By Jill Pease
Tinuade Olarewaju, a University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions Ph.D. student in rehabilitation science, competed against 10 finalists to win first place in the UF Graduate School’s 2024 Three Minute Thesis competition held November 7.
Olarewaju’s presentation, “Characterizing Trunk Control During Walking after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)” explored how the nervous system retains movement control despite neural damage.
“Unlike most studies that have examined the trunk in static positions, such as sitting or standing, my research uniquely examines trunk control in dynamic movement, specifically walking,” said Olarewaju, who is enrolled in the neuromuscular plasticity concentration of the rehabilitation science program.
Olarewaju was inspired to study the role of trunk control in movement after working with a patient who had a nervous system injury and couldn’t move his legs despite many rehabilitation efforts.
“I had a lightbulb moment: I realized the root of his movement issues might actually start with his trunk,” Olarewaju said. “Once we focused on improving his trunk, his legs began to regain movement! This experience showed me just how important the trunk is for movement and inspired me to research this area further.”
Three Minute Thesis, or 3MT, is a research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland in Australia. It challenges graduate students to make a compelling and lay-friendly presentation on their thesis topic and its significance in just three minutes.
“Typically, I share my work with scientific and clinical audiences, so the 3MT competition challenged me to convey months of research in just three minutes for a general audience,” Olarewaju said. “Partaking in this experience sharpened my ability to prioritize key points, knowing what to communicate and what to leave out, and convey complex science in a simple and engaging manner.”
3MT participants are limited to one PowerPoint slide and any presentations that go over three minutes are disqualified. Judges evaluate the presentations’ content and comprehension as well as the presenters’ ability to engage and inform the audience.
Olarewaju, who will be representing UF at the regional 3MT competition during the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools annual meeting in March, recommends the 3MT experience to other PHHP graduate students.
“It is a powerful opportunity for personal development and enables insight into the diverse research happening across UF,” she said. “You’ll see a range of unique presentation styles and communication strategies, making it an invaluable learning experience.”
Olarewaju is mentored by Emily Fox, Ph.D., D.P.T., an associate professor in the department of physical therapy; director of the Brooks-PHHP Research Collaboration; and clinical associate director of the UF Breathing Research and Therapeutics, or BREATHE, Center.