Topics ranging from the future of cruise tourism and the detection of a new species of irukandi jellyfish to developing an effective vaping cessation program were all part of the 2023 instalment of Griffith University’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) presentation final held at South Bank campus in early September.

Twelve current PhD confirmed candidates, three from the University’s four Academic Groups, presented their research study summing up years of work of more than 80 thousand words into a succinct three minute ‘elevator pitch’ to the three-person judging panel.

In the end it was a passionate three minute explanation of his country’s overfishing problem in his native Sri Lanka which saw Griffith Business School PhD student Krish Gnanapragasam impress the judging planel to take out the top award as well as the audience-voted People’s Choice Award.

Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans and 3MT winner Krish Gnanapragasam

Professor Lee Smith (DVC, Research) remarked the judging panel found Krish had a clear articulation of a world-wide issue supported by a compelling visual slide. The judges also noted how Krish had excellent audience engagement offering them a clear description of the research being undertaken and potential impact outcomes.

Krish, who has spent many months in his native homeland talking to local fishing communities about overfishing, is developing new ways to stem the growing threat of dwindling fish stocks in south Asian waters.

“I lived in a place in the north of Sri Lanka where now I go back and it’s all changed. There are smaller fish populations and communities, which rely on this commodity, are hurting. So I really want to do something to my community and to my country. So that’s the real engagement and motivation in doing this research project.”

Krish now heads to the 3MT Asia-Pacific Final in October looking to become Griffith’s first ever winner of the regional decider.

Krish Gnanapragasam (GBS) and Nicola Rahman (Health) scoop the awards at the 2023 3MT Final.

The runner-up prize was awarded to Nicola Rahman from Griffith Health for their presentation on vaping cessation practices, The twelve finalists and their thesis presentations for the 2023 3MT final were:

Sciences

Katie Turlington – ‘The Heartbeat of Freshwater Streams’

Emmanuel Makinde – ‘Mitochondrial Modulators: The Defenders’

Jessica Strickland – ‘Detecting Irukandji Jellyfish at Ningaloo Using Environmental DNA’

Health

Maria Shilova – ‘Scar Wars: Using Lasers to Treat Scars in Children’

Jannatul Shimul Ferdousi – ‘Buying into Body Ideals’

Nicola Rahman – ‘Co-designing a Vaping Cessation Program: Helping a New Generation of Vapers to Quit’

GBS

Lisa Smith – ‘Leading Employee Wellbeing‘

Krish Gnanapragasam – ‘Where Have all the Fish Gone? The Crisis of Overfishing’

Johnnel Smith – ‘Crisis on the High Seas!’

AEL

Steve Grififths – ‘Instructor Visibility and Familiarity in Video Lessons’

Kathryn Ambrose – ‘How does anxiety impact the social and academic outcomes of autistic children?’

Caitlyn Fields – ‘Degrees of Change? Higher Education and Political Attitudes’

The 3MT class of 2023 and Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans