The Department of Research, and Innovation at the University of Pretoria (UP) recently hosted its first annual Postgraduate Research Day, themed ‘UP Postgraduates Driving Sustainable Solutions for Global Change’. On the day, postgraduate students across all the UP faculties shared their research and findings to date using the international formats of ‘3-Minute Thesis (3MT)’ and ‘Visualise Your Thesis (VYT)’.

“Postgraduate students are important contributors to research activities and outputs of the University,” said Dr Carol Nonkwelo, Senior Director of Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education at UP. “You are often referred to as next-generation researchers, but you are present, the new innovative out-of-the-box thinkers and the future leaders. In the new five-year plan, of which we are in the first year, the University will grow its postgraduate cohort by 15% by the fifth year.”

The Three Minute Thesis was founded by the University of Queensland for PhD students to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Whereas Visualise Your Thesis from the University of Melbourne challenges graduate researchers to present their research in a 60-second audio-visual explainer to build critical digital literacy skills to effectively communicate complex research to a general audience.

Masters and Doctoral students along with Judges at the Annual Postgraduate Day.

A total of 29 students participated in the competition: 10 master’s students presented their theses using the ‘VYT’ technique and 19 doctoral students presented using the ‘3MT’ format. The results were independently assessed by judges. Prizes were awarded to the winners of each format, the first runner-up, and People’s Choice Awards in both categories.

UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe congratulated all the participants for their courage in sharing scientific knowledge in front of an audience, and said each presentation deserves to win because of the participants’ zeal and diligence.

“The University enrols more than 9 000 postgraduate students annually,” Prof Kupe said. “During the height of the pandemic, it was encouraging to hear of the various support mechanisms and interventions that the University implemented to support students to continue with their studies and research projects. This showed the versatility of the systems we have put in place to support and ensure improved postgraduate throughout at UP.

“Today, participating doctoral and master’s students from all faculties presented their research in a way that shows the quality of research in this institution, as well as the calibre of the postgraduate supervisors we are privileged to have. I would like to acknowledge and thank you for your valuable contributions, your commitment and diligence in the supervision of our students and commitment to the University’s Vision 2025”.

The judges included Professor Thulani Mahlalanyane, Deputy Director of UP’s Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics; Professor Sanushka Naidoo, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Genetics; Dr David Nsibo, Senior Researcher at the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI); Dr Eleni Yitbarek, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics; and Dr Michael Ayomoh, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

The ‘3MT’ presentation prize of R15 000 went to Mr Charl van Schoor. His research focused on ‘Detecting the impact of narratives through deep learning’. The runner-up prize of R10 000 went to Ms Kamogelo Sepotokela, and the People’s Choice Award of R5 000 was awarded to Mr Samuel Babalola.

The ‘VYT’ presentation prize of R10 000 was awarded to Ms Micka Reynders. Her thesis focused on ‘Systems thinking in first-year chemistry for sustainability’. Ms Charlise Basson won both the runner-up and People’s Choice prizes of R5 000 and R3 000 respectively. Her research focused on ‘Metastatic melanoma: Striving to stop the spread’.