UNSW 3MT

3 Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition that showcases UNSW’s innovative PhD candidates, who have just 3 minutes to explain their world-changing research and why it is important.

3MT 2022 Finalists, Md Mahmudul Hasan and Merryn Baker

Congratulations to all our 2022 3MT Finalists who competed on Wednesday, 31 August at UNSW Leighton Hall.  It was an exciting night with 17 finalists presenting their research to a full audience, with topics spanning identity, positive mental health and hypersonic aircraft. 

Our three judges, internationally acclaimed Physician-Scientist Dr Sonu Bhaskar, innovator and strategist Zina Kaye, and UNSW’s Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs, had the difficult task in awarding a number of prizes on the night:

  • Overall winner – Merryn Baker, Breath Analysis for Early Disease Detection
  • Runner up – Fiona Li, The Only Thing Vaginal Laser Burns is Your Cash
  • Equal 3rd place – Ada Lee, Needle in a Haystack: The search for Affordable Cell and Gene Therapy
  • Equal 3rd place – Esta Qiu, Reclaiming Your Welfare That is Lost in Transit
  • Highly Commended – Samuel Frimpong, Promoting the Other Half: Positive Mental Health

Audience members also had the chance to vote for their preferred presentation.  The People’s Choice Award went to Junjun Muhamad Ramdani, Is Self-Reflection Enough?

A final prize was awarded by UNSW Gateway Program high school participants for the presentation that resonated best with them.  This year’s winner was Merryn Baker, awarded by students from Red Bend Catholic College, Forbes NSW.

 

For the Three Minute Thesis Competition we chose Breath Analysis for Early Disease Detection.  In this thesis, [Merryn] communicated her research in an understandable manner, had a clear statement of solution and application of how it can be applied out in the real world and had clearly presented evidence. The problem was presented in an understandable way that made it easy for us to understand and it was well presented.
– Year 12 Student, Red Bend Catholic College

Watch all 2022 UNSW 3MT Finalist presentations below:

  • Breath Analysis for Early Disease Detection
  • The Only Thing That Vaginal Laser Burns is your Cash
  • Needle in a Haystack: The Search for Affordable Cell and Gene Therapy
  • Reclaiming Your Welfare That is Lost in Transit
  • Promoting the Other Half: Positive Mental Health
  • Is Self-Reflection Enough?
  • Looking at Neurodegeneration Through the Eyes: AI-based Diagnosis
  • Needlework: Weaving a Tapestry of Feelings and Facts to Communicate Vaccine Health
  • What is Severe Health Anxiety
  • The Future of Care Work?
  • The Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus: Doing the Right Thing in the Right Place
  • Exploring Alignment Practices in Health Information Systems Implementations
  • Saving Eyes by Text
  • Modelling Panels on the Fuselage of Hypersonic Aircraft
  • Life, Liberty and Happiness for All During Retirement
  • Understanding 'Who Am I?' When You're an Australian Muslim Woman with Hearing Loss
  • Is Mandatory Quarterly Reporting Worth It? The $3 Billion Question
portrait picture of Liza Mare Syron
What an exciting time for research in Australia. So many amazing thesis projects. The passion of our researchers to provide innovative responses to societal challenges shows me that we are in the hands of competent and thoughtful future leaders.

Liza-Mare Syron

Scientia Senior Lecturer

Portrait picture of Robyn Williams
It’s always a privilege to hear tomorrow’s intellectual talent. The science is there, and so is the passion. But there is also the argument, WHY this is important! From the politics of energy to the understanding of the sense of touch, from veggies on verges, to the handling of E-waste.

Robyn Williams

Science journalist

Watch all 3MT talks here

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