3 Minute Thesis 2023 | University of Technology Sydney

UTS 3 Minute Thesis Finals for 2023

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) celebrates the exciting research conducted by Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Professional Doctorate (Research) candidates. It is an international academic competition developed by the University of Queensland to cultivate students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills.

From left to right: Drew Smith (judge), Megan Taylor with Lady (judge), Professor Helene de Burgh-Woodman (judge), Prakash Paudel (ISF), Monica Rouvellas (FASS), Atiqur Rahman Rasel (Business), Pattarasiri Rangsrikitphoti (Winner, FEIT), Law finalist, Isabelle Schaefer (Runner-up, Health), Krisel De Dios (FEIT), Claire Richards (People's Choice, Science).

This year's 3MT finals continued with an in-person event plus an online session available to audiences via Zoom. Topics ranged from conflict studies to ovarian cancer and the stock market, deep diving into palliative care in prisons, preeclampsia, osteoporosis, planned obsolescence and music practice. Our judges had the difficult decision of choosing the winner and runner-up award, while our in-person and online audience were busy voting for their People's Choice.

A very special thank you to Aaron Ngan and Stephanie Weiss from UTS Startups for all their support of our finalists that included workshops and one on one sessions.

Our 2023 judging panel featured:

Professor Hélène de Burgh-Woodman, Dean of the Graduate Research School
Megan Taylor, PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building; 2022 UTS 3MT winner
Drew Smith, Managing Director, StudioPhro, UTS graduate of the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building in 2004

The 2023 prizes were awarded to:

Pattarasiri Rangsrikitphoti
School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Presentation: The role of progesterone receptor on chemotherapy response in ovarian cancer
First prize: $3000 and representing UTS at the 2023 Asia-Pacific 3MT competition
Isabelle Schaefer
IMPACCT, Faculty of Health
Presentation: Palliative Care in NSW Prisons: the pressing need for compassionate care
Runner-up: $1000
Claire Richards
School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science
Presentation: Printing a cure for preeclampsia
People's Choice: $1000

2023 Faculty Finalists

My name is Pattarasiri, but most people call Eve. I am currently in the final year of my PhD at the School of Biomedical Engineering. I am enrolled in a dual doctorate degree program, which is an exciting collaboration between Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and the University of Technology Sydney. My research primarily explores the impact of the progesterone receptor on chemotherapy responses in ovarian cancer.

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Claire Richards is a final year PhD student in the Faculty of Science. Claire completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (UoN) prior to an Honours research project at UTS under the supervision of A/Prof Lana McClements. Claire has a passion for women's health and has been investigating a complication of pregnancy known as preeclampsia. In her PhD, she has been developing models of the placenta that researchers can use to understand unknown aspects of pregnancy and the development of preeclampsia. Claire has embraced new technologies such as bioprinting, printing with living samples, to create these cell models and test potential treatments of preeclampsia. Claire has also enjoyed using advanced microscopes at the Microbial Imaging Facility (MIF, UTS) to view her samples and the union between art and science.

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Monica Rouvellas is an entrepreneur and a multi-disciplinary academic, researcher and educator. Monica holds a Juris Doctor (UNSW), a MBA (UTS), and a Bachelor of Music (1st Class Honours)(USyd). She is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University Technology, Sydney, researching technological interventions to assist motivation and development of self-regulated learning in music practice. Monica is currently on Faculty as both lecturer and tutor at the Macquarie Business School, the Macquarie Law School, the University of Sydney Business School and the University of Technology Sydney.

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Krisel De Dios is a second year PhD student in the School of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology. She is a part of Prof Tuan V Nguyen’s Osteoporosis Research group. Krisel is deeply passionate and curious about how human health and diseases are driven by genetics. For her research, she is conducting a genome-wide association study on bone loss to uncover new genetic factors related to bone loss. Subsequently, using these genetic factors to revamp current diagnostic tools for osteoporosis and employ early intervention from birth. She hopes to translate her project’s findings into individualised care and treatment of the community, contributing to the new paradigm shift of personalised medicine.

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Prakash Paudel is a PhD researcher and a research assistant at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney. His research explores the need for an Integrated Conflict Sensitivity in Development Assistance. He has a decade-long experience in teaching and research activities in the areas of positive peace, transitional justice, criminal justice, political economy, and research governance.

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