BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:Grand Final 3MT 2026 METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260409T150000 DTEND:20260409T163000 DTSTAMP:20260409T150000 UID:2026/grand-final-3mt-2026@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260601T203640 LOCATION: SUMMARY:Grand Final 3MT 2026 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

After five nerve wrecki ng preliminary rounds, ten finalists are ready to compete in the 3- Minute Thesis Grand Final of 2026. In other words, come and see ten PhD’ers who rank as the best scientific presenters from across campus! And, of course, cast your vote for the public’s ch oice award.

3-Minute Thesis

3 MT is a competition for PhD students from any and all field s. In it, participants summarise their research projects into a conci se, scientifically accurate and engaging three-minute prese ntation tailored for a non-specialist audience. Originating from the University of Queensland, this is the second time the University Libr ary brings 3MT to Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Programme

The Grand Final, which is& nbsp;hosted by Wouter Buursma, consists of the ten pre sentations by the finalists, time for the judges to select& nbsp;a winner and a runner-up as well as for the public to vote for the public’s choice award, and an award ceremony.&nbs p;The prizes, of €600, €400 and €300, are kindly ;gifted by Open Science VU, to support winners in their research.&nbs p;To celebrate, after a thrilling programme of 90 minutes, we close with drinks at Bar Boele.

Finalists

~~After five preliminary rounds, each putting forwar d two finalists, we now know that the ten finalists are: < /p>~~

Julia Beets
“Small changes, Big consequences: Building life one brick at a time.”
Section Ecology & Evolution at Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE, Faculty of Science)

Eva J.E. de Bock
“ Monthly torture: uncovering adenomyosis using microbubbles.” < br>Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology ;at Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research&nb sp;Institute (Amsterdam UMC)

Timo van de n Bogaard
“Too fatigued to handle the heat? ”
Department of Human Movement Sciences (Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences)&n bsp;

Joyce Burger
“Findin g the Sweet Spot: How Task Difficulty Impacts Students’ Motivation During Physical Education.”
Department of Human&n bsp;Movement Sciences (Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences)

Laurence&n bsp;Cleenewerk
“A better way to find new an tibiotics.”
Department of Molecular Microbio logy at Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment ( A-LIFE, Faculty of Science)

Li sette Dirksen
“Risky or at risk?”
Department of Criminology (Faculty of Law) < /li>
Sahar Fazli
“Sleep Your W ay to a Straighter Spine.”
Department of Orthopae dic Surgery (Amsterdam UMC)

Ni els Meijns
“The evolution of myelin da mage in Multiple Sclerosis.”
Department of Anatom y and Neurosciences (Amsterdam UMC)

Francesco Persico
“The First Bonds That Sh ape Us.”
Department of Educational and Famil y studies (Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Science s)

Gustė Stasevičiūtė& nbsp;
“Best Friends with Cows: Exploring Human-Animal Rela tionships in Industrial Farming.”
Department of Langua ge, Literature and Communication (Faculty of Social Sciences and Huma nities; Meertens Institute)

DESCRIPTION:
3-Minute Thesis
3MT is a competition for PhD students from any and all fields. In it , participants summarise their research projects into a concise, scie ntifically accurate and engaging three-minute presentation tailored for a non-specialist audience. Originating from the Universi ty of Queensland, this is the second time the University Library brin gs 3MT to Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Progr amme
The Grand Final, which is hosted b y Wouter Buursma, consists of the ten presentations by the finalists, time for the judges to select a winner and a runner-up as well as for the public to vote for the public’s choice award, and an award ceremony. The prizes, of €600, €400 and €300, are kindly gifted by Op en Science VU, to support winners in their research. To celebrat e, after a thrilling programme of 90 minutes, we close with drinks at Bar Boele.
Finalists
After five preliminary rounds, each putting forward two finalists, w e now know that the ten finalists are:

Julia Beets
“Small changes, Big consequences: Bui lding life one brick at a time.”
Section Ecology& nbsp;& Evolution at Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environ ment (A-LIFE, Faculty of Science)

Eva J.E. de Bock
“Monthly torture: unco vering adenomyosis using microbubbles.”
Department of& nbsp;Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Amsterdam Re production and Development Research Institute (Amsterd am UMC)

Timo van den Bogaard&nb sp;
“Too fatigued to handle the heat?”
Depa rtment of Human Movement Sciences (Faculty of Beh avioural and Movement Sciences)

Joyce Burger
“Finding the Sweet Spot: How Task Difficulty Impacts Students’ Motivation During Physical Educa tion.”
Department of Human Movement Sci ences (Faculty of Behavioural and Movement S ciences)

Laurence Cleenewerk
“A better way to find new antibiotics.” Department of Molecular Microbiology at Amsterda m Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE, Faculty of Science)

Lisette Dirksen
“Risky or at risk?”
Department of Cr iminology (Faculty of Law)

Sah ar Fazli
“Sleep Your Way to a Straighter Sp ine.”
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery ;(Amsterdam UMC)

Niels Meijns
“The evolution of myelin damage in Multiple Scle rosis.”
Department of Anatomy and Neuroscien ces (Amsterdam UMC)

~~Francesco Persico~~
“The First Bonds That Shape Us.”
< em>Department of Educational and Family studies (Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences)
< li>Gustė Stasevičiūtė
“Bes t Friends with Cows: Exploring Human-Animal Relationships in Industri al Farming.”
Department of Language, Literature and Co mmunication (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities; Meertens Institute)

After five nerve wrecking preliminary rounds, ten finalists are ready to compete in the 3-Minute Thesis� �Grand Final of 2026. In other words, come and see ten PhD’e rs who rank as the best scientific presenters from across campus ! And, of course, cast your vote for the public’s choice award. END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR