Persistence pays off for grain science doctoral student at Three Minute Thesis competition
By Megan Miller – K-State Graduate School
MANHATTAN — Kansas State University’s Three Minute Thesis, or 3MT, competition recently featured 11 graduate students showcasing their research and competing for top awards. Doctoral student Shivaprasad Doddabematti Prakash took home first place for his presentation, “Unwrapping the sweet mystery: Is your cookie dough a safe delight?”
The first round of the competition was held on Feb. 5 and featured 56 master’s and doctoral students from 20 academic programs. Eleven participants were selected to advance to the final round of competition held on Feb. 25.
“The 3MT is an excellent experience for graduate students to showcase their important work and to advance their communication skills,” said Claudia Petrescu, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School. “The 3MT challenges graduate students to be creative in crafting a three-minute explanation of their work with just one slide. These students now have an ‘elevator pitch’ to easily share their work, which is incredibly valuable as they grow their professional network, apply for research funding and pursue diverse career opportunities.”
Prakash, doctoral student in grain science, India, received a $500 scholarship and will represent K-State in the 2025 Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools 3MT Competition on April 4 in Indianapolis. His major professor is Kaliramesh Siliveru, associate professor of grain science and industry.
This was Prakash’s third consecutive appearance in the final round of K-State’s 3MT competition and the first time he won an award for his presentation. His accomplishment is an excellent example of the value of persistence.
“Three years. Three finals. Three minutes that changed everything,” Prakash said. “Winning the 3MT on my last attempt was like seeing sunlight after a long storm — sudden, golden and utterly worth the wait. My heart raced as my name was announced. At that moment, every late-night refining metaphor, every awkward practice in front of the mirror and every ounce of stubborn hope felt worth it. The third time wasn’t just a charm — it was a testament to grit, the thrill of finally sharing my research in a way that clicked and the quiet pride of proving to myself that persistence can turn almost into absolutely.”
Prakash had some words of encouragement to any fellow graduate student who has hesitated to take on the 3MT challenge.
“The 3MT isn’t just about awards. It’s about falling in love with your work all over again, three minutes at a time,” he said.
Along with Prakash, three other graduate students were recognized for their outstanding 3MT presentations. Ashley Baranczuk, doctoral student in health and human sciences specializing in kinesiology, Shawnee, won second place for her presentation, “Can GLP-1’s reduce exercising blood pressure and cardiovascular risk?” Baranczuk received a $250 scholarship. Her major professor is Steven Copp, professor of kinesiology.
Baranczuk said the 3MT was a great way to get more experience speaking in front of an audience about her research, and she recommended participating in the competition to all graduate students to improve their presentation skills and celebrate their hard work.
Shubhangi Arvelli, doctoral student in biological and agricultural engineering, India, was selected by the audience as the People’s Choice winner for her presentation, “From trash to treasure: Transforming food waste for a sustainable future.” Arvelli earned a $125 scholarship. Her major professor is Jikai Zhao, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering.
“Participating in the 3MT competition taught me to communicate complex science with clarity and heart,” Arvelli said. “Presenting to a room full of strangers, friends and family was nerve-wracking, but their support reminded me why this work matters. The experience forced me to rethink my research through a universal lens, a skill I now see as vital as lab work in driving real-world impact. Today, I feel empowered to share my work confidently.”
This was the 10th year of K-State’s Three Minute Thesis competition, coordinated by the Graduate School. There has been growing interest among graduate students to participate in the 3MT as well as interest in supporting the competition.
A new award was presented in this year’s 3MT competition for the presentation of research with the best commercial potential, sponsored by K-State’s Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship.
Joshua Jackson, master’s student in entomology, Catonsville, Maryland, won the best commercial potential award for his presentation, “Lasers and ticks and AI, oh my! Using infrared spectrometry to detect tick-borne pathogens.” Jackson received a $500 scholarship. Jackson’s co-major professors are Cassandra Olds, assistant professor of entomology, and Lee Cohnstaedt, adjunct faculty member in entomology.
Jackson said that although fitting everything into three minutes was challenging, it forced him to really think about the big picture and identify the most important points of his research question.
K-State’s chapter of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, also provided sponsorship for this year’s 3MT competition. All of this year’s finalists received membership to Sigma Xi, which will give them access to professional development, networking and funding opportunities.
The final round of the 3MT also featured the following finalists:
Justin Montney, doctoral student in health and human sciences specializing in kinesiology, Topeka; Jacob Miller-Klugesherz, doctoral student in sociology, Westmoreland.
From out of state: Sydney Weber, doctoral student in economics, Springfield, Missouri.
From out of country: Vikas Kumar Galipothu, doctoral student in horticulture and natural resources, Sabreena Parray, master’s student in agronomy, and Muazzama Mushtaq, master’s student in agronomy, all from India; and Sagar Pokhrel, master’s in horticulture and natural resources specializing in urban food systems, Nepal.
The judges for the event were Hans Coetzee, interim vice president for research and university distinguished professor; Beth Montelone, senior associate vice president for research and professor of biology; Adam Walker, K-State Alumni Association president and CEO; Rachel Mui, assistant professor of management; Endy Lopes Kailer, doctoral student in agronomy and 2024 3MT first place winner; and Jack Sytsma, doctoral student in biology and student representative of K-State’s chapter of Sigma Xi.
The 3MT was first held at the University of Queensland in 2008 and was first held at K-State in 2016. Competitions are conducted at more than 900 universities in 85 countries. Questions about K-State’s 3MT may be directed to Megan Miller, Graduate School assistant director of student success, at mmmiller@k-state.edu.
