Meet the Winners of the Three Minute Thesis® – Polish your English
Nine PhD students presented outstanding research topics to the audience at the Silesian University of Technology Library. The jury selected the top presentations of the first edition of the Three Minute Thesis® – Polish your English! competition.
Three Minute Thesis® – Polish your English! marked the first edition of this science communication contest, organized as part of the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Silesian University of Technology. The competition was open to both Polish and international PhD candidates studying at universities across the Silesian region.
The event was officially opened by Professor Marek Pawełczyk, Rector of the Silesian University of Technology; Professor Aleksandra Ziembińska-Buczyńska, Director of Science Popularization Center; Professor Krzysztof Fujarewicz, Director of the Doctoral School; and Klaudia Cholewa, MSc Eng., representative of the University Doctoral Student Council.
“I am truly impressed by the participants’ knowledge, dedication, scientific achievements, and presentation skills,” said Professor Marek Pawełczyk. “I wish all of you a successful and dynamic career. For some, today’s presentation may be a turning point – a chance to speak to an audience that truly values and understands your work, and will carry your ideas further.”
Nine finalists competed in the grand finale, judged by an expert panel consisting of:
- Professor Edyta Sierka, University of Silesia
- Professor Tomasz Francuz, Medical University of Silesia
- Dr. Joanna Bagniewska, University of Oxford
- Dr. Jakub Bochiński, Creotech Instruments S.A.
And the winners are:
1st place: Patrycja Janiszewska (Medical University of Silesia)
Presentation: “Menopause is not a pause”
2nd place: Ravi Shankar Yadav (Silesian University of Technology)
Presentation: “Biochar: Eco-Friendly or Ecotoxic?”
3rd place: Humam Ahmed (Silesian University of Technology)
Presentation: “Cleaning Water with Science Magic: from toilet to tap water”
“I took part in Three Minute Thesis® because I love science and wanted to test my skills,” said winner Patrycja Janiszewska. “It was truly an amazing and rewarding experience.”
“The competition was a valuable learning experience. Pursuing a PhD is a continuous journey of learning, and this gave me a boost of confidence and helped me realize how to explain complex research in a concise way. It’s a great opportunity to grow and receive valuable feedback from the jury,” shared Ravi Shankar Yadav.
PhD candidates with engineering or technical research topics also competed for the Engineering Award, sponsored by EMT-Systems, and the Audience Choice Award. Both honors went to Magdalena Ćwietrtniewicz-Wojciechowska (Silesian University of Technology), for her presentation: “Do we need to worry about cake?”
The Eur. J. Pharmacol (Elsevier) Special Recognition was awarded to:
- Mahboubeh Kavoosi (Silesian University of Technology), for: “How Tissue Stiffness Talks to Cells During Wound Healing: Understanding Autophagy in Fibroblasts”
- Jakub Pniak (Medical University of Silesia), for: “Drug repurposing in the context of anti-cancer properties”
The awards were presented by Professor Sebastian Werle, Vice-Rector for Science and International Cooperation. “The contestants were extremely well-prepared. The range of topics was broad, and I was especially impressed by how they handled the Q&A sessions. Engaging with PhD students after their presentations was a valuable experience for all of us,” he remarked.
“These types of competitions are fantastic opportunities to promote science and explain complex ideas in a relatable way. I hope this won’t be the last edition and that we’ll continue to see brilliant young researchers showcasing their achievements in the years to come.”
In the finals, the following also presented their doctoral dissertation topics:
- Kamil Mąkosza (Medical University of Silesia): “A Galaxy of Cancer Care: Where Food Meets Treatment”
- Hoa Thi Diem Nguyen (University of Economics in Katowice): “Thriving the turbulence – the role of Entrepreneurial Orientation in Resilient Business Performance”
- Cosmos Uzoma (Silesian University of Technology): “Separation of Carbon Nanotubes Using Conjugated Polymers”
Organizers: Science Popularization Center, University Doctoral Student Council, Doctoral School of the Silesian University of Technology.
Patrons: National PhD Students’ Union, Science Communication Council of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and EURECA-PRO.
The Engineering Award was funded by EMT-Systems.
The competition is held under a license from the University of Queensland, Australia.
Text: Aleksandra Wojaczek
