K-State doctoral student reveals science behind sweet-treat safety during winning thesis presentation
A thesis can be long — sometimes hundreds of pages long.
But during K-State’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, graduate students have just 180 seconds to combine years’ worth of research into a pitch anyone can understand. This year’s first-place winner, Shivaprasad Doddabematti Prakash, proved even complex topics like cookie dough safety can be consumed in bite-sized amounts.
The first round of the competition featured 56 master’s and doctoral students from 20 academic programs. The final showdown, featuring 11 researchers, challenged participants to share their trimmed-down theses during a one-slide presentation.
“The 3MT is an excellent experience for graduate students to showcase their important work and advance their communication skills,” said Claudia Petrescu, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School. “These students now have an elevator pitch to easily share their work, which is incredibly valuable as they grow their professional network, apply for research funding and pursue diverse career opportunities.”
Prakash, a doctoral student in grain science from India, took home first place for his presentation, “Unwrapping the sweet mystery: Is your cookie dough a safe delight?” and received a $500 scholarship. He will also represent K-State in the 2025 Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools 3MT competition.
But for Prakash, the biggest accomplishment wasn’t the scholarship or the status position; it was the fulfillment of finally earning first place.
“Three years. Three finals. Three minutes that changed everything,” he said. “Winning the 3MT on my last attempt was like seeing sunlight after a long storm — sudden, golden and utterly worth the wait. At that moment, every late-night refining metaphor, every awkward practice in front of the mirror and every ounce of stubborn hope felt worth it.”
To learn more about the 3MT competition (originally started at the University of Queensland) and the three other awardees, visit https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2025/03/three-minute-thesis-winners.html.
