KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 2, 2026

The 12th Annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition was held on April 2, 2026, as part of Graduate Student Appreciation Week at Kennesaw State University. This year’s event, sponsored by Delta Community Credit Union, featured 22 competitors, whose outstanding presentations showcased the depth, creativity, and real-world relevance of graduate research across an array of disciplines and six colleges. 

Due to the high number of entries, the competition was divided into two groups, resulting in two first-place, two second-place, and two Audience Choice Award recipients. Every participant delivered their research in a clear, engaging, and accessible manner within the strict three-minute limit, demonstrating exceptional communication skills. 

In Group 1, Nzubechukwu Ohalete, Ph.D. candidate, Data Science and Analytics, took first place with his compelling presentation, “Investigating Demographic Bias and Autonomous Survey Completion in Large Language Models.” Sarala Lasanthi Gunathilaka Udaha Wadiya Ralle, Ph.D. candidate, Interdisciplinary Engineering, earned second place for her study, “Evaluating the Impact of Automated Speed Enforcement on Traffic Operations and Safety in School Zones: A Comprehensive Crash and Speed Analysis with Public Perception Insights.” The Audience Choice Award went to Syeda Umme Salma, Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science for “AI That Cares: Mental Health Support for Alzheimer’s Caregivers.” 

In Group 2, Marcellyn Baker, Ed.D. Candidate, Secondary and Middle Grades, claimed first place with “Perceptions and Beliefs of a High School Geometry Professional Learning Community During Initial Implementation of Standards-Based Grading.” Benjamin Angalet, MS candidate, Integrative Biology secured second place for “Morphological Variation of the Lingual Glands in Wild American Alligator Populations.” The Audience Choice Award was presented to Bright Bansah, Ph.D. candidate, International Conflict Management for “Mining and Local Community Conflicts in Ghana: Understanding the Dynamics from a Political Ecology Perspective.” 

The event highlighted the impressive caliber of our graduate students and their ability to communicate complex ideas effectively to a general audience. The two winners will travel to the Georgia Conference of Graduate Schools annual meeting in mid-April to compete against contestants from across Georgia.