Transforming how we think about our body shape. Balancing personalized marketing campaigns with consumer privacy concerns. Rehabilitating World War II veterans through university education.

These are some of the five research presentations judges at Brock’s 2018 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Challenge preliminary round chose to advance to next month’s final round.

Brock’s 3MT finalists are:

• Ali Anwar, MSc in Management, “The Personalization-Privacy Paradox in M-commerce: Loyalty Outcomes Explained Through Customers Flow Experience and Regulatory Foci”
• Aly Bailey, PhD in Applied Health Sciences, “Get with the program – the BIAS program”
• Cody McMahon, MA in History, “Soldiers to Scholars: Veterans and Universities in Postwar Canada”
• Kaitlyn Kerridge, MA in Applied Health Sciences, “Mindfully Making Our Way in the World: The Exploration of Mindfulness Among Post-Secondary Students”
• Shannon Kitchings, MA in Social Justice and Equity Studies, “Can You Hear Me Now?”

Twelve students from five faculties explained their research to an audience attending the preliminary 3MT Challenge event Thursday, Feb. 15. Presenters had three minutes and one slide to tell the story of their research.

Topics ranged from the environmental impacts of human population growth to developing a support system for fathers of newborn infants to the effectiveness of Ontario laws regarding services for adults with developmental disabilities.

A three-judge panel evaluated presentations on their use of plain language, structure, flow, capturing audience interest and other aspects of communication, comprehension and engagement.

“I was extremely impressed,” said judge Giulia Forsythe, Special Project Facilitator with Brock’s Centre for Pedagogical Innovation. “It was exciting to see the amazing research and scholarship that’s happening on campus, and how articulate our students are.”

She said it was “exceptionally difficult” for her and fellow judges Kara Renaud, Supervisor, Career Education, and Brad McLean, Associate Director, Innovation and Commercialization in the Office of Research Services, to select five presentations.

After being selected to move on to the next round, Kitchings said the competition paves the way for a key part of the research process.

“I think knowledge mobilization is really important,” she said. “An opportunity like 3MT to talk about your research to people who aren’t necessarily experts in that field not only showcases the research that’s happening, but enables understanding it in a different way so that it can be shared with a wider population.”

Kitchings, who is president of the Graduate Students’ Association, and the other four finalists, will give their presentations at the March 29 final round, where the winning student will receive $500 and advance on to the Ontario Regional round at York University on April 19.

Now in its sixth year at Brock, the 3MT Challenge originated in Queensland, Australia in 2008 as a way for students to explain their research to a broad audience in plain, accessible terms. More than 40 schools in Canada participated last year.

The five students who advanced to Brock’s 3MT Challenge finals. From left are Ali Anwar (Goodman School of Business), Aly Bailey (Applied Health Sciences), Cody McMahon (Humanities), Kaitlyn Kerridge (Applied Health Sciences); and Shannon Kitchings (Social Sciences).