The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) 3 Minute Thesis qualifier competition was held on March 4, 2025, and seven PhD candidates presented their thesis topics in concise and consolidated language. Being able to present compelling ideas and research discoveries in only 180 seconds is extraordinarily challenging; however, Shamila Gopalakrishnan took first place and became the competitor to represent CAS in the university-wide competition.
Gopalakrishnan, a doctoral student in chemistry, was awarded first place and $1,000 for her topic of using nanoscale dendrimers for disease-specific targeted drug delivery. Dendrimers are tiny tree-like structures that at miniscule scales could carry drugs directly to diseased cells. Her thesis presentation, “Tiny Carriers, a Remedy for Unmet Medical Needs,” highlighted the potential impact dendrimer-based nanomedicine could have on treatments for central nervous system diseases and traumatic brain injuries.
Second place and $750 went to Desmond Aboagye, a PhD student in plant biology whose presentation “The Physiological Relationship Between Pruning and Sieve Tube Conductivity” focused on control mechanisms of plant molecules active in photosynthesis. These molecules, known as photoassimilates, are energy-rich molecules produced in plant leaves that are then carried to specific tissues within the plant. Aboagye’s research seeks to understand how the plant allocates these molecules and whether they can be directed to other areas of the plant.
Third place and $500 was given to Nazua Idris, PhD candidate in English, for her presentation “Unsilencing Colonial and Enslaved Voices: Decolonizing the 19th-Century British Literary Canon through Counter-Narratives.” Her thesis centers on including texts written and narrated from the perspectives of colonial and enslaved populations during the nineteenth century, providing a counterpoint to texts written by white colonial British authors who predominate the literary canon of that time.
This year’s judging panel for the CAS Three Minute Thesis qualifier had three returning judges from last year and was comprised of the following faculty members: Diamond Beverly-Porter, assistant professor in the Department of Digital Technology and Culture; Paul Buckley, director of undergraduate studies and scholarly professor in the Department of Chemistry; Erica Crespi, professor in the School of Biological Sciences; and JJ Harty, engineering technician with the Department of Art.
Now with the CAS qualifying victory in hand, Shamila Gopalakrishnan will compete in the university-wide Three Minute Thesis finals, held on March 26 at 1:00 p.m. in the Veterinary and Biomedical Research Building (VBRB), Room 305.
See full list of 2025 3MT competitors