The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) was first held at The University of Queensland in 2008, and since then has been implemented internationally across many universities. The University of North Texas’s Toulouse Graduate School since 2015 holds a yearly 3MT competition to challenge students to consolidate their ideas and research discoveries so they can be presented concisely to a non-specialist audience.

The Department of Mechanical & Energy Engineering’s Doctoral candidate Sujata Mandal competed in the fall 2019 competition and placed 2nd, receiving $500.

Sujata’s research focuses on kenaf fibers, Hibiscus cannabinus a plant related to Jute, and it’s use in a fiber based nanobiocomposite for water purification.

“The demand for fresh water is growing dramatically. Hence, the endeavor to use low cost, environmentally benign material for water remediation.” Said Mandal, “The blend of bio-based material like kenaf with nano particles producing nanobiocomposites have a great deal of future promise for potential applications as high-performance biodegradable materials for point of use water purification.”