Graduate students compete in 3MT competition

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

The College of Human Sciences recently held its 3MT (Three-Minute Thesis) competition and a trio of graduate students earned cash prizes. A panel of judges selected Ruby Nguyen, master’s student in hospitality administration, as the first-place winner based on her presentation "The impact of solo travel experiences on the millennial female: Personal development, self-esteem and authentic personality."

Nguyen, who is advised by Stacy Thomas, also won the People’s Choice Award and earned a total of $600 in prize money. She will move on to represent the College of Human Sciences at the university-level 3MT competition on November 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.

Zachary Giano, a Ph.D. student human development and family science, placed second in the competition and took home $200. Giano presented “Early warning indicators of high school dropout: How well do 7th grade teachers know their students?” His advisor is Michael Merten.

Tiffany Dodier, a master’s student in nutritional sciences, finished in third place with her presentation, “Osteoporosis prevention: Big impact of a small fruit.” Dodier earned $100. Her advisor is Brenda Smith.

 

 

Additional competitors were:

Chao Liu, Ph.D. Student
Human Development and Family Science
“What kind of parenting practices do we need?”
Advisor: Amanda Harrist

Quinn Vandenberg, Ph.D. Student
Design, Housing and Merchandising
“How cars drive our emotions”
Advisor: Greg Clare

Luis Mejia Puig, Ph.D. Student
Design, Housing and Merchandising
“Design 4 Dignity”
Advisor: Gina Peek

The 3MT is a professional development activity to help graduate students acquire oral communication skills for presenting their research and conveying its societal significance to lay audiences in a concise and cogent manner.

“Communicating the significance of one’s research in three minutes so the audience can comprehend and be engaged is a tall order!  And our students did a remarkable job!” remarked Christine Johnson, associate dean.

Dean Stephan Wilson commented, “I am so proud of the courage, poise, passion, and hard work that each of these six graduate students showed for their field and for the wider public. They are well on the road to solving human problems...enhancing human lives.”