Pairing a powerful image with an even more powerful story, Joseph Gebru (BSc ’23) was determined to make every second count.

With three minutes on the clock, the Applied Health Sciences master’s student gave his now award-winning research presentation, “Flipping the Script: Empowering Black Male Youth to Navigate Healthcare Barriers.”

Leaving a lasting impression on the judges, Gebru would go on to claim the top spot in Brock University’s 2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, held Tuesday, March 25.

Applied Health Sciences master’s student Joseph Gebru (BSc ’23) took first place in Brock’s recent Three Minute Thesis competition.

“My research title doesn’t fully convey the story, which is about more than just navigating the system; it’s about empowering individuals who have been marginalized,” he says. “My goal is to challenge perceptions and push for more equitable health-care practices.”

Gebru says it was difficult to distill the complex message of his work into three minutes and a single slide, so he chose to focus on sharing its impact through a compelling story rather than discussing methods or data.

His research is grounded in his upbringing and personal experiences of negative stereotypes imposed on him and his peers.

“It was something I could relate to directly,” Gebru says. “Growing up, I never looked at myself with pride because of how others saw me. I wanted to use my research to change that for others in my community.”

Looking ahead, Gebru is excited to represent Brock and share his work with a wider audience during the provincial 3MT finals at the University of Toronto in May. He is already planning his next steps to prepare for the finals by gathering feedback and refining his presentation.

“It feels incredible to have my research recognized in such a meaningful way,” Gebru says of his win at Brock. “This competition allowed me to share something I’m truly passionate about — how to change the narrative for Black youth and empower them to take control of their health. It’s humbling to see that the judges valued this perspective.”

Brock’s 2025 3MT competition saw a record 24 graduate students compete, showcasing a wide array of research across disciplines. Other winners include:

• Second Place — Frédérik Rivard, a Biological Sciences master’s student, for the presentation “Let’s Talk Yeasts, Wine, and a Little Bit of Art”
• Third Place — Kyra Omland (BSc ’24), an Applied Health Sciences master’s student, for the presentation “Changes in Maternal Sensitivity Following Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Postpartum Depression Predict Adaptive Alterations in Infant Emotion Regulation”
• People’s Choice Award — Isabela Fetter, a Biological Sciences PhD student, for the presentation “Specialists x Generalists: Fungi Specificity and Beyond”

The winners of the 2025 Brock Three Minute Thesis competition include (from left) Isabela Fetter (People’s Choice Award), Frédérik Rivard (second place), Joseph Gebru (BSc ’23) (first place) and Kyra Omland (BSc ’24) (third place).