Glasgow Caledonian researcher wins national 3MT competition

A Glasgow Caledonian postgraduate researcher has won the national Vitae Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, taking both the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice awards.

Peter Akor, from the University's School of Science and Engineering, was named the winner after competing against five other postgraduate researchers from across the UK in the 2026 Vitae 3MT final.

Peter earned his place in the national competition after winning the Judges' Choice Award at Glasgow Caledonian's annual 3MT final in June.

His presentation, The Minutes That Matter: Transforming Epileptic Seizure Care from Reaction to Prediction, explored how technology and data could help predict epileptic seizures before they happen, potentially improving safety, treatment and quality of life for people living with epilepsy.

The Vitae 3MT competition challenges postgraduate researchers to communicate the significance of their research to a non-specialist audience using just a single presentation slide and three minutes.

The national final was broadcast on the Vitae YouTube channel on 1 October, with the winners announced on 5 October.

Peter said: “I’m absolutely delighted and deeply grateful to have received both the Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice Awards. To have my research recognised by the judging panel and also connect with the public in this way means a great deal to me.

“I’m incredibly thankful to my family, Glasgow Caledonian University, my mentor Professor Hadi Larijani, my Director of Studies Dr Godwin Enemali, and especially Karen Coyle for her tremendous support throughout this journey.

“I’m also grateful to Vitae for providing this platform, to everyone who voted for me, and to my fellow finalists, with whom it was a privilege to share this experience. Above all, I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring greater attention to epilepsy and to research that could help give people living with the condition more warning, safety and control in their everyday lives.”

Karen Coyle, Senior Researcher Development Officer in Research and Knowledge Exchange Services, said: “The 3MT competition is a fantastic opportunity for our postgraduate researchers to develop and demonstrate their research communication skills.

“Explaining complex research clearly and engagingly to a wider audience is an increasingly important skill, and Peter's success in winning both national awards is a tremendous achievement. We are delighted to see his research recognised in this way.”

Now in its 12th year at Glasgow Caledonian, the University's 3MT competition has seen more than 80 postgraduate researchers participate across a wide range of disciplines, showcasing the breadth and impact of its research community.