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An 80,000 word PhD thesis would take 9 hours to present. Your time limit... 3 minutes.
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition developed by the University of Queensland (UQ) to celebrate the exciting research conducted by Doctor of Philosophy candidates. The competition cultivates academic, presentation, and research communication skills by challenging candidates to effectively explain their research within three minutes and in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Competitors are allowed one PowerPoint slide, but no other resources or props.
Since 2011 the popularity of the competition has increased and 3MT competitions are now held in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide. ACU participates each year, with our winner going on to represent us at the 3MT Asia-Pacific finals.
Meet our 2024 finalists below and cast your vote for the People's Choice Award.
School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Paramedicine
Faculty of Health Sciences
My name is Chanchal Kurup, and I come from the beautiful state of Kerala, India. Nursing has been my passion and profession for as long as I can remember. In 2011, I made the life-changing decision to immigrate to Australia, fully expecting to continue my work as a neonatal nurse without interruption. However, I soon discovered that while the fundamentals of anatomy are universal, nursing practice varied significantly in this new environment. This realisation was both challenging and enlightening, sparking my research journey. It drove me to explore and dismantle the barriers that complicate nursing across borders.
Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre
Faculty of Health Sciences
Shayini is a psychologist with extensive experience in NHS primary healthcare in the UK, specialising in addictions and mental health. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience and Addiction at Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. Her research examines the long-term neurodevelopmental impacts of childhood adversities and early alcohol exposure on youth brain development, utilising data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) and the Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS). Shayini is supervised by Associate Professor Michael Cole, Professor Daryl Higgins, and Professor Sarah Whittle.
Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Joey McCollum grew up and did his undergraduate studies in New England, the northeastern part of the United States famed for its autumn foliage. After dual-majoring in mathematics and creative writing, he traded in the leaves for more humane winters and moved south, where he worked in software engineering for ten years. During this time, he learned New Testament Greek from his pastor. His interest in exegesis and his love of computer science led him to textual criticism, where both disciplines could cooperate. For his PhD research, he is applying their combined forces to reconstruct the textual history of Ephesians.
School of Allied Health
Faculty of Health Sciences
I am a dedicated mum and occupational therapist with first-class honours in occupational therapy. I have received executive dean's list awards and am a proud member of 'The Golden Key' for high academic achievement. I also hold an associate degree in dance, which reflects my diverse interests and background. My research interests include consumer involvement, evaluation, neurological conditions and dance.
Peter Faber Business School
Faculty of Law and Business
I am a PhD candidate developing AI algorithms for IoT sensor data analytics across domains such as smart cities, smart buildings, and smart agriculture. With a background in computer science and software industry experience, I have also researched computer vision for medical image analysis, focusing on early diagnosis of diseases like breast cancer and Alzheimer's. My interest in how the human brain works inspires me to read neuroscience books on decision-making processes. In my free time, I enjoy drawing cartoons and illustrations just for fun.
Thomas More Law School
Faculty of Law and Business
Peter's first law degree from Melbourne in 1963, was followed by his marriage to Carol and practise as a solicitor for several years before taking the family to Nauru, where they lived for three years. Peter held senior positions as an in-house lawyer for WMC, HC Sleigh, and the SECV, and as Legislative Counsel for Norfolk Island. From 1970 he had continued involvement with Nauru, with many trips to the Island and several appointments as Republic Counsel. Peter's close contact with the Island of Nauru and its people prompted his decision to investigate the relationship between the Island's officialdom and the rule of law.
Voting for the 2024 ACU People's Choice Award is now open, with the winner receiving a prize of $1,000.
Vote now