Skip to main content

Office of Graduate Education and Life announces Three-Minute Thesis finalists

3-Minute Thesis

Ten doctoral students will compete in the grand finale beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, in the Mountainlair Ballrooms as five faculty and staff members judge for first, second and third place winners. 

The WVU community is also invited to attend and vote for the People’s Choice Award.

The internationally renowned 3MT competition, originally founded by the University of Queensland in Australia, challenges doctoral students to present their research topic and its significance in three minutes using a single PowerPoint slide. 

Competitors develop academic, presentation and research communication skills while gaining experience pitching their research succinctly to a non-specialist audience. 

The 2024 finalists are as follows: 

  • Haidar Aldaach, Civil Engineering, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

  • Syeda Nyma Ferdous, Computer Engineering, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources 

  • Tanner Hoffman, Plant and Soil Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design 

  • Brian Leonard, Chemical Engineering, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources 

  • Kushal Naharki, Plant and Soil Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design 

  • Kinsey Reed, Plant and Soil Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design 

  • Denis Ruto, Environmental Engineering, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources 

  • Kayla Steinberger, Immunology, School of Medicine 

  • Vaishakhi Suresh, Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources 

  • Paige Zalman, Higher Education, College of Applied Human Services 

Grand finale prizes include $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, $500 for third place and $250 for the People’s Choice Award.

Find more information on the 3MT competition.

For questions, contact Betty Mei at Betty.Mei@mail.wvu.edu.