2013 Three Minute Thesis Competition Final In Australia

2013 Three Minute Thesis Competition Final In Australia

October is Postgraduate Month at the University of Waikato and that means doctoral students across campus are preparing for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) 2013 competition.

Students studying for a PhD have to outline their thesis and the contribution it will make to knowledge or society to a lay-audience in just three minutes.

Last year’s Thesis in 3 People’s Choice and Overall winner was Ku Marsilla Ku Ishak. Marsilla took away prize-money of $5000 and is about to go to University of Western Sydney to contest the Trans-Tasman final of the event on 18 October.

“It was very challenging condensing my research into just three minutes, and also turning it into language that was easy to understand by people who weren’t my research peers. I imagined I was writing the three-minute speech so my Mum could understand it,” Marsilla says.

Marsilla’s speech was titled “Turning animal blood into bioplastics: A perfect marriage”.

“With 39.5 million sheep and cattle in New Zealand there is plenty of opportunity to use animal blood in bioplastic manufacture. The trouble is, animal bloodmeal needs to be blended with other polymers, and it’s a bit like finding a compatible partner to make that perfect marriage – sometimes it’s like oil and water, and it doesn’t work.”

Marsilla is from Malaysia and after she has completed her PhD at Waikato, will return to work as a lecturer at the University of Science Malaysia.

The aim of Waikato University’s Postgraduate Month is to focus on the University’s postgraduate teaching and research, encourage students to pursue postgraduate studies and – through a series of workshops and other events - enhance postgraduate culture and skills development. A recruitment evening will also give students contemplating higher study an idea of what postgraduate study involves, the pathways they can follow and the opportunities postgraduate study can bring. Social events and Faculty student conferences offer students the chance to meet and discuss their work and the common issues surrounding higher learning.

ENDS

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