3 Minute Thesis 2024 | University of Technology Sydney

UTS 3 Minute Thesis Finals for 2024

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: Hannah Jackson (Runner-up, Health), Krisel De Dios (FEIT), Thanh Hoang (Business), Anja Bless (ISF), Rebecca Lewis (Law), Wajiha Pervez (DAB), Minduli Withana (Winner, People's Choice, Science), Yan Chen (Business), Yuya Yanai (FASS).

This year's 3MT finals included an in-person event plus an online session via Zoom. Topics ranged from maternal healthcare, sign linguistics, accounting and auditing practices, regenerative agriculture, athleisure clothing design, First Nations framework for police discretion, osteoporosis to multiple sclerosis. 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. Thank you to Dhurata Stanaj from UTS Events, Ria Hamblett and Helen Chan from UTS Library for the event coordination needed to bring this event to life.

Our 2024 judging panel featured:

Professor Hélène de Burgh-Woodman, Dean of the Graduate Research School
Professor Jason De Santolo, Associate Dean (Indigenous Research), Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Leadership and Engagement
Isabelle Schaefer, UTS 2023 3MT Runner-up winner, Faculty of Health

The 2024 prizes were awarded to:

Minduli Withana
School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science
Presentation: Myelin mayhem: PAC1 and the road to MS recovery
First prize: $3000 and representing UTS at the 2024 Asia-Pacific 3MT competition
AND
People's Choice: $1000
Hannah Jackson
School of Public Health, Faculty of Health
Presentation: Pregnant women get sick too
Runner-up: $1000

2024 Faculty Finalists

Minduli Withana is a second-year PhD candidate at the School of Life Sciences. She completed her Bachelor of Advanced Science (Pre-Medicine) at UTS in 2021, where she discovered her passion for neuroscience and an interest in studying the impact of inflammation on diseases of the brain. Her current research focuses on the PAC1 receptor, investigating its potential as a therapeutic target for Multiple Sclerosis, a debilitating condition that affects many young adults globally. Through her work, she aims to contribute to the development of new treatments that can improve the lives of those affected by this challenging disease.

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Hannah Jackson is a final year Ph.D. candidate in the Faculty of Health at UTS. Her research focuses on pharmacoeconomics and its intersection with maternal healthcare. With a Bachelor of Pharmacy and a Master of Public Health, she has a strong foundation and a unique perspective to address the complex challenge of balancing efficiency with fairness and justice in healthcare resource distribution. Hannah is passionate about advancing our understanding of the economic factors that drive resource allocation decisions for pregnant women. She aims to improve access to safe, effective, and affordable medications for all pregnant women.

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Yuya Yanai is a fourth-year PhD candidate at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. His encounter with sign linguistics and deaf studies during his Master's course inspired his PhD research. He is investigating everyday interactions between deaf and hearing people in the Sign Bilingualism and Co-enrolment Education Programme (SLCO) in Hong Kong. In addition to his research, Yuya is a Japanese tutor at UTS and a dedicated learner of Auslan, Hong Kong Sign Language, and International Sign.

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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 Professor Tuan Van 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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Beck Lewis is a proud Gomeroi Woman from Moree NSW. She also has connections to Dunghutti (Walcha NSW) and Ngoorabul (Glen Innes NSW). Rebecca has 21 years of experience working with the NSW Police Force in various roles, including front line general duties policing, Senior Forensic Investigator (Accredited Fingerprint Expert), Project Manager at the Aboriginal Employment Programs Unit/Aboriginal Coordination Team and First Nations Coordinator at NSW Police Academy in Goulburn NSW. Rebecca recently resigned from her position as a Sergeant to pursue her passion for research and education, particular in social justice for First Nations communities.

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Thanh Hoang is a PhD candidate at the UTS Business School, Accounting Discipline Group. Her PhD focuses on the credibility of firms' voluntary disclosure on intangible assets. Thanh holds a Master of Professional Accounting degree with High Distinction, a full-fee scholarship, the Dean’s Merit Award, and First-Class Honours. Her Bachelor of Business degree was funded by two academic excellence scholarships and enriched by an exchange in Switzerland. In her free time, she enjoys painting, dancing, and playing music. 

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Yan Chen is a PhD candidate from the Accounting Discipline Group at the UTS Business School. Yan holds a Bachelor of Business (Honours) with First Class Honours and University Medal from UTS. Her research focuses on understanding the economic consequences of regulation in an accounting context. Yan is also passionate about teaching and fostering a learning environment that encourages curiosity, independent learning, and critical thinking.

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