USM’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®) Features Outstanding Students
Thu, 11/07/2024 - 10:30am | By: Shaadi Shoubaki
Alyssa Shaw, a doctoral candidate in Polymer Science and Engineering, captured the Grand Champion award during The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) annual Three-Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®) held November 1 at the Hattiesburg campus.
Shaw won $1,000 for her entry: “Doped Polymer Thin Films: A Pathway to Tune Properties for Flexible Electronics.”
The runner-up award and $750 cash prize went to Amy Coronado, a doctoral candidate in Polymer Science and Engineering for her entry: “Heat is the Key: Unlocking Dynamic Bonds for Animate Polymer Network Materials.”
Madeline Klubertanz, a master’s candidate in Kinesiology (Exercise Science), took home the People’s Choice Award for her entry: “How Cushion and Support Could Save Us Millions.”
“The Three Minute Thesis Competition is the premier fall event of the Graduate School,” said Dr. Katie Anthony, USM Graduate School dean. “We were thrilled to have many excellent students representing their graduate programs and our institution so well.”
More than two dozen USM graduate students competed in this year’s event. As part of the competition, participants are required to explain their thesis or dissertation in a three-minute presentation; effectively communicating the complexity of their topic and research to a non-academic audience.
Other finalists in the competition included:
- Matt Martin – Communication, Ph.D., “Image Identity Exchange”
- Michael Oeth – Biological Sciences, M.S., “Understanding the Stressed Immune System of the European Honeybee (Apis Mellifera) Via Immunosuppressants”
- Godspower Okeke – Biological Sciences, Ph.D., “Tracking NIPP1: How a Tiny Protein Shapes the Fate of Mouse Eggs”
- Alexa Tringali – Experimental Psychology, Ph.D., “Remember It Right: Analyzing False Memories for Word List Items and Source Details”
- Brittany Garza – School Psychology, Ph.D., “Social Sprouts: A Play-Based Packaged Intervention”
“We are so proud of all of our 3MT® competitors, and we look forward to cheering on Alyssa Shaw, our grand champion, as she competes at the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools in March against the winners from other institutions across the southeast,” said Anthony.