UQ 3MT finalists impress with research across disciplines

PhD candidates researching the use of generative artificial intelligence, the potential for an eco-friendly disease control and a non-invasive way to target tumour cells have starred in UQ’s 2025 Three Minute Thesis final.

In less time than it takes to boil an egg, Fran Spinelli from the School of Languages and Cultures, convinced judges with a presentation about her research exploring the role of Gen AI in supporting the academic English reading, writing, listening and speaking of international students.

Alyssa Peterson from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences was the runner-up with her presentation on insect-specific viruses as a public health tool to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting deadly viruses like dengue, Zika and chikungunya.

Firasti Sumadi from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, voted the winner in the People’s Choice category, is investigating ultrasound-triggered sound waves to spark a chemical reaction within cancer cells.

Ms Spinelli said the competition had helped her to tackle one of her biggest academic challenges: synthesising information and being confident in her ideas.

“These are skills I have always found difficult, shaped in part by the fact that English is not my first language,” she said.

“It pushed me to step away from the theory and the carefully chosen methodology and instead focus on the heart of my work, its significance and the impact it can have across disciplines, which go beyond applied linguistics and education.”

Seven finalists were given 3 minutes to explain their research to a general audience, accompanied by a single static PowerPoint slide.

UQ Graduate School Dean, Professor Virginia Slaughter, said the standard of the final was exceptional.  

“The 3MT competition is a highlight of the annual UQ calendar,” Professor Slaughter said.

“The final is fascinating, because we get to hear about PhD research from across so many different research disciplines of the University. 

“The quality of presentations, and the research excellence they describe, is truly impressive.

“Congratulations to Fran on winning the UQ competition, and to the other finalists who were also exceptional."

The 3MT concept originated at UQ in 2008.

Emeritus Professor Alan Lawson, then Graduate School Dean, was inspired by a water saving measure during the 2006-2007 Queensland drought, when residents were encouraged to time their showers with egg timers.  

He thought the same time limit – 3 minutes - could be applied to HDR students presenting their theses.

The 3MT competition is now global with more than 900 institutions participating in more than 85 countries.