Quick and easy

Wright State University graduate students working on their thesis or dissertation face a common challenge — explaining complex and nuanced subject matter in simple and concise terms that novices can quickly understand.

That was the premise behind the Wright State College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies’ second annual Three Minute Thesis/Dissertation competition, or 3MT, which took place on Feb. 21 in the Student Union Endeavour Room.

“We have 11 final contenders, and each one of them presented their original research topic,” said Shu Schiller, Ph.D., interim dean of the college. “It can be very hard to do. That’s why this is such a good exercise for these students to engage in.”

The average master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation is tens of thousands of words in length and would take several hours to read aloud. Students participating in the 3MT competition were only allotted three minutes to present their research.

Robin Leann Richardson-Coy, a graduate environmental sciences student, received the first-place award and a $400 scholarship for her presentation on how the fertilization of farm fields may reduce essential fatty acids in river water webs. She will represent Wright State in the regional conference in April.

The contest was judged by an eight-person panel, which also selected a second-place and three third-place winners. Those in attendance also voted for a People’s Choice Award, which went to Aleena Alex, a graduate pharmacology and toxicology student.

The other student participants included:

• Daniel Austin Cline, College of Science and Mathematics, Environmental Sciences
• Albert Robert Young, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Suvechha Bhandari, College of Science and Mathematics, Biomedical Sciences
• Majid Dousti, College of Engineering and Computer Sciences, Computer Science
• Dilsha Samanali Wichramasinghe Wichramasinghe Mudiyanselage, College of Science and Mathematics, Environmental Sciences
• Ebrahim Ebrahimi, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering
• Sri Meghana Yerrapragada, College of Science and Mathematics, Biomedical Sciences
• Antrea Christou, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Computer Science
• Nainka Hira, College of Health, Education and Human Services, Counseling

More information on the 3MT competition is available on the graduate programs’ website.