Science is making its mark in brief and understandable formats. Laura Pastor and Sara Mohammadi, doctoral candidates from the University of Alcalá, proved it's possible to condense years of research into just 180 seconds, winning the final of the tenth '3-Minute Thesis' competition. The event took place on June 11 at the Rey Juan Carlos University campus in Móstoles.
This competition, jointly organized by several Madrid universities (Alcalá, Autonomous University of Madrid, Complutense University of Madrid, Polytechnic University of Madrid, and Rey Juan Carlos University), values both research excellence and the skill to communicate complex knowledge clearly and attractively. Scientific outreach is thus consolidated as an essential tool for connecting research with the public.
Laura Pastor won first prize in the Health Sciences category. Her work focuses on the care of patients with respiratory problems, analyzing whether oxygen levels administered via non-invasive mechanical ventilation are adequate or excessive. The research, titled Observational and Multicenter Study to Determine if Patients Treated with Non-Invasive Mechanical Ventilation in Pre- and Post-Hospital Emergency Services in the Community of Madrid Suffer from Hyperoxia, aims to optimize emergency care and improve patient safety by addressing the significant clinical implications of inadequate oxygen administration.
Meanwhile, Sara Mohammadi triumphed in the Engineering and Architecture category with a thesis that merges urbanism, history, and social analysis. Her research, Comparison of Public Policies and Their Impact on Social Housing and Public Spaces during the Islamic Revolution and the Pahlavi Monarchy, examines the evolution of Iranian cities through two distinct political periods. Mohammadi analyzes how governmental decisions transformed social housing construction and public space configuration, and their effect on daily life, offering a comparative perspective on urban planning, political power, and citizen well-being.
The participation of both doctoral candidates highlights the quality of research at the University of Alcalá and the growing importance of scientific outreach. The '3-Minute Thesis' competition, originating in Australia in 2008, requires researchers to present their findings in 180 seconds with a single static slide, necessitating accessible language and audience engagement.
“"Behind them, however, there are years of work, effort, and knowledge."
The merit of Pastor and Mohammadi lies not only in their high-level research but also in their ability to communicate it with clarity, rigor, and approachability, convincing the jury in just three minutes.
