April 3, 2024
At SCI, PhD students collaborate with peers and renowned faculty to conduct groundbreaking research across disciplines. On March 25, PhD students had the opportunity to present their research during the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, held at 130 N. Bellefield Ave. 20 doctoral students participated in the event, a record-breaking number of 3MT participants at SCI.
The Three Minute Thesis competition, developed by The University of Queensland, is an annual competition open to doctoral students at over 200 universities across the world. During the competition, doctoral students have a maximum of three minutes to present their thesis, using only the spoken word and one static presentation slide. 3MT helps students develop their communication skills and present their research in a compelling, accessible way.
Students presented research in computing and information across disciplines like healthcare, political science, communication, and education. Concluding the presentation, the following winners were chosen by judges and audience members, respectively:
- First place winner Maher Khan, PhD student in computer science, research in intrusion tolerance in distributed systems
- Runners-up Mohamad Elaraby, PhD student in computer science, research in natural language processing, and Alireza Javadian Sabet, PhD student in information science, research in workforce development through education
- People’s Choice winners Ahana Biswas, PhD student in information science, research in political cyber-speech, and Alireza Javadian Sabet, PhD student in information science, research in workforce development through education
Judges selected winners based on criteria like concision and clarity. Judges included:
- Mary Kay Biagini, associate professor and chair of the Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship
- Rosta Farzan, associate professor, Department of Informatics and Networked Systems, dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Balaji Palanisamy, associate professor, Department of Informatics and Networked Systems
Senior Director of Student and Academic Affairs Wesley Lipschultz hosted the competition, emphasizing the valuable impacts of 3MT on PhD students and their research.
“The Three Minute Thesis is a great way for doctoral students to build their elevator pitch,” stated Lipschultz. “This can be a particularly daunting task for these students, as the depth, breadth, and complexity of their work doesn’t necessarily lend itself to a quick explanation. That’s what makes it both fun and challenging!”
Learn more about 3MT here!
--Alyssa Morales