U of T 3MT Finals: Kudos & Thank you

Thank you to everyone who participated in and attended the U of T 3MT Finals Competition on April 4, 2019! Despite a power outage that required six contestants to present with neither slide nor microphone, all rose to the occasion and made the event a true celebration of remarkable research, community spirit, and resourcefulness. 

Shane Saunderson (PhD candidate, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering) captured the U of T 3MT title with his presentation “Persuasive Robotics and the Social Machine” (Learn more about Shane’s research here​.) Shane went on to compete in 3MT Ontario at McMaster University on April 17. Congratulations, Shane!

Leah De Jong, a master’s student in Molecular Genetics, earned a strong second place with her presentation, “Using Skin Cells to Understand Genetic Brain Disorders in Rett Syndrome.”

Tying for third place were Ryan Chu, a master’s student from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) (“Remote Vital Sign Monitoring Using Infrared Depth Cameras”) and Farah Qaiser, a master’s student in Molecular Genetics (“Using DNA sequencing to investigate the connection between Epilepsy and Autism Spectrum Disorder”).

Shelley Vanderhout, a doctoral student in Nutritional Sciences, was the People’s Choice winner with her presentation, “Cow’s milk fat: which is best for children?”

An inspiring Keynote Address by Carol Off (host, CBC Radio’s As it Happens) and talented co-hosting for the evening by Cristina D’Amico and Sarah Simon were a tribute to quick-thinking and top-notch communications skills. Judges Antoinette Gagne, Julia Hannaford, Allan Kaplan, Nana Lee, and Steven Penfold demonstrated both flexibility and grace in extraordinary circumstances.