Announcing the 2026 Three Minute Thesis Winners
Eleven students participated in this year’s final competition for a chance at prize money and a chance to represent Ҵýƽ at the regional competition.
Artificial intelligence (AI) news anchors, the detection of hazards in water, and improving the structure of nanocrystals were a few of the topics presented during the ninth annualThree Minute Thesis Competition on Jan. 29, 2026.
This event challenges graduate students to craft a three-minute elevator pitch for their complex—and sometimes difficult to make sense of—research in a way that even an everyday person could understand.
This year, the eleven competitors did just that to a packed Glenn Miller Ballroom and a panel of judges who evaluated the competitors on comprehension, content, engagement and communication.
“Now, more than ever, it’s of vital importance that the public understand the valuable work that our researchers and scholars are doing every day, and how it can impact them in meaningful and lasting ways, and the Three Minute Thesis competition allows for graduate students to do just that,” said Scott Adler, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate affairs. “Congratulations to all of the graduate students that participated in this year’s competition and to those that won. You all did amazing and make me proud to be your dean.”
The 2026 winners are:
First Place
Loraine Loretta B. Smith Glidewell, teacher learning, research and practice, From Fish guts to Fireflies: Finding the Magic of Rural Education in Pre-Service Teacher Learning
Second Place
Mackenzie Bowden, environmental engineering, Detecting Hidden Hazards in Our Water
People’s Choice
Loraine Loretta B. Smith Glidewell, teacher learning, research and practice, From Fish guts to Fireflies: Finding the Magic of Rural Education in Pre-Service Teacher Learning
Smith Glidewell is only the second person in Ҵýƽ's history to win both 1st place and People's Choice. She will receive $2000 in prize money and will represent Ҵýƽ at the Western Association of Graduate Schools competition. Bowden will also receive $750 in prize money.
This year's judges include Lori Bergen, dean of the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information; Sammy Ramsey or "Dr. Sammy," an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a science communicator who is an international 3MT winner; Leopold Beuken, an assistant teaching professor in robotics and a former Ҵýƽ 3MT finalist; and Aaron Brockett, City of Boulder mayor. Bud Coleman, professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, was the event’s emcee.
More information about the 2027 Three Minute Thesis Competition will be available on theThree Minute Thesis competition web page this fall.