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| Haley Kominek and Sayema Naaz, with mentor Glen Borchert, Ph.D., earned top awards at the competition. |
Sayema Naaz earned first place for her presentation, “The Persister Problem: How Salmonella Survives Stress,” while Haley Kominek earned second place for her talk, “Silent Conversations: How RNA Connects Our Cells.” Both students are mentored by Glen Borchert, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and National Science Foundation CAREER Investigator.
The 3MT competition challenges graduate students to present their research and its significance in just three minutes using one static slide — a test of clarity, creativity, and communication. Originating at the University of Queensland in Australia, the competition is designed to help students effectively convey complex research to a general audience.
This year, eight finalists were selected to compete, with the top three winners receiving monetary awards: $2,000 for first place, $1,500 for second, and $1,000 for third. Naaz will also represent USA at the Council of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS) regional competition in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in February 2026.
Naaz’s research focuses on understanding how Salmonella bacteria survive stress and cause chronic infections by investigating the role of non-coding RNAs and proteins in bacterial persistence.
“It was a truly rewarding experience to share my research with an audience that had little to no background in the work we do,” she said. “Explaining complex ideas in a way that connects everyone reminds me why I love what I do. The experience made me much more confident and capable of explaining my research to a diverse audience, a skill I know will serve me well in the future.”
Kominek’s presentation explored how RNA molecules facilitate communication between cells, shedding light on how certain RNA modifications determine which RNAs are secreted, and how they are recognized by other cells.
“I found it to be a fun challenge having to simplify my research into something that non-science members of the community could understand,” Kominek said. “As scientists, it is really important to learn how to communicate your research to the public.
“There is often a gap between medical research and public understanding, and bridging that gap can make science feel less intimidating. The 3MT was a great opportunity to start learning how to do that.”
Both students expressed appreciation for the support from their adviser Borchert and Harold Pardue, Ph.D., dean of the graduate school, associate vice president for academic affairs and professor in the School of Computing.
Borchert praised both students for their accomplishments.
“Sayema and Haley are extremely talented, passionate and hardworking,” he said. “Although they were competing against several other remarkable students, I knew Sayema had won the instant they announced Haley as runner-up — because in my mind, Sayema was the only student who could beat Haley, and Haley was the only one who could beat Sayema.”
