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The Research Higher Degree Student Festival

Three Minute Thesis Competition 2012

The Faculty of Education and Arts Student Research Festival and Three Minute Thesis Final for 2012 will held on Wednesday 8 August. The festival will be opened by Associate Professor Pamela Nilan, Assistant Dean Research and Research Training.

Our RHD students will be having a poster display of their research, in the Lambert Room from 1pm. In the Treehouse there will be presentations from guest speakers and the FEDUA RHD 3 Minute Thesis Final. The Poster Competition and 3 Minute Thesis Final will be announced over drinks and nibbles.

WHERE The Treehouse & Lambert Room
WHEN  Wednesday 8 August 2012, 1.00pm – 5.00pm
RSVP  Michelle.Allan@newcastle.edu.au, T +61 2 4985 4185
There will be a light lunch provided

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Three Minute Thesis Competition 2011

The 2011 University of Newcastle Three Minute Thesis final was held on 10 August with 17 competitors from across all faculties taking part. The judging panel consisted of Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Mr Roger Brock (Editor, The Newcastle Herald), Miss Gabrielle Briggs (2010 UoN Winner) and Professor Scott Holmes.

Jamie Flynn, who is in the first year of a PhD (Anatomy), took out the University of Newcastle title from an impressive field, with his presentation “Propriospinal Neurons and Their Role in Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury”. Jamie will now go on to compete in the National/Trans Tasman Competition on 29th September at the University of Western Australia.

The runner up was Katherine Bolton who is studying a PhD (Medical Genetics) with her presentation of "The Role of Tandem Repeats on the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer".

PhD (Design) student Bernadette Drabsch came third with "Contextualizing the Ancient Wall Paintings of Teleilat Ghassul, Jordan".

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Three Minute Thesis Competition 2010

In 2010 the University of Newcastle introduced the ‘Three Minute Thesis’ competition for research higher degree candidates. Originally introduced in 2008 by the University of Queensland, the competition has expanded to a national level in 2010, with 33 universities representing over 50,000 PhD and Masters students in Australia and New Zealand competing. 

The University of Newcastle Three minute thesis 2010 final was held on 4 August with 17 competitors across all faculties taking part. The judging panel consisted of Ms Deb Wright (CEO - NBN Television), Professor Trevor Waring, and Professor Mike Calford.

The winners of the University of Newcastle 2010 final are:

1st place – Gabrielle Briggs -  PhD (Medical Biochemistry)

2nd place – Michael Netherton - PhD (Civil Surveying and Environmental Engineering)

3rd place – Sarita Koushik - PhD (Speech Pathology)

Gabrielle Briggs, second year  PhD (Medical Biochemistry) candidate, took out the University of Newcastle title from an impressive field, with her presentation “Regulation of Tyrosine Hydroxylase”. Gabrielle will now go on to compete in the Inaugural Australia and New Zealand Competition on 21 September at the University of Queensland. We wish her the best of luck!

A summary of Gabrielle’s project is as follows:
“Parkinson's disease involves the mysterious death of a group of neurons, leading to the characteristic symptoms of tremors and rigidity. Until the cause of this disease is discovered, a cure cannot be found. My PhD involves trying to find out why these cells die. Specifically, my research aims to prove a theory that the neurotransmitter, dopamine, made in these cells, is toxic when it breaks down.”