Earlier this month, SoCB graduate students Shehan Parmar and Morgan Polk competed in the finals of the three-minute thesis competition. This science communication challenge encourages students to design a "pitch" of their research in three minutes for a non-technical audience. Shehan took home runner-up in this year's competition.

Morgan Polk is a graduate student in the laboratory of Prof. Loren Williams and has published on the catalytic action of amylose. She has also carried out research in chemistry education under the guidance of Dr. Deborah Santos, publishing on guided inquiry and science practices in introductory chemistry laboratories.

Shehan Parmar is a graduate student in the laboratory of Prof. Jesse McDaniel studying in the areas of theoretical and computational chemistry. For the 3MT competition, he presented work involving the discovery of ionic liquids for water desalination. He has recently published on a high-throughput screening method for rocket propellants.

To read more about the 3MT competition and the other winners, see this story.