Study on weta wins UC's thesis-in three-minutes award

Rachel van Heugten, a student studying the hybridisation of tree weta on Banks Peninsula, has picked up $5000 for winning University of Canterbury’s third annual thesis in three minutes prize.

Fifteen students who reached the final were each given just three minutes to explain the what, why and how of their thesis.

Rachel Walsh who is looking into legal regulation of organ transplantation was second and Balaji Somasundaram was third with a presentation on the influenza war.

Funding was provided by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Office.

Organiser of the event Professor Lucy Johnston said all the presentations were outstanding which made a difficult job for the judges.