The Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Three Minute Thesis Competition, which took place on the 20^thMarch, was introduced this year to provide Postgraduate Researchers across the faculty with a platform to showcase their research. Conceived by School of Law PhD student Chloe Hanna, the initiative was developed to highlight the diverse and impactful research being untaken at the PGR level across disciplines. The event was supported by the AHSS Staff-Student Partnership Network, alongside Eoin Clarke and Orla Devine, whose contributions were instrumental in bringing the competition to life.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, the Three Minute Thesis is a competition in which PhD students present their research in just three minutes, using only one static slide, and with the goal of engaging a non-specialist audience. The challenge is to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely, in a way that is accessible to all.

Ten students participated in the event, each presenting on their unique research in three minutes or less. Competitors represented all five schools across the faculty: the Queen’s Business School; History, Anthropology, Politics and Philosophy; Arts, English and Languages, and Social Sciences, Education and Social Work. The School of Law was particularly well represented, with five of its students – Niharika Salar,Ningning Liu, John Thomas, Matthew McCallion, and Eamonn Rea – taking part. 

The competition was judged by a panel of five esteemed academics, each from a different school within the faculty. The judges’ expertise provided valuable insights into the students’ presentations, offering constructive feedback and recognising the outstanding research and communication skills demonstrated by all participants. The competition saw remarkable success for the School of Law, with both the winner, Niharika Salar, and the runner-up, Ningning Liu, coming from the school.

It is hoped that the inaugural AHSS Three Minute Thesis Competition has set a new precedent for collaboration across schools within the faculty and that the competition will be run again in future years.

Reflections

Chloe Hanna, student lead for the event, praised the opportunity to run the competition, stating:

‘The Three Minute Thesis Competition was a wonderful event that brought together staff and students across the AHSS faculty to engage with and learn about the excellent research being conducted by PhD students. I know myself how invaluable opportunities to disseminate research are and, with so much research being interdisciplinary now, how essential collaboration has become. I am honoured to have given fellow PhD students this platform. I would also like to thank the Staff-Student Partnership Network for giving me the opportunity to organise this event. As this was the first year the competition was held, I hope the success of the event has established a legacy and will continue to be run in years to come.’ 

The winner of the competition, Niharika Salar, shared her thoughts on receiving the award:

‘It was an absolute pleasure to participate in the TMT competition – and winning it was such an exciting moment! What made the experience especially memorable was the challenge of breaking down a research-heavy topic into an elevator pitch, something that could resonate with a broader audience. My biggest takeaways were a renewed appreciation for the impact of clear, concise descriptions and the growing importance of developing good communication skills. A big thank you to the organisers and judges.’

Students at various stages of their PhD journey participated. First year John Thomas reflected on the benefits of participating for those in the early stages of doctoral study:

‘I found the Three Minute Thesis competition to be an enjoyable and helpful experience. As a first year PhD student I found the feedback from the panel of judges, comments from fellow competitors and audience members to be very helpful. The event helped me in terms of improving as a public speaker and developing my skills as an academic more broadly. Developing skills such as keeping the presentation within the time limit, as well as making the presentation interesting and easy to follow are valuable skills that were improved from taking part in the competition.’

Dr Elizabeth Agnew, who represented the School of Law on the judging panel, had this to say:

‘The AHSS 3 Minute Thesis was a wonderful opportunity for PGR students to share their research in a supportive and encouraging environment. It allowed students to not only develop their communication/presentation skills but also to network with other PGR students and staff from across the faculty. As a judge, I was inspired by the passion displayed by all participants and the breadth of excellent research being carried out. The judges had a very tough job narrowing down 3 winners - a testament to the very high standard set by all involved. I would encourage all PGR students to avail of this opportunity in the future.’