2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and Master’s Showcase Recap

Congratulations to the 2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and Master’s Showcase participants. These brave scholars had the opportunity to share their research in front of a live audience for a chance to represent Emory in the 2027 regional 3MT competition. 

Although only one participant will go on to the regional competition, all participants are winners. 

“The Three Minute Thesis competition highlights one of the most essential skills for graduate students; the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and confidently,” said Katy Leonard, assistant dean for professional development and career planning. “It challenges students to think deeply about their research and share its relevance in ways that connect with broader audiences.” 

Grace Neilsen, a fifth-year PhD candidate in Biochemistry, Cell & Developmental Biology, won first place in the 3MT competition, and Yingchuan Sun, a master’s student in Computer Science, won first place in the Master’s Showcase. 

Neilsen’s 3MT presentation, titled “Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Drug,” explored how viruses mutate to evade treatment. Using the analogy of a relationship that no longer fits, Neilsen demonstrated how structural biology can be used to design more resilient antiviral drugs. Neilsen is also a researcher in the Sarafianos Lab, where she investigates this very issue.   

Yingchuan Sun, a master’s student in Computer Science and the 2026 Master’s Showcase winner presented research titled “Thinner Slices, Better ICU Decisions,” which focused on the use of reinforcement learning for healthcare decision-making. 

Also recognized was Marlaina Horewitz, a third-year PHD candidate in Chemistry and the 2026 3MT runner-up, whose presentation “When Cells Feel the Heat: Studying Actin Mechanical Responses that Drive Movement,” explores force-sensitive protein dynamics that drive cellular movement.    

The 2026 3MT People's Choice Award went to Lingxiao Chen, a PhD candidate in Sociology, whose presentation “Performing the Nation: Celebrity Politics and Public Opinion under Authoritarianism,” examined nationalism, political culture, and public opinion formation. The competition was deliberated by Emory alumni judges Kimberlynn B. Davis, J.D. 08PhD; Rosemary M. Magee 82PhD; and Marisela Martinez-Cola, J.D. 16G 18PhD. 

The 3MT competition was founded by the University of Queensland in 2008. The event challenges doctoral students to present a compelling oration on their thesis or dissertation research and its significance to a general audience in just three minutes. Laney graduate school hosts its annual 3MT each spring, along with more than 900 universities worldwide that host local 3MT events. Starting in 2025, Laney graduate school began hosting the Master’s Showcase, which follows the same rules as the doctoral 3MT competition. 

The 2027 3MT and Master’s Showcase will involve preliminary and final rounds that will take place in early spring 2027.