2025 CEPS 3MT College Heat Recap

The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) held its annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) College Heat on March 25, 2025. Seven brilliant minds spanning the College’s thesis-based graduate programs took the stage, each given just three minutes to captivate the audience with their groundbreaking research, armed with only one slide. The judges were tasked with selecting the top three winners. 3MT extends to a national level where students are again judged on their ability to engage the audience and communicate their research in clear, accessible language. 

Our three winners are:

• 1st Place - $500 prize
  • Adya Dash
  • Title of Research: Integrating AI with Climate Models: Enhancing Early Warning Systems for Extreme Events
  • Supervisor: Dr. Edward McBean
• 2nd Place - $250 prize
  • Jagandeep Saraya
  • Title of Research: An Aqueous Compatible Approach to DNA and RNA Modifications
  • Supervisor: Dr. Derek O'Flaherty
• 3rd Place
  • Spandana Chereddy
  • Title of Research: AI for Antibiotics: A New Era in Infection Defense
  • Supervisor: Dr. Gurjit Randhawa

First and second-place winners, Adya and Jagandeep will advance to the University-wide competition on April 24. All three winners will receive a certificate in recognition of their achievement.

All participants are to be commended for their outstanding performances. They demonstrated deep knowledge of their research topics, a strong commitment to the real-world applications of their work, and exceptional communication skills. Congratulations to all!