Four PhD students from Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, are among the finalists of the 4th edition of the “3 Minute Thesis” competition, organised by Universidade de Lisboa. The final will take place on 21 May at 5 p.m. in Pavilhão de Portugal, with free admission.
Explaining years of research in just three minutes using a single slide is the challenge set for PhD students, who are invited to explain the relevance and impact of their research in a clear and accessible way to a non-specialised audience, promoting science communication skills and bringing different areas of knowledge closer to society.
The Técnico students selected for the final are:
- Diana Maria Condeço Marques – PhD student at the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB)
- Fernanda Caroline R. Magalhães – PhD student in Architecture at the Centre for Innovation in Territory, Urbanism and Architecture (CiTUA) and the Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability (CERIS)
- João Damião Mano Lopes Marques de Almeida – PhD student at the Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR-Lisboa)
- Pedro Espírito Santo Prates Gonçalves – PhD student at the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB)
The 2026 edition is supported by the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD). The presentations will be assessed by a jury comprising experts from various scientific fields and science communication, which will award certificates of merit and prizes of €5,000, €2,000 and €1,000 to the top three finishers.
In 2023, at the inaugural edition, Catarina Botelho and Matteo Pisano took first and third place on the competition podium, respectively. Técnico was once again represented in the following edition, with a PhD student reaching the final. In the third edition, five Técnico students were among the 12 finalists, including Ana Sofia do Carmo and Íris Coimbra Damião, who took second and third place.
