L to R: Hannah Zhang, Megan Crooks, Taylor Orchard, Madhushani Ariyadas
2025 3MT Winners Announced
The Faculty of Graduate Studies has crowned the champions of its 2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, held on April 1 at the Robert B. Schultz Theatre. This annual event challenged graduate students to condense their extensive research into compelling three-minute presentations for a general audience. The (3MT®) competition at the University of Manitoba is more than just a challenge—it is a prestigious showcase of graduate student success, highlighting groundbreaking research and innovative thinking. This highly anticipated event draws a diverse audience, including faculty, students, and members of the broader community, all eager to witness excellence in research communication.
This year’s competition was again expertly emceed by Colleen Bready, a well-known journalist and CTV weather specialist, recognized for her engaging presence and storytelling ability. Her ability to connect with both the competitors and the spectators added an extra layer of energy to the competition, ensuring each presenter had their moment to shine. As a respected voice in the Winnipeg media landscape, her involvement underscored the importance of clear, compelling communication—an essential skill that 3MT© participants demonstrated throughout the night.
The judging panel for this year’s competition featured a distinguished group of experts from diverse fields, each bringing a unique perspective to the evaluation process. Among them were Dr. Loren Oschipok, Director, Partnerships, Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation. Moe Levy, Director Idea Start and UM Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient and Tyler Blashko, MLA for Lagimodière and Deputy Speaker. Their collective expertise ensured a well-rounded assessment of each competitor’s ability to effectively communicate complex research with clarity, engagement, and impact. Tasked with evaluating the presentations based on comprehension, content, and delivery, the judges faced a challenging decision as each finalist showcased their ability to bridge the gap between academic research and public understanding.
Dr. Michael Benarroch and Hannah Zhang
The first-place $2000 award and the Dr. Archie McNicol Prize, was presented by UM president Dr. Michael Benarroch to Physiology and Pathophysiology Ph.D. student Hannah Zhang. Her presentation, titled “Lipids as early markers of cardiogenic shock” captivated both the judges and the audience with its clarity and insight. In addition to this prestigious award, for the first time in the UM competition history, a Challenger’s Choice Award—voted on by fellow competitors—was also presented to Hannah.
Mr. Mark O’Riley and Ms. Janet Sealey with second place winner Megan Crooks
The second-place accolade and the UM Retirees Prize of $1,250 went to Megan Crooks, a master’s student in Psychology. Megan’s presentation was titled “Preventing invisible pain with the power of Virtual Reality” .
Dr. Kelley Main and third place winner Taylor Orchard.
Securing third place and the Blenham & Associates Prize of $500 was Taylor Orchard, a Human Anatomy and Cell Science Ph.D. student, whose presentation title was “Musculoskeletal Education – The more a doctor knows, the better they treat.”
Dr. Diane Hiebert-Murphy and People’s Choice Winner Madhushani Ariyadasa
In addition to the top awards decided by the judges, the People’s Choice Award gave the audience a chance to have their say, recognizing the competitor whose presentation resonated most with them. Madhushani Ariyadasa, a Civil Engineering Ph.D student captivated attendees with their engaging delivery and compelling research topic “Nan-based coatings: A way to make Canadian concrete last longer”, earning the most audience votes and securing this coveted honour.
These winners emerged from a competitive field of 12 finalists, who were selected after preliminary heats in March. The competition began with 38 challengers from 18 different departments, each striving to convey their complex research succinctly and engagingly.
“The Three Minute Thesis competition is a true celebration of graduate student excellence, showcasing not only the depth of research at the University of Manitoba but also the ability of our students to communicate that research in an accessible manner that engages the audience. Events like this highlight the power of research to inspire, inform, and create real-world impact,” said Dr. Kelley Main, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, who organizes and facilitates this event. “We are incredibly proud of all the participants and look forward to seeing how their work continues to shape the future.”
The 3MT© competition not only highlights the diverse and innovative research conducted at the University of Manitoba but also emphasizes the importance of effective and easy to understand communication. By translating complex ideas into accessible presentations, these graduate students bridge the gap between academia and the broader community.
For a complete list of finalists and their research topics, please visit the Finalist 3MT story.
Congratulations to all challengers for their outstanding contributions and for showcasing the university’s commitment to research excellence.