Biology Graduate Student Wins UA’s Three Minute Thesis Contest

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A University of Alabama graduate student in the department of biological sciences claimed first prize in the Three Minute Thesis competition final, which was held recently on campus.

Anjana Venkatesan of Groveport, Ohio  won a $1,000 scholarship from the UA Graduate School, a $500 research and travel grant from the Graduate Student Association and a trip to the Council of Southern Graduate Schools regional 3MT Competition in Charlotte, North Carolina, for her presentation titled “The Everglades and Beyond: Understanding Wetland Carbon Dynamics.”

Jordan Rippy, a graduate student in accounting from Gallatin, Tennessee, took second place for “The Other SEC.” She won a $750 scholarship from the Graduate School and a $300 grant from GSA.

Third place and $700 in scholarship and grant money went to Territa L. Poole of Tuscaloosa for “Learning and the Confusion Conundrum.”

A fourth place finish earned Courtney Andrews of Birmingham a $250 scholarship for her anthropological presentation titled “Culture’s Role in Immigrant Health.”

The People’s Choice Award, which was determined by an audience vote, went to Sandra Lucia Almeyda Zambrano of Northport for a “Monkeys in the Mist.” The honor came with a $750 scholarship and $200 research and travel grant.

The competition finals were covered by Alabama Public Television, including backstories on several competitors. The judging panel featured John H. England Jr., circuit judge, 6th Judicial Circuit and UA trustee; Alabama Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa; Dr. Catherine Randall, chair, Alabama Academy of Honor and Pettus Randall Holdings; Dr. Kevin Whitaker, UA interim provost; Dr. Carl Pinkert, UA vice president for research and economic development; Dr. Samory Pruitt, UA vice president for community affairs ; Dr. Kim Severt, UA professor and Faculty Senate liaison to the Research Advisory Committee; and Brandon Chicotsky, UA Ph.D. student in Communication and Information Sciences.