Three Minute Thesis Competition 2012

On May 25, 2012, UMass Dartmouth hosted its Three Minute Thesis Competition for graduate students. Winner videos appear below.

What it is:

The Three Minute Thesis Competition is an exercise in developing academic and research communication skills. Students pursuing graduate level research degrees (PhD, Master’s by Research) have three (3) minutes in which to present a compelling oration on their thesis topic and its significance in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience.

The competition supports a common and important attribute for graduate research degree candidates – namely, the capacity to disseminate research/scholarship results via oral and written communication. The competition also:

• promotes the value of doctoral and master’s level research;
• promotes research culture and camaraderie throughout the university;
• offers prize money to the top three students, plus audience favorite.

The original Three Minute Thesis competition was developed in 2008 by The University of Queensland, Australia.

What it’s not:

The Three Minute Thesis is not an exercise in trivializing or “dumbing-down” research. Each student presentation should engage the audience without reducing research to entertainment value alone.

Rules:

• Single, static computer-projected slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations, or movement of any sort).
• No additional electronic media (e.g., sound or video files) are permitted.
• No props (e.g., costumes, instruments) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to three (3) minutes maximum. Competitors exceeding three minutes will be disqualified.

Judges:

Mr. William Mitchell, Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance
Dr. Memory Holloway, Professor – Art History (CVPA)
Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Assistant Professor – Psychology
Dr. David Manke, Assistant Professor – Chemistry and Biochemistry
Dr. Dayalan Kasilingam, Professor – Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ms. Ashley Stoehr, Graduate Student Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
Mr. Steve Urbon, Senior Correspondent New Bedford Standard Times
Organizing Committee:

Erin Bromage, Assistant Professor of Biology
Nancy Lenon-Robillard, Administrative Assistant, Graduate Studies Office

Winner videos appear below:

click here for: Three Minute Thesis Competition 2011

2012 videos:

Stephen Codyer
“BP Oil Spill: What If They Had My Accelerated Computer Simulations”
Advisor: Medhi Raessi
College of Engineering / Mechanical Engineering
First Place
Kristina Monteiro
“Impact Of A Family History Of Alcohol Problems On Health Risk Behaviors”
Advisor: C. Teal Pedlow
College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychology
Second Place

Elsa Ming Yeung
“Visual Perception and Theory of Mind in Social Birds”
Advisor: Guillermo Paz-Y-Mino
Biology
Third Place
Vijay Boominathan
Fix a Gene : Fix a Face
Advisor: Tracie Ferreira
Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology
Audience Choice Winner