Three Minute Thesis winner, Aditya Goyal, a doctoral student in materials and nanotechnology, (left) holds his $1,000 check alongside Colleen Fitzgerald, NDSU Vice President for Research and Creative Activity.
Aditya Goyal, a doctoral student in materials and nanotechnology, was named this year’s Three Minute Thesis champion during the final round of NDSU Graduate School’s Three Minute Thesis competition on Thursday, Feb. 13.
Goyal’s presentation “Creating Sustainable Phosphorus Fertilizers,” focused on eutrophication, a process driven by excessive phosphate pollution that affects 34% of lakes in the U.S., harming biodiversity and water quality. Goyal’s research provides a sustainable solution by using calcium peroxide nanoparticles to remove phosphate from lakes and repurpose it as fertilizer, and aims to bridge environmental sustainability and agricultural needs, offering a scalable and cost-effective method for addressing water pollution while conserving a vital resource for food production.
Goyal is advised by Achintya Bezbaruah, Gehrts Presidential Professor and department chair of civil, construction and environmental engineering
To conclude the competition, Goyal was presented with a $1,000 check and is invited to represent NDSU at the Western Association of Graduate Schools regional competition in March.
“It feels so wonderful,” Goyal said when asked how it feels being named the 3MT champion. “I’m excited and happy.”
Goyal said the most rewarding part of being a 3MT participant was learning about the other research taking place on campus and getting to share his research with the broader community. His advice for graduate students thinking of participating in next year’s 3MT is to be confident and to practice speaking about research in a way that is understandable to the general public.
In the Three Minute Thesis competition, students are given three minutes to present their research clearly and concisely.
In addition to the selection of the Three Minute Thesis champion, the NDSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business presented two students with Innovation Commendations.
The award recognizes thesis works that focus on developing innovative technology and/or developing a creative solution to a major problem. It was established to further the Center's desire to spark creative problem-solving in economic, social, institutional and cultural environments. The award is accompanied with a $500 check.
Winners are:
- Goyal on his presentation “Creating Sustainable Phosphorus Fertilizers.”
- Chinenye Muolokwu, a doctoral student in pharmaceutical sciences, on her presentation “Cracking Alzheimer’s Code.”
Australia's University of Queensland developed the first Three Minute Thesis competition in 2008 and the concept has spread to institutions around the world. NDSU held its first Three Minute Thesis event in 2015.
