3 Minute Thesis - 2024 finalists

College: Science and Engineering

Title: Music is Magical

My PhD encapsulates the combination of music, mirror therapy, and virtual reality, for stroke rehabilitation. As a Biomedical Engineer with a specialisation in Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology, I believe everyone, irrespective of disability, should be able to access the joys and benefits of playing music. I also believe that rehabilitation can and should be enjoyable, and that virtual reality provides an accessible, cost-effective, and immersive medium to deliver it in a novel and fun way.

My motivations for participating in the 3MT were to push myself to present in a challenging format and to learn how to eloquently communicate the fundamental components of my project. 3 minutes doesn’t sound like a lot to memorise, but this competition has given me a greater appreciation for the amount of thought and preparation required to deliver a truly impactful presentation, it’s been difficult and nerve-wracking, but I’m very glad I took part in it! 

College: Education, Psychology and Social Work

Title: Zapping Tinnitus Away

My name is Tharin Sayed and I am an audiologist, mid-way through my PhD. Throughout my career, I have met many people who are experiencing debilitating tinnitus – i.e. any phantom sound that a person hears, in the absence of any external sound. They have sought help from their GP, gone to the ENT specialist and received no answers because, unfortunately, there is no cure for tinnitus.

My PhD project focuses on a new treatment that involves stimulating specific areas of the brain to reduce tinnitus perception. Participating in the 3MT has helped me refine my research pitch so I am able to communicate what I am studying effectively to a broader group of people. I am also passionate about public education, and this has allowed me a platform to bring greater awareness to tinnitus

College: Science and Engineering

Title: So, You Regret That Tattoo?

My name is Ben, and I am a second-year PhD candidate here at Flinders University. An often-overlooked issue is the large number of Australians who regret their tattoos and seek laser removal therapy. My current research investigates the potential health risks resulting from laser tattoo removal. My project aims to determine the types of toxins that are produced during the procedure so we can make better-informed assessments of risks and safer removal options.

The 3MT was an invaluable experience and helped me develop my communication skills to a wider audience outside of the College of Science and Engineering. It was a great way to raise public awareness, and by doing it in under 3 minutes, added another challenge in keeping the audience entertained and convinced of my research. Presenting my research reminded me of how far I have come since starting out as a younger naive Honours student to the PhD student I am today. Condensing my research down into three minutes also made the weekly phone calls with the grandparents much easier when it came to discussing my PhD. 

College: Nursing and Health Sciences

Title: Empowering Her Heart: Bridging the Gap in Cardiac Rehabilitation for Women in Rural Areas 

Women in rural and remote areas embody resilience and strength, yet they often face unique challenges in accessing the essential healthcare they deserve. My research, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Especially for Women (CREW) Project, focuses on co-designing and evaluating a tailored, web-based cardiac rehabilitation program for women in rural and remote South Australia. My goal is to empower women to take charge of their heart health, ensuring that distance is no longer a barrier to a heart-healthy life.

Participating in the 3MT has been an incredible opportunity to share my work with diverse audiences and improve my public speaking skills. It is also a chance to spotlight the critical need for improved cardiovascular care in under-recognized and underserved women.

College: Medicine and Public Health

Title: Say cheese! Taking better photos of cancer

My name is Olivia Burling and I’m a second year PhD student working on a new diagnostic tool for blood cancer. Unfortunately, certain blood cancers are not compatible with imaging which makes it difficult for doctors to locate, diagnose and monitor these tumours.

My project hopes to change that by creating a new diagnostic tool that will allow doctors to take better photos of blood cancer tumours. Being involved in the 3MT has been a very rewarding experience and has highlighted the need to be able to explain your research to anyone. This is such an important skill to have as a scientist and the 3MT is a great environment to practice in. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my work and bring more awareness to blood cancer!

College: Education, Psychology and Social Work

Title: Connecting Compassion: Can Being Nicer to Ourselves Make us Nicer to Others?

My name is Leah and my PhD research explores whether self-compassion can influence how we treat people, and if being nicer to ourselves can help us be nicer to others. I’m particularly interested in how self-compassion can help us cope with feelings of discomfort and defensiveness, so we can make kinder choices. I love social psychology because I think that developing strong theory is the foundation for everything else that we do in the field, and it informs all the wonderful ways we can build better communities.

The 3MT competition has been a great opportunity for me to reconnect with the story of my research and its importance, as well as getting to know other candidates from across the university. In a PhD it’s easy to get bogged down in the details and nuance, but seeing the bigger picture and getting to share it with others keeps fuelling my passion for the project!