Winners of Three Minute Thesis competition announced
Six graduate students competed in a Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition on March 23 at the Innovative Media Research Center in Orono.
The unique competition, developed by the University of Queensland, requires presenters to explain their research using language the general public would comprehend in three minutes. The competitors were allowed to use a single PowerPoint slide without any other resources during their presentation.
Winners of the competition were:
- Mackenzie Mazur, Ph.D. student in marine biology, “Testing regulations for the American lobster fishery in a changing Gulf of Maine,” first place, $500 and a paid trip to the annual Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools meeting in Montreal to compete in the regional 3MT competition;
- Elisabeth Kilroy, Ph.D. student in biomedical science, “Reversing the tide of muscle wasting in muscular dystrophy,” second place, $300; and
- Patrick Breeding, master’s student in biological engineering, “Fighting cancer with ‘lobstah,’” third place, $200.
Judges included Matthew Dunlap, Maine Secretary of State; Deb Neuman, president and CEO of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce; and Emma Wilson, president and CEO of Odigo.
Mazur credits the competition with her ability to explain her research and how it affects society in creative ways.
“Thanks to the 3MT competition, my family now understands what my research is all about,” she says.
The students will present their winning 3MT talks at the upcoming Business Connect event on April 17, as part of Maine Impact Week at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
Prizes were co-sponsored by the University of Maine Graduate School and the Foster Center for Student Innovation.