JCU baby research wins Three-Minute Thesis competition

James Cook University research students battled it out in Townsville’s Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) finals competition on the 26th August – with Ms Zoe Byrne’s PhD research on a new traffic light system to help mum’s with underweight babies taking out the top gong.

The 3MT competition requires competitors explain their complex research projects to a general audience in under three minutes, with one slide only.

The 3MT competition began in 2008 at the University of Queensland and has now grown to include more than 900 institutions across 85 different countries. Winners from the JCU-based competition will go on to compete in the 3MT Asia Pacific competition.

Explaining many years of research activities and often very complicated research in just three minutes is an immensely challenging task,” said JCU’s Professor of Medicine Andrew Mallett, who opened the competition.

“The key judging criteria for our judges are firstly around comprehension and content, secondly around engagement and communication, and thirdly around enthusiasm and connection.

“Although everyone who is here presenting today is already very much a winner, winners will also receive three thousand dollars in research grant funds … the runner-up will receive two thousand dollars … the People's Choice Award will receive one thousand dollars.”

Judging was undertaken by three outstanding and experienced academics, journalists and science communicators, including: JCU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Academy Professor Jacqui Ramagge; ABC broadcaster Ms Jessica Naunton; and JCU’s 2025 3MT winner Ms Varsha Valu.

“It's wonderful to see so much great work, which is deep and impactful … it was really hard for us to make a decision,” said Professor Ramagge, upon announcing the winners of this year’s 3MT competition.

The People’s choice award was taken out by Ms Alessia Costa, for her research on balancing the protection of the ocean environment with supporting community needs.

The 3MT overall winner was Ms Zoe Byrne from the college of Medicine and Dentistry, for her research on creating simpler and clearer medical assessments that help to improve perinatal evaluation and doctor/patient decision making for babies with low weight.

“For families in North Queensland, this research supports a safer, more informed clinical decision – because families don’t just need to know whether their baby is small, they need to know whether their baby is safe,” said Ms Byrne during her winning 3MT presentation.