Connecting Science to Conservation: Meet 2025 Florida Atlantic 3MT® Second Runner-up, Ph.D. Student Ray Pressman

Ray Pressman, a first-year doctoral degree student in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science’s Integrative Biology – Environmental Sciences program, finished as the second runner-up in Florida Atlantic University’s ninth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition for a presentation on, “Begging the Question: Born Loud, Stay Loud?” As the second runner-up, Pressman received a $1,000 award from the Dr. Eric H. Shaw 3MT® Championship Award Endowment Fund.  

“It feels incredibly rewarding to be a winner. I put a lot of heart into making my research accessible to others, so being recognized for that effort is truly meaningful,” shared Pressman. “It is also a huge confidence-booster to know that people connected with both the science and the story behind it.” 

Pressman is studying how early-life conditions—specifically heat stress during egg incubation—shape the behavior and personality of birds. Specifically, Pressman looks at begging behavior and personality in zebra finches to understand how their environment during development can shape who they become as adults. 

“Animals are facing rapid environmental changes and understanding how early-life stress impacts their behavior can help us predict which species are more vulnerable and what we can do to help them,” noted Pressman. “This research connects basic science to real-world conservation efforts, which is something I deeply care about.” 

In order to prepare for the competition, Pressman practiced by gathering input from as many different people as possible. From family to labmates at Bioacoustics and Behavioral Ecology Lab (BaBEL) meetings, and fellow conservation biology classmates, everyone’s feedback was essential. While Pressman admitted it was a challenge to condense such a complex dissertation project into a clear and compelling three-minute talk, overall, it was enjoyable to create a passionate speech that was also engaging and understandable to non-scientists. 

“Outside perspectives really helped me refine how I sounded and how my message came across,” said Pressman. “I learned that storytelling is just as important as science when it comes to making an impact. If people can connect emotionally to your research, they are more likely to care about it.” 

For more information on FAU’s 3MT® competition, click here. To watch Pressman’s complete 3MT® presentation, click here.