Graduate researcher’s quick take on coral and resilience wins 3-minute thesis competition

7 students stepped up to the microphone for the ultimate challenge.

Graduate researcher Evan Heit (Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology) won the School of Biomedical Sciences three-minute thesis (3MT) competition today, advancing to the Faculty Final.

Seven students from three departments stepped up to the microphone to communicate their research in under three minutes with no notes and no props. Evan Heit claimed top honours with his look at resilience and how what doesn’t kill marine corals makes them stronger.

Runner up, Tilly Doran (Department of Microbiology and Immunology) evoked images of hot and cold dials to show how the immune system can better fight melanoma.

Sathya Muthusamy (Department of Microbiology and Immunology) won the audience vote with her true crime scene inside the gut, describing how Cryogenic Electron Tomography could identify suspects in the development of colorectal cancer.

An expert panel of judges – Associate Professor Vicki Lawson (DMI), Associate Professor Ashraful Haque (DMI, Dr Christine Keenan (DBP), Associate Professor David Stroud (DBP) and Professor Erica Fletcher (DAP) – ranked competitors based on comprehension, content, engagement and communication.

“Share your research with pride,” Assoc Prof Lawson told the field. “This is an amazing opportunity to communicate in clear, concise and engaging ways.”

The 3MT competition was developed by The University of Queensland in 2008 and has now expanded to over 900 universities in more than 80 countries. Contestants this year again showcased the diversity of SBS research, including how the brain controls heart function, the gut’s immune memory and why fast tuberculosis diagnosis matters.

Salma Farook, who won the school competition last year and went on to win the University Final, was on hand to congratulate the presenters. This year, the Faculty Final will be held 5 August, with the top three faculty finalists progressing the University Final on 7 September at Melbourne Connect.