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Rania Zaied, a fourth-year PhD student in George Mason University’s Department of Communication, has won first-place at the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, an engaging event that showcases the innovative research of doctoral candidates. She will advance to the 2026 regional competition in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, hosted by the Council of Southern Graduate Schools.
The competition took place on November 7, 2025, and was organized by the Graduate Division of the Provost’s Office. The competition invites PhD students from various schools and colleges within the university to present their research in a concise and compelling format.
Students from the College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Humanities and Social Science, College of Public Health, and College of Science participated, presenting their chosen research topics with a single slide and a strict three-minute time limit. A panel of eight judges evaluated the presentations.
This year, the doctoral candidates explored a diverse range of topics, including the integration of Gen-AI in K-12 classrooms and novel approaches to combating bacteria and biofilms. The competition concluded with the following winners:
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First Place: Rania Zaied (CHSS): “Decoding the Joke: Muslim Representations in Comedy and Their Impact on Internalized Anti-Muslim Racism.”
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Second Place: Mahmood Almosuli (COS): “Designer Phage: The Way to Beat Bacteria and Biofilms.”
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Third Place: Rooshna Mohsin (CPH): “Balancing the Risks: Dietary and Social Predictors of PFAs Exposure and Associated Health Outcomes in Hispanic Children.”
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People’s Choice: Oakley Thomas Hill (Carter School): “The Justice Languages of America.”
Zaied had previously competed in a 3MT competition at James Madison University during her master’s studies and found it a rewarding experience.
“It truly helped me share my research clearly with any audience in a way that was simple, and to the point, regardless of their background. So, I really wanted to do it again for my doctoral dissertation, and train myself to talk about my research simply and concisely,” Zaied explained.
Zaied is conducting a qualitative study involving online interviews with Muslim audiences, utilizing thematic analysis to identify and interpret recurring themes in participants' experiences.
She attributes much of her success to the constructive feedback received from various resources at George Mason, including workshops led by Graduate Professional and Career Development Program Coordinator Alyssa Bivins, preliminary round feedback from judges, and consultations with her mentor Melissa Broeckelman-Post and Communication Center staff.
“I also attended a practice session with Dr. Bivins and Makayla Johnson, who provided valuable feedback regarding clarity for a general audience, body language, and word choices in my speech,” said Zaied, who has a concentration in strategic communications.
With the support of George Mason’s resources, Zaied polished her presentation through continuous practice and refinement.
“Some feedback might have been small tweaks here and there, but all of it together truly brought my speech a long way from where it had started and really made a huge difference,” she said.
“I’m very excited to move forward to the regional competition and represent George Mason University there,” she said.