Biology, Environmental Science Students Take Top Spots at Villanova Three Minute Thesis Competition
The Villanova 3MT competition highlighted the diverse research interests of its graduate community and the skill with which its students can articulate their study of complex topics.
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Villanova graduate Biology student Claire Jones took first place, and graduate Environmental Science student Lorina Holterhoff took second place at the University's Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) on March 15 in the Mullen Center for the Performing Arts. Jones, whose presentation “How do chickadees communicate about the presence and absence of food?,” was rated the highest by a panel of faculty judges, advances to the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools regional 3MT competition on April 26.
Holterhoff won second prize for her presentation, “The Urbanized World: Metal Pollution in Green Stormwater Infrastructure.” Yen Leng Chong, a master's student in Sustainable Engineering, received the People’s Choice award for her presentation, “Building a Circular Economy System for Universities through the Green Office Program.”
3MT is a competition for master’s and doctoral students to develop and showcase their research communication skills. 3MT cultivates students’ academic, professional, presentation and research communication skills. To be successful, competitors must effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.
This year marked the third consecutive year that the competition was open to graduate students from across the University and the second year it was hosted by the Center for Graduate Research and Education. The 11 finalists were made up of seven from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, two from the College of Engineering and one each from the Charles Widger School of Law and the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing.
The Villanova competition highlighted the diverse research interests of its graduate community and the skill with which its students can articulate their study of complex topics.
“The contestants in this year’s 3MT competition were truly fantastic," said Michael Westrate, PhD, emcee for the event and Assistant Vice Provost for Graduate Research and Education. "Their preparation, stage presence and ability to communicate their research to a broad audience showcased the superb talents of Villanova’s graduate students. Their high-level scholarship addresses some of the most pressing issues facing our world and affirms Villanova’s growing stature as a research institution. We are proud to continue with the tradition of excellence in Villanova’s 3MT competition. Kudos to all the students who took the stage.”
Judges for the event included:
- Emory Woodard, PhD, Dean of Graduate Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Al Ortega, PhD, James R. Birle Professor of Energy Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
- Andrew Lund, JD, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Charles Widger School of Law
- Amanda Grannas, PhD, Vice Provost for Research, Chief Research Officer
- Darla Wolfe ’06 EMBA, Member of the Board of Trustees for Villanova University
2024 3MT Contestants
Rachel Baskin, PhD student in Nursing, M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing
“Nurse Resilience, Burnout, Work Stress, and Post-Traumatic Stress During COVID-19: A Secondary Longitudinal Analysis of the CHAMPS Data Registry”
Rachel Carrock, MS student in Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
“Arnold's Paradigm in the field: The relationship between morphology, performance, and behavior in an invasive species of gecko”
Yen Leng Chong, MS student in Sustainable Engineering, College of Engineering
“Building a Circular Economy System for Universities through the Green Office Program”
Hannah Feldman, MS student in Environmental Science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
“An Immersive Urban Environmental Geochemistry Research Experience as a Pathway to Careers in the Geosciences”
Lorina Holterhoff, MS student in Environmental Science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
“The Urbanized World: Metal Pollution in Green Stormwater Infrastructure”
Noelle Diane Johnson, MA student in Theatre and Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
“Aunt Ester to Mame Wilks: August Wilson's Black Women Character's as a Blueprint for Social Justice and Reform”
Claire Jones, MS student in Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
“How do chickadees communicate about the presence and absence of food?”
Chaitanya Mankala, MS student in Software Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
“Pioneering Artificial Neural Network for Dynamics Systems”
Ibukunoluwa Ogunjimi, MA student in Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
“The Intersection of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence- Conformal Maps”
Kate Redding, Juris Doctor student, Charles Widger School of Law
“Cut Out The Middleman: Dropshipping in Differentiated E-Commerce Marketplaces as a Deceptive Trade Practice”
Nourin Seenthia, PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
“An Experimental Study of Pyrogenic Carbonaceous Matter (PCM) Facilitated Hydrolysis of 2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN)”
About Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has been the heart of the Villanova learning experience, offering foundational courses for undergraduate students in every college of the University. Serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students, the College is committed to fortifying them with intellectual rigor, multidisciplinary knowledge, moral courage and a global perspective. The College has more than 40 academic departments and programs across the humanities, social sciences, and natural and physical sciences.
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