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The 2026 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Jan. 29, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

That’s the question eleven graduate students will be wrestling with as part of the Graduate School’s ninth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, which will be held in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom on Jan. 29, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but .

This event challenges each student to explain their thesis to the general public. They are then evaluated by a panel of judges, which this year include Lori Bergen, dean of the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information; Sammy Ramsey or "Dr. Sammy," an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, a science communicator, and an international 3MT winner; Leopold Beuken, an assistant teaching professor in robotics and a former CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß 3MT finalist; and Aaron Brockett, the City of ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß mayor.

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today’s is Shreya Venkatesh, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering who focuses on biomedical research. Her 3MT presentation's title is, "Breast Cancer in Bone: A Vicious Cycle of Destruction."

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

I study how breast cancer cells respond to the forces our bones experience from exercise.

What do you feel is the significance of your research to the every day audience?

My research looks at how cancer and bone cells interact, which is really important if we want to find better drugs and other treatments to reduce fracture risk from bone disease caused by cancer.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

Learning that mechanical forces can change our biology in a really huge way was a big part of my undergraduate work, and that concept was so fascinating to me. I especially love the idea of working on research that can improve not just physical health but mental health too, since mobility is a huge part of all of our lives.

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

Getting to talk about it to people outside of science!

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

I'm a trained Indian classical dancer, and I perform in and around ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß! I also enjoy anything crafty, rock climbing and hiking out on trails to observe reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitats.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

I was a competitive archer in high school, and I once (accidentally) shot an arrow through my parents' bedroom wall while I was practicing in the backyard.