UH Grad Students Condense Complex Research into Three-Minute Presentations
What can graduate students accomplish in just three minutes?
They can quickly respond to a professor’s email, review class notes or even make a cup of coffee. For 12 University of Houston students, though, three minutes was just enough time to present their research.
During UH’s annual Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition on Nov. 21, a dozen Coogs delivered succinct yet detailed research presentations using only a single slide. Presented by UH’s Graduate School, the event provides students with a unique opportunity to further develop their talents as communicators, presenters and scholars.
Preliminary rounds were conducted during the fall semester, and 12 exemplary presenters emerged as finalists. These Coogs took the stage of the Student Center Theater before an engaged audience of peers and professors.
A panel of judges included Summer Chavez, director of medical student research at the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine; Jacinta Conrad, Frank M. Tiller Professor in the Cullen College of Engineering; Jason Eriksen, assistant dean for graduate programs in the College of Pharmacy; and Dania Amaranth, doctoral psychology student and the 2024 3MT winner.
They had the challenging job of identifying the top three finalists. Audience members also had a vote in the proceeding and were tasked with selecting a People’s Choice winner.
Following the final presentation, judges began evaluating the students’ work while event coordinators tabulated the audience’s vote. When all was said and done, the winners were announced as follows:
1st place ($1,000): Radhika Sunil Menon, chemical and biomolecular engineering — “Same Sequence, Different Stories: Understanding the Alzheimer’s Spectrum”
2nd place ($750): Sana Sharif, pharmaceutical sciences — “Nano Particles: A Smarter Way to Fight Breast Cancer”
3rd place ($500): Ryan Boyce, physics — “Fighting Cancer with Heavy Sugar”
People’s Choice ($400): Anna Snyder, psychology — “Journey to the Past to Create the Future”
Radhika Sunil Menon
Radhika Sunil Menon
Sana Sharif
Sana Sharif
Ryan Boyce
Ryan Boyce
Anna Snyder
Anna Snyder
All other finalists also walked away as winners. Each received $250 for their efforts.
Following her win, Menon said she will continue developing her research on Alzheimer’s disease. She is confident her work can have far-reaching implications for people around the world.
Her fellow competitors applauded her winning efforts and offered insight into how 3MT enhanced their academic experiences at UH.
Runner-up Sharif said she was inspired to participate in 3MT based on her interest in TED presentations. While the competition bolstered her communication skills, it also reinforced her enthusiasm for conducting research.
“This experience has reminded me of my passion for research and why I chose this path in the first place,” Sharif said. “I feel truly humbled and grateful for this recognition. I am also grateful to my supervisor, colleagues and family who supported me throughout this competition.”
Snyder also expressed gratitude for her 3MT experience and was particularly glad to have condensed her research for a general audience.
“One of my career goals is to help personality psychologists better communicate with the public,” said Snyder, the People’s Choice winner. “Participating in this event was helpful to understand the challenges of doing this type of work, and I now have a valuable experience that I can share with others.”
This is UH's eighth edition of 3MT but the concept dates back to 2010 when it debuted at the University of Queensland in Australia. Since its inception, 3MT has become a tradition at more than 900 institutions worldwide.
A complete history of UH’s 3MT competitions and lists of past winners are available online, and this year’s event is available for viewing.
“The 3MT competition is an opportunity for graduate students to enhance their ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely,” said UH Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School Sarah Larsen. “By distilling their research into a compelling three-minute presentation, students not only showcase their scholarship but also learn to bridge the gap between advanced research and real-world impact.”
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