled through the faculty heats to make it to the fiercely competitive final.

The finalists had just three minutes to capture an audience’s attention and explain their thesis. In front of a capacity audience, and led by Master of Ceremonies Professor Lucy Johnston, Dean of Graduate Studies, the finalists informed and inspired the crowd.

Topics ranged from Aboriginal knowledge and its links to social justice and mathematics to self-driving cars and Council regulation of festivals, concerts and markets.

Using a combination of slides, dramatic techniques and technical wizardry, years-worth of data, research and analysis were condensed into 180 seconds by these talented Higher Degree Research students.

The judge’s deliberations were extensive, but the winners were finally presented by Associate Professor Kevin Hall, Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice President - Global Engagement and Partnerships.

The winners were
Chloe Goldsmith took out first place with her fascinating insight into a potential pancreatic cancer treatment. Noting that around half of cancer treatments are taken from nature, Chloe has been examining the potential of Oleuropein, an olive leaf biophenol with anti-pancreatic cancer activity.

Chloe received $5000 for research-related expenses and a fully-paid trip with her supervisor  to attend the Asia-Pacific 3MT competition at the University of Queensland on 30 September 2016.

The Runner-up was Lucy Bryant who received $2000 for research-related expenses. Lucy’s 3 minutes were spent exploring aphasia, a condition where people are lost for words.

Third prize was won by Mieko Omura who received $1000 for research-related expenses. Mieko examined what happens when silence is NOT golden – and when a lack of assertiveness by nurses can lead to a patient’s death.

Master of Philosophy/Pre-Confirmation Candidates
The winner of this division was Anne Hermann who won $2000 for research-related expenses and also took out the people’s choice prize of a $150 Co-Op Bookshop gift voucher. Anne spoke about the importance of cancer patients feeling supported to make informed decisions.

The UON 3MT final 15 were

  • Anne Herrmann: Decision Support in Healthcare. How can we help someone like Mary?
  • Sinead Francis-Coan: Exploring Land Use Conflict
  • Hao Qin: Risk Assessment and Mitigation for Australian Housing under Extreme Winds
  • Amber Hughes: Aboriginal knowledges, Social justice and mathematics: Exploring the realms of possibility
  • Rahul Thakur: Edible films and coatings for improving postharvest quality of horticulture produce
  • Asif Shah: Storm Time Energetic Particles and Satellites
  • Angelica Quatela: Is regular breakfast cereal consumption an effective strategy to prevent diabetes?
  • Haleh Allameh Haery: Perlite-based foam composites
  • Clare Weeks: Illness narratives: experiencing and expressing body and self
  • Chloe Goldsmith: Oleuropein, an olive leaf biophenol with anti-pancreatic cancer activity
  • Joel Ferguson: Control of self-driving cars
  • Kylee Brand: Corporate Governance and the Extent and Quality of Corporate Internet Disclosures
  • Mieko Omura: Is silence golden?
  • Garry O’Dell: What, Which, Whose My Rules? Local Council Regulation of Festivals, Concerts and Markets
  • Lucy Bryant: Lost for worlds… A problem in isolation.

The first 3MT competition was held at the University of Queensland in 2008, with 180 Research Higher Degree student competing. UON has been participating in this competition which has spread nationally and to New Zealand, since 2010.

The event is now held in over 350 universities across more than 18 countries worldwide.

Meet last year’s winners.
Immerse yourself in 3MT on our YouTube Channel.

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