President David Barnard (left) with winners of the 2019 3MT Competition: Kevin Boreskie (1st place), Justine Hudson (2nd place), Avery Simundsson (3rd place), Kashfia Shafiq (People's Choice), and Dr. Todd Mondor, Vice-Provost (Graduate Education) & Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies
3MT winner takes first step toward regional finals
A student who is developing a way to test heart health through a simple stepping exercise impressed a prestigious panel of judges at the Three-Minute Thesis competition last night. Kevin Boreskie, a doctoral candidate in applied health sciences, explained his thesis to a packed house, earning $2,500 and first place in the Three Minute Thesis competition.
Boreskie’s thesis is titled: Exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise: A simple solution, and is working with his advisor Dr. Todd Duhamel in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management.
“I was surprised to win, given there were so many great presentations,” said Boreskie. “But this is very encouraging, and I definitely hope to get a job related in some way to health care. I firmly believe that exercise plays an essential role in our overall wellness, and I will advocate for it as a part of everyone’s well-being.”
With presentations covering disciplines in the sciences, humanities and medicine, Boreskie competed against 13 other master’s and doctoral students at the seventh annual University of Manitoba 3MT® finals on Monday, March 18, 2019. A panel of judges from the broader Winnipeg community assessed the presenters on comprehension, engagement, and communication style.
Justine Hudson captured the University of Manitoba Retirees Association Prize for Second Place ($1,250) at the 3MT® final for her entertaining presentation on Snot for science: A non-invasive technique to measure stress in beluga whales.
Third place winner Avery Simundsson won the Third Place Prize ($750) for her thesis: The use of sound in autonomous agricultural vehicle control.
The People’s Choice Award went to Kashfia Shafiq for Dying young at a very old age.
CBC personality and reporter Trevor Dineen was emcee for the event. He noted: “I’m overwhelmed by all the smart people giving presentations tonight. My sister did her PhD, and I still have no idea what it was all about.”
A list of all the finalists and their research topics can be found here.
Following his win Monday night, Boreskie will go on to the Western Regional Three Minute Thesis competition on April 17 at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, BC.
Three Minute Thesis 3MT® is an annual competition where challengers have three minutes to explain their research and its importance or relevance, using only a single static image or slide to illustrate their topic. At the University of Manitoba, 3MT® is part of an overall strategy to highlight our graduate students, promote research at the University of Manitoba, and connect with the community.