Winners from left, Osabuohien Clifford Uwuoruya, Zizipho Mbokazi Ngayeka and Ezekiel Majola
A total of seven PhD students participated in the virtual competition hosted by the Mandela International Office in partnership with the Research Development Office.
SANORD is an important multilateral network for the University to profile staff and student participation in its various activities.
PhD students are given three minutes to present a compelling discussion on their thesis and its significance. The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition challenges students to consolidate their ideas and research findings so they can be presented concisely to a non-specialist audience. It originated from the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia and was developed in 2008.
Osabuohien won R5000 prize money for his discussion on his doctoral study, entitled “I be African Man Original”: A Study of the Vernacular Intellectual Contribution of Fela Anikulapo Kuti in Postcolonial Nigeria”. The Runner-Up: Prize money of R2000
Zizipho won R2000 as runner-up and another R1000 as People’s Choice for her research on “Recovery of PGMs from Waste such as Spent Catalytic Converters and Mine Waste.”
Ezekiel also won R1000 for his rendition on “Vocational Education and the Relentless Struggles of TVET Graduates in South Africa: a Freirean Approach”.
The winning presentation will be submitted to the SANORD Central office, to compete against other South African universities.
The South African competition winner, along with one from the Nordic region, will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the SANORD annual conference at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town in December 2024.
The other three participants were Siphumelele Majodina (Chemistry), Mooketsi Mpuputla (Chemistry), Olwethu Poswayo (Chemistry) and Dakalo Singo (Human Physiology).
The judges were Prof Judy Peter (International Office), Dr Gavin Rishworth (Zoology), Dr Mia Strand (Marine Social Sciences) and Dr Knowledge Mwonzora (Political Studies).
They evaluated the presentations based on clarity and focus, significance and impact of research, innovation and originality, methodology and approach, communication and presentation, and addressing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Strand was the second runner-up in the national Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition in 2023.
Tini Shawn was the organiser and Dr Nehemiah Latolla the facilitator. Dr Latolla was the top winner in the FameLab International science communication competition in 2022.
