The Winner and Runner-up of each Faculty Heat will compete in the university 3MT Final for a chance to represent UOW at the Asia-Pacific 3MT Semi-Final Showcase. Meet our finalists....
Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health
Declan Fisher
PhD Candidate
School of Science
Presenting:
Two Billion Years of Practice: Our Incredible Talent Keeping Cancer at Bay
Declan is a second-year PhD student studying how our cells cope with damaged DNA during replication — a process essential for healthy cell division. Using cutting-edge electron microscopy, he hopes his work will help inspire new treatments for various cancers and genetic diseases.
Jessie Sheridan-Moules
PhD Candidate
School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences
Presenting:
Brain Tissue: The Missing Puzzle Piece of Psychiatry
Jessie is a PhD candidate in neuroscience whose research focuses on exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying schizophrenia using donated human brain tissue.
Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences
Sanchita Dewanjee
PhD Candidate
Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM)
Presenting:
Battling the Australian Sun: Smarter Protection Against Skin Cancer
Sanchita is a PhD researcher working on advanced nanomaterials for sunscreen and biomedical applications. Her research bridges the gap between fundamental science and real-world health protection.
Kiarn Roughley
PhD Candidate
School of Mathematics and Physics
Presenting:
May the Fast Be With You: Can Fasting Conditions Enhance Brain Cancer Therapy?
After surviving leukemia as a teenager, Kiarn developed a strong passion for improving cancer care through patient-centred approaches. His research now explores how fasting conditions could be used to improve brain cancer treatments.
Faculty of Arts, Society and Business
Ratna Yudhiyati
PhD Candidate
School of Business
Presenting:
It Takes a Village: Reimagining Support Systems for Sustainable Small Textiles Businesses
Ratna is a third-year PhD candidate researching small business performance in the textile and clothing industry. Her work utilizes social network theory to explore how external relationships and support ecosystems can help small businesses successfully transition to sustainable practices.
Menaka Hewawaduge
PhD Candidate
School of Business
Presenting:
Are We Immune to Leaders' Lies?
Menaka is a final-year PhD candidate examining how leadership and verbal deception impact workplace dignity. She is passionate about translating her research into practical tools that help build high-performing, trustworthy work cultures rooted in dignity.
University of Wollongong in DUBAI
Basila Sali
PHD Candidate
School of Business, DUBAI
Presenting:
The Sustainable Fashion Store – GCC Edition
Basila is a final-year PhD candidate driven by the belief that the fight for the planet can be advanced on the shop floor - if the message resonates. Her research explores how sustainable fashion consumption diffuses and coevolves across the GCC, a region where the appetite for style is growing and the future of sustainable fashion is still being shaped.