2026 Penn 3-Minute Thesis Competition

Penn 3MT is a University-sponsored speaking competition designed to showcase graduate student research in three-minute talks to a general audience. This is a terrific opportunity for graduate students engaged in substantive original research to develop communication skills and share their work with faculty, students, and staff from across the University.

In addition to bragging rights, a prize of $1000 will be awarded to the first-place winner and $500 to both the second-place and audience choice winners. Winners will also have the opportunity to participate in regional and national 3 Minute Thesis competitions!

To enter, students must register below and submit an abstract or video of their three-minute talk to Penn 3MT by Friday, March 6.  Up to 10 finalists will be chosen from those first-round submissions to compete in the campus-wide, Live Competition on April 3.

Watch the Live Competition Here!

Meet the Finalists & Winners!

First Place, $1000, Kristina Stallings

Kris is committed to pushing the boundaries of medicine through her research in cellular therapies aimed at combating disease. Alongside her scientific work, she strengthens equity and belonging at Penn through involvement in student organizations to create inclusive spaces and expand access to STEM for women across communities. Beyond her scholastic activities, she enjoys brewing kombucha and trying different restaurants. Kris’ 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “A Piece More Beautiful Than ART” 

Second Place, $500, Katie Sun

Growing up, Katie had always been fascinated by trying to figure out how things work in nature. Even in childhood (much to the nightmare of her mother), she would spend hours with her sisters mixing dirt, berries, and sticks, trying to find "optimal formulations". She is excited to share her PhD work focused on polymers, and outside of the lab, she enjoys playing tennis with her cohort, trying new restaurants in Philly with her boyfriend, and biking on the river trail. Her 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “Surfaces That Decide” 

Audience Choice, $500, Mengting Fang

Mengting is a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology. She studies vision and decision-making to understand how humans interact with the complex visual world. She is also interested in artificial intelligence as a tool to help people live happier lives, not replace them. Outside the lab, she enjoys trying new foods, horseback riding, playing tennis, and cheering for the Penn Quakers. She especially loves exploring the world with Cat Baobao and they do a lot of funny things together! Mengting’s 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled "Pause, Then Power: How the Brain Decides When to Work Hard" 

Kathleen Segal

Kathleen is a 3rd year Chemistry PhD candidate in the McCallum lab, where she studies how bacterial enzymes do organic chemistry. Outside of the lab you can usually find Kathleen in the gym or out on a run. Her other interests include cross-stitching and cultivating Spotify playlists with specific vibes. Kathleen’s 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “Borrowing Nature's Toolbox: Developing Bacterial Enzymes for Challenges in Organic Synthesis”

Bukola Adebesin

Bukola is a Bioengineering PhD student who spends significantly more time than the average person thinking about and looking at livers. She sometimes even dreams about them. Today, she’ll tell you why, and how those dreams might one day help save lives in her 3-Minute Thesis talk “The 3-Minute Liver Inspection” 

Dennis Xue

Dennis grew up in China and moved to the United States during middle school. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he worked on solving the structure of proteins under the guidance of Professor Wenjun Zhang. He began his Ph.D. in 2023 in the McCallum Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, where his research focuses on the recreating complex molecules found in nature. His 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “Rebuilding a Millipede Molecule in the Lab” 

Shrey Patel

Shrey Patel is a PhD candidate in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies how chemical engineering can help solve climate change. His research focuses on carbon management, from making sustainable aviation fuel more practical to designing systems that remove carbon dioxide from the air. Originally from Ahmedabad, India, Shrey has conducted research in India, Germany, and Canada before coming to Penn. Outside the lab, he serves as President of Penn’s Graduate Student Hiking Club and enjoys building communities just as much as he enjoys building models. His 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “Can the Cloud Cool the Sky?” 

Mehrnaz Zakershahank

Mehrnaz is a second-year DScD student and research fellow at Penn Dental Medicine, where she spends her days diving into the complexities of oral cancer research. When she isn't in the lab or advocating for her peers as the GAPSA Professional Council Chair, she is dedicated to building inclusive communities for international students. To keep life balanced and sweet, Mehrnaz is a passionate baker, a strategic chess player, and a regular in the swimming pool. She is thrilled to be here today to share her passion for the oral cancer tumor microenvironment with you all in her 3-Minute Thesis talk titled “Hidden Architects: Good Cells Gone Bad” 

Anna Kasper

Anna is a second-year graduate student that grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her fascination with science started in high school, after she realized that cells are like little organized machines. In her free time, Anna enjoys watching comedy, trying different dance styles, and spending time in the Philly parks. Also, if you have cheesesteak suggestions, let Anna know because she’s currently building a ranked list of cheesesteak places. Anna’s 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “Friend to Foe: How Brain Cancer Turns Your Immune Cells Against You” 

Stephanie Rivera-Kumar

Stephanie Rivera-Kumar is a 5th year City & Regional Planning PhD Candidate. She’s a Fontaine Fellow, AmeriCorps Alum, and McNair Scholar. Stephanie’s passionate about cities, maps, cultures, and promoting an equitable society for everyone. When not at a desk, Stephanie can be found on her bike wandering down hidden streets in search of secret treats. Her 3-Minute Thesis Talk is titled “Beyond the Block: How Place Shapes Latinx Business Survival” 

Shurik Zavriyev

Shurik is an aspiring actor who took a short break from the stage lights to do some science and medical training. He believes in method acting and has been preparing for the last 5 years, and will continue to prepare for the next 8 years, for his most challenging role yet: Being a scientist with his own fabulously well-funded lab who goes and hangs out in the clinic once a week to help sick kids get better. When he is not studying for this role, Shurik loves hiking, playing ping pong, and singing loudly enough for the talent recruiters to hear him from off campus. His 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “A Kidney Biopsy Without the Needle”

Alexandra Maye

Alexandra Maye is a registered nurse, researcher, and soon-to-be doctor (of philosophy, not the kind with a stethoscope, though she has one of those too). With over eight years at the bedside in acute and critical care nursing, including opening heart arteries for patients mid-heart attack, she has seen firsthand what nurses face on the frontlines, and she has made it her mission to do something about it. Her dissertation tackles one of healthcare's most urgent crises: nurse burnout, and what it means for the hospitals serving our most vulnerable patients. When she is not defending her research or changing lives, you can find her napping, birdwatching, or ideally doing both on a beach somewhere. Her 3-Minute Thesis talk is titled “Listen. The Alarm is Sounding”