A PhD student studying how a performance art could be good for improving the health of the over-60s has won an annual competition for describing a thesis in three minutes.

Kate Riegle van West, of the University of Auckland, was the overall winner of the 2016 Universitas?21 3MT competition with her thesis Poi for your health: A spin on ageing.

The competition challenges PhD students across the globe to explain their doctoral thesis in a three-minute presentation to a non-specialist audience, testing their communication, clarity and conciseness. ?

Having each won their university¡¯s own internal heats, alongside more than 1,000 other students, the local winners were brought together to virtually share their theses with an expert judging panel for the final round.

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Ms Riegle van West¡¯s thesis explores how the performance art of poi, which involves the spinning of weighted socks around the body, can improve physical and cognitive dexterity, especially among the growing over-60s age group.

Ms Riegle van West said that the competition had given her ¡°an amazing platform to share my research on poi and health, and I am super-excited and honoured that the judges have chosen me as the winner¡±.

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Taking the Highly Commended Award was Lillian Olule of the University of Nottingham¡¯s Malaysia Campus.

Ms Olule¡¯s?thesis, titled Capturing signals then charging batteries, shows how wireless signals from sources such as wi-fi, radio, television or microwave ovens can be captured, recycled and used to power any small devices, from mobile phones to implanted biosensors.

Finally, taking the People¡¯s Choice Award was Islam Mosa of the University of Connecticut. His thesis Miniaturised power sources for implantable bioelectronics: ultra-thin power sources for cardiac pacemakers was voted for by 3,400 people, the competition¡¯s most popular 3MT yet.

His success was celebrated by Kent Holsinger, Connecticut¡¯s vice-provost for education, who called him a ¡°very accomplished young scientist and a powerful communicator¡±.

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