Front row (left to right): Salma Bafagih (Ontario Tech), Mona Behrouzian (UBC), Mélanie Letendre Jauniaux (Bishop’s), Javier Ibarra-Isassi (showcase organizer). Back row (left to right): Margot Dessartine (Sherbrooke), Sharif Shahabi (PolyMTL), Michelle Janusz (Laval), Parker Volk (UCalgary), Dilakshan Srikanthan (Queen’s).

The Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS) was delighted to host the 2025 National Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Showcase on Thursday, 6 November at the Delta City Centre Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario.

Founded in 2008 at the University of Queensland, the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an internationally recognized competition for graduate students in which participants are challenged to present the impact of their research in 3 minutes or less using a single, static slide. The competition continues to grow worldwide, with hundreds of institutions across 65 countries participating each year, including dozens of Canadian universities and research institutes.

Continuing this annual tradition, the CAGS 3MT National Showcase brought together eight outstanding graduate student finalists from across the country: the top two winners from each of the three regional competitions (Western, Ontario, and Eastern), along with the 2025 winners of Ma thèse en 180 secondes (ACFAS) and SSHRC’s Storytellers Competition. Each participant delivered a dynamic and insightful presentation, demonstrating not only the depth of their research, but also their remarkable ability to engage diverse audiences.

The event was hosted by Dr. Robin Hicks, Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Victoria and member of the CAGS Board, whose quips and excellent interventions guided the audience through an afternoon of inspiring research communication. Topics ranged from innovative medical diagnostics and treatments to creative approaches to understanding trauma, food literacy and the importance of washing our fruits and veggies. Together, these topics offered a fascinating glimpse into the breadth of graduate research happening across Canada.

Alongside an international audience of 115 joining via Zoom, the in-person audience of 155 attendees were astonished by the prowess of our incredible graduate research communicators. After this engaging and well-attended showcase, the in-person audience voted for the top three presenters, who all walked home with a cash prize and a glass plaque to commemorate their success. Notably, the top two participants will also advance to the next level of the competition.

Using paper ballots, the in-person audience selected the following presenters to receive People’s Choice prizes:

  • 1st Place: Parker Volk (UCalgary) — awarded $1,000 and advancing to the CGS North American 3MT Showcase
  • 2nd Place: Michelle Janusz (ULaval) — awarded $500 and also advancing to the CGS North American 3MT Showcase
  • 3rd Place: Dilakshan Srikanthan (Queen’s) — awarded $500

Parker and Michelle will represent Canada at the North American 3MT Showcase, hosted by the U.S. Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) on December 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

CAGS extends its warmest congratulations to all participants for their creativity, clarity, and passion in sharing their research stories. Each finalist represented their institution and Canadian graduate scholarship with distinction. Their participation at the national level is a significant accomplishment and a testament to the strength of graduate education and research communication in Canada.

We look forward to cheering on Parker and Michelle in Washington, D.C. and to seeing where all of this year’s finalists take their research next.

Western Region

  • Mona Behrouzian, MASc Biomedical Engineering at University of British Columbia – Young athletes, big decisions: Improving how clinicians assess re-injury risk using a novel data-analysis tool
  • Parker Volk, PhD Gastrointestinal Sciences at University of Calgary – Friend and foe? Looking for new anti-inflammatories from parasitic worms

Ontario Region

  • Dilakshan Srikanthan, MD/PhD Translational Medicine at Queen’s University – Real-time tumor detection in brain surgery
  • Salma Bafagih, MHSc Community, Public, and Population Health at Ontario Tech University – What’s on your plate? Examining predictors of food literacy among Canadian adults

Eastern Region

  • Michelle Janusz, PhD Electrical Engineering at Université Laval – Silencing the alarm: A new approach to chronic pain
  • Sharif Shahabi, MSc Mechanical Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal – Simulating the heart under exercise to prevent cardiac risks

The Storytellers Competition (SSHRC)

  • Mélanie Letendre Jauniaux, MA Psychology at Bishop’s University – Science, story, and co-creation: Raising trauma awareness in higher education

Ma thèse en 180 secondes (ACFAS)

  • Margot Dessartine, PhD Biology at Université de Sherbrooke – Quand les bactéries se font la guerre avec leurs armes moléculaires