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From climate change to human health, Queen’s graduate students are researching some of the world’s most complex challenges. At the same time, they are also developing the skills to explain their work to audiences beyond academia.

This is where the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) comes in. Hosted by the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (SGSPA), the competition challenges master’s and doctoral students to present their research and its broader impact in three minutes or less. 

This year, thirteen graduate researchers reached the Queen’s finals. They represented a range of disciplines, including translational medicine, psychology, engineering, kinesiology, health studies, and geography. The winner will go on to represent Queen’s at the Ontario 3MT competition in St. Catharines this May.

“The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) provides a unique platform for our graduate students to showcase how their research addresses global challenges,” says Fahim Quadir, dean of SGSPA. “It redefines the academic value proposition by highlighting the tangible, positive impact their work has on society. Equally important is that 3MT plays a vital role in developing transferable skills, preparing students for success in both academic and non-academic careers after graduation.”
 

3MT winners 2026

A panel of community judges awarded first place to master’s student Mahta Fakhraei Rad (Mining Engineering), with runner-up honours going to master’s student Meghan VanBuuren (Collaborative Biomedical Engineering), based on how clearly and engagingly they communicated their research to a general audience. Fakhraei Rad presented on the topic of recovery of rare earth elements from a Canadian ore, highlighting the challenge of meeting growing demand while ensuring environmentally sustainable extraction.

“People often underestimate how much impact we have on the environment,” says Fakhraei Rad. “We rarely think about where the products we use come from or the processes behind them, but those details matter. If we can make projects more environmentally friendly, we can carry that mindset forward into areas like reuse and recycling." VanBuuren’s presentation, Enemy or Ally? Engineering the body’s immune response to implanted medical devices, examined how the body responds to implanted biomaterials, like pacemakers.

“I wanted to help people understand the challenges behind medical device success and the importance of improving their design, highlighting how research can lead to better, more reliable outcomes for patients,” says VanBuuren. “The most important thing I learned is how powerful clear communication is when sharing complex scientific research to a wide audience. I also think that focusing on why the research matters, in my case, improving medical device outcomes for patients, can help make the research more engaging and impactful.”

Participants and judges at the 3MT competition.

The 3MT People’s Choice Award

Robert Policelli, a PhD student in translational medicine, won the People’s Choice Award for his research on turning complex surgical data collected from smoke during procedures (which appear as wave like patterns) into biological insights that doctors can understand to better address the disease.  

“The most important thing I learned about this experience was that you could be doing the most impactful research ever, but if people don’t understand why, it won’t actually have a chance to be used in the world,” says Policelli. “The amazing delivery, poise, and analogies used in the talks by my peers have really inspired me to continue to improve my descriptive and explanatory skills to ensure that others can understand my research as well as I understood the research of the other participants.”

The judging panel included local leaders from the fields of business, music, and municipal governance, including: Niki Boytchuk-Hale (Queen’s rector), Rob Baker (The Tragically Hip and Queen’s alumnus), Craig Desjardins (City of Kingston and Queen’s alumnus), Sonia Verjovsky (KEYS Employment and Newcomer Services and Queen’s alumnus), and Brenda Brouwer (professor).
 

Other avenues to showcase graduate research

During the 3MT finals, SGSPA announced the winner of GRADflix, a competition that invites graduate students to present their research through video. This year’s winner was master’s student Erica Lee (Biomedical Informatics), whose submission was titled Mitochondrial Fingerprints of Cardiometabolic Disease.

SGSPA also hosted its 3-Minute Research Competition for postdoctoral fellows for the third time. Postdoctoral fellow Amoon Jamzad (Med-i-Lab) won first place for research focused on developing AI-driven tools to support clinical decision-making. He developed MassVis-ion+ which uses large amounts of chemical biomarker data to help surgeons identify cancerous tissue in real time during surgery.

Learn more on the Queen’s SGSPA website.