The students were asked to find innovative ways to present their research and the showcase will feature the final contestants who have received training in communicating their research in a lively, interesting manner, a skill that will stand them in good stead in the employment market. UCC is the only university in Ireland to run such a showcase of its doctoral research and attracts many employers from the region.
There are three categories within the showcase, with a
total prize fund of €2,000. In the oral presentation category
participants are challenged with making their research as interesting
as possible, while also making it understandable to a general
non-specialist audience – not an easy task given the topics range from
wave energy to the psychology and sociology of knitting groups (stitch
‘n bitch). In the poster category participants created posters
which explained their research to a wider audience and were also present to informally present their poster to the judges and also to
the attendees.
Dentist, Gerald McKenna won the prize for the ‘Best Poster’ on the subject of the dental needs of older patients and how patients with a few missing teeth might be treated. His PhD thesis is being supervised by Professor Finbarr Allen and Dr Denis O’Mahony of the Cork University Dental School and Hospital and is funded by the Health Research Board.
Sinéad O’Neill, who won the section on the ‘The Three Minute Thesis Presentation’, discussed her work on whether delivery by Caesarean section is associated with subsequent sub-fertility, ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. Large scale population level research in this area is lacking to date. Her research is being supervised by Dr Ali Khashan and Dr Patricia Kearney with co-supervisors Professor Richard Greene and Professor Louise Kenny and Jennifer Lutomski of the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Epidemiology and Public Health.
The winner of the ‘Oral Presentation’ was John O’Donoghue, who is researching ways of finding new platinum based anti-cancer drugs with less side-effects and increased strength. John is based in the Analytical, Biological and Chemical Research Facility, Chemistry Department and his PhD supervisor is Dr Orla Ní Dhubhghaill.
The Doctoral
Showcase was organised by the Office of Graduate Studies, UCC.
Picture: Gerald McKenna, Winner, Best Poster, Sinead O'Neill, Winner, Under Three Minute Thesis and John O'Donoghue, Winner, Oral Presentations.
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