Three Minute Thesis Challenges Graduate Students to Explain Complex Research to the General Public
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04/11/2025
By Ed Brennen
In the time it takes to toast a slice of bread, biomedical engineering and biotechnology Ph.D. candidate Edidiong Etim explained years鈥� worth of research on why cryolipolysis, a nonsurgical procedure that uses suction and cold temperature to reduce fat deposits in certain areas of the body, works better for some people than others.
Speaking to a panel of judges at 51视频鈥檚 inaugural Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, Etim had to summarize her work in just 180 seconds 鈥� and not a second more.
鈥淭he hardest part was making it simple to understand and deciding exactly what to talk about while still giving the big picture of what I actually do,鈥� said Etim, who edged out 12 other doctoral students from across the university to win the competition, held recently at Coburn Hall.
Besides earning a $750 first prize, a of Etim鈥檚 presentation will be submitted to the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools鈥� virtual regional event, slated for April 25. The top two finishers there will move on to the Council of Graduate Schools national competition.
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Started at the University of Queensland in Australia in 2008, 3MT is an international program designed to help graduate students explain their research in a succinct and compelling way to general audiences. 3MT competitions are now held at over 900 universities in more than 85 countries worldwide. It was introduced at UML this year by Sarah Merrill, a new assistant professor of psychology.
鈥淧articipating in the program provides grad students with training and an opportunity to share their research, practice their public speaking skills and win prizes,鈥� said Partha Chowdhury, head of UML鈥檚 School of Graduate Studies.
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鈥淭his was good practice for my dissertation,鈥� said Madden, a Connecticut native who tried not to look at the timer on the judges鈥� table while giving her talk. 鈥淚 did toward the end, because the time gets shorter and shorter. You have to use those three minutes wisely.鈥�
Environmental engineering doctoral student Nerissa Molejon took third place, and $250, for her talk on 鈥淓arly Detection of Aquaculture Pathogens Using Acoustic Wave Sensors.鈥�
Students participating in the program received coaching and guidance from faculty and staff before a preliminary-round competition. The program is a collaboration between the School of Graduate Studies, the Graduate Student Association and the offices of Research Development and Student Life and Involvement.
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鈥淚've come from two R1 institutions in my past, Cornell and Northeastern, and the students here can measure up to them and then some,鈥� said Holloway.
She was joined at the judges table by Andy Harris, professor and associate dean for research and graduate programs in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Jeff Basara, professor and chair of the Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences department; Steve Tello, an associate professor in the Manning School of Business; and Moumita Biswas, a doctoral student in chemistry.
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鈥淣ot everyone is an academic, so you should be able to explain your work in very basic terms that people can comprehend,鈥� said Sholademi, who presented his research on 鈥淯nderstanding Female Radicalization in the United States.鈥�
Three days before competing in the Three Minute Thesis challenge, Kanan Asif, a doctoral student of entrepreneurship, presented his work on entrepreneurial persistence at the Student Research and Community Engagement Symposium at University Crossing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great that 51视频 provides these opportunities to reflect and summarize our research in a way that can be understood by people outside the field,鈥� Asif said. 鈥淯ltimately, the goal of research is application, and if we are not communicating it properly, we are limiting the chances of that application.鈥�