Written by Bond University journalism student, Tatiana Carter
Eleven PhD students from Bond University participated in the Three Minute Thesis competition that awards research and travel grants for thesis presentations.
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, developed by the University of Queensland, requires PhD students to present their 80,000-word thesis in only three minutes, something that would normally take nine hours.
Bond University PhD candidate Amanda Tauber won the $2000 grand prize for her work in slowing down the growth of adaptable diseases. Her work has focused on helping doctors detect cancer at an earlier stage, giving them more of an opportunity to treat the disease.
“I’m a chemist, so it’s my job to engineer small atoms and molecules together that could help change the way our body functions,” said Ms Tauber.
“My project is looking at designing a ‘key’ that will slow down the growth of these cancers and give doctors more time to cure the disease.”
Ms Tauber competed against ten other Bond University PhD students, all from different faculties and backgrounds.
Runner-up, PhD of Philosophy student Serena Davidson explored the links between serial and non-serial rapists.
The People’s Choice Award was given to PhD of Psychology student Katarina Needham for her research into anxiety, stress, and working memory on executive function – awarding her a grant of $500.
In October, Ms Tauber will be heading to the Asia-Pacific Final in Brisbane for the chance to win $5000 in research and travel money.