Bria Hughes-Small to represent Ontario Tech University at provincial Three Minute Thesis competition

Bria Hughes-Small, a first-year Master's student in Forensic Psychology at Ontario Tech University, clinched the top spot at the university's annual Three Minute Thesis competition on March 21. This victory advances her to the provincial competition at Lakehead University’s Orillia campus on Wednesday, May 8, where she will represent Ontario Tech and put her thesis pitch to the test again against the winners from other universities.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an annual contest involving students from Ontario Tech’s School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) in which participants present their research and its wider impact in three minutes or less to a panel of non-specialist judges. The challenge is to present complex research in an engaging, accessible and compelling way, using only one static slide as a visual prop. 

After a preliminary round on March 20, the field of competitors was narrowed to six for the March 21 final round and awards presentation. 

Bria Hughes-Small claimed first place with her research presentation titled The Impacts of Socioeconomic Status and Adversity on the Development of Neural Networks and Social Cognitive Functioning in Children and Adolescents.

Her work untangles the complex interplay between these factors, shedding light on how environmental influences shape brain development and social cognition in young individuals.

“I have an interest in how the environment affects development because of my personal experiences,” says Hughes-Small. “Based on statistics alone, it was very likely I wouldn’t have completed high school, but I am here doing my master's degree and doing very well for myself. I believe that pushed me to think, just because a child's environment might be negative or adverse, that does not make it deterministic; it's not a life sentence on what their lives will be."

Hughes-Small embraced the challenge of the 3MT® competition and its emphasis on effective science communication, pushing presenters to explain their work in a digestible manner, ensuring that the value of research is accessible to all.

“We’re pumping out all these great findings, but we don’t always present them in a way that everyone can understand, so the value of that knowledge can sometimes be lost,” she says.

Her win is not only a personal triumph but also a historic moment for the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at Ontario Tech, as she is the first person from her faculty to win the 3MT® competition.

"To win, it was a fantastic experience. I left and was shaking afterward because I was so nervous. But it was really great to have people engage in the content," she said.

Even in the face of nerves and uncertainty, Hughes-Small remains steadfast in her commitment to advocating for children's well-being.

"Even if I don't win (at provincials), I have people thinking about children's environments and how they are affecting their brains and what they can do. I don’t think people realize how much power we have. We can enact a lot of change."

Organized by Ontario Tech University’s School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, this year’s 3MT® was generously sponsored by belairdirect.

2024 Ontario Tech University 3MT® finalists

• Bria Hughes-Small*, Master of Science (Forensic Psychology) candidate: Disentangling the Unique Impacts of Socioeconomic Status and Adversity on the Development of Neural Networks and Social Cognitive Functioning in Children and Adolescents.
• Larissa Janssen**, Master of Arts (Criminology) candidate: Does it Get Better? Understanding the Experiences of Queer Canadians.
• Grace Adie-Berube***, Master of Health Science (Kinesiology) candidate: Subclinical Neck Pain Affects Oculomotor Performance During an Upper Limb Goal-Directed Aiming Task.
• Wing Yi Pao, PhD (Mechanical Engineering) candidate: Get Home Safe Everyday.
• Janani Balasubramanian, Master of Science (Materials Science) candidate: SERS-Driven Nano-Biosensors: Advancing Precision for Hemoglobin Analysis.
• Sergio Majluf Suárez, PhD (Materials Science) candidate: Pin-prick Blood on Photodetectors: Rapid and Sensitive Quantification of Hemoglobin by Designing and Developing a Low-cost Point-of-Care Sensor.

* First place ($1,000 and the opportunity to represent the university at the provincial competition)
** Second place ($500)
*** People’s Choice winner (as selected by the audience, $250)

For more information, visit the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies’ Three Minute Thesis competition web page.

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