Public choice award to Hsuan-Ai Chen at 3MT® contest in Würzburg
03/17/2026The local competition of Three-Minute-Thesis (3MT®) contest took place on March 6th, 2026 in Wuerzburg, where Hsuan-Ai successfully translated her complex research into an engaging talk for the public.
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition pioneered by the University of Queensland that has evolved into a global phenomenon, held at over 900 universities worldwide. It challenges doctoral candidates to distill their research into a three-minute presentation for a non-specialist audience. Beyond sharpening the communication skills of young scientists, the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between research and the public, fostering both awareness and lasting trust.
With her presentation, "The Origami of Life: How Folding Turns RNA into a Molecular Machine," Hsuan-Ai skillfully detailed her structural investigation of the ribozyme SAMURI. By employing vivid metaphors and accessible language, she captured the audience's imagination and earned their top honors. This achievement was made possible by her dedicated preparation and the strong backing of AK Höbartner, whose advice and cheers supported her every step of the way.
Being part of the Coimbra university network, University of Würzburg holds the local contest annually and supports participants through additional preparation workshops.
The next contest dates will be announced on the 3MT® Edition Würzburg website: https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/graduate-academy/promovierende-1/wettbewerbe-und-preise/3mtr-three-minute-thesis/
Additional images
