Jamie Knaub Captures Two Titles at 2025 Florida Atlantic Three Minute Thesis Competition

Jamie Knaub, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences, Schmidt College of Science, earned first runner-up in both Heat 1 and the Championship rounds of Florida Atlantic University’s ninth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition in March. Knaub was awarded a total of $2,000 for her presentation on, “Scanning the Seas: Micro-CT Analysis of Cetacean Vertebral Bone.”   

“I am so honored to have been awarded runner-up in the championship round,” expressed Knaub. “This was my first time presenting for the 3MT® competition, and I feel very lucky to have performed so well. I hope the audience learned a little about whale skeletons, too!”  

Her research is focused on the form-function relationship of skeletal tissues in shark and cetacean (whales, dolphins and porpoises) vertebrae. Knaub uses a technique called micro-CT scanning, which is similar to a CAT scan a patient would get at a doctor’s office. By using these high-resolution CT scans, she can quantify 3D vertebral microstructure and investigate how those structures could impact an animal’s swimming.  

“This topic is special to me because I am fascinated by anatomy, especially skeletons, and I enjoy examining a level of detail we do not see with our naked eye,” stated Knaub. “It is also important because of the broader impacts of this research. Shark skeletons are made of cartilage, and cetaceans are made of bone, so detailed morphological studies on their anatomy could inspire human orthopedic and biomechanical research.”  

In order to prepare for the 3MT® competition, Knaub drew from elevator-style pitches that she practiced as part of the Scientific Communication course she took during the second year of her Ph.D. program. She found it was helpful to think about presenting her research to a non-biological audience.   

“I feel that my area of study was fairly easy to translate. I presented on the vertebral microstructure in cetaceans, so I took advantage of drawing connections to human skeletons which the audience could relate to and understand,” said Knaub.  

Knaub’s advisor, Marianne Porter, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Schmidt College of Science, and co-director, Marine Science and Oceanography Master’s Degree Program, encouraged her to enter the competition. She noted how grateful she was for Dr. Porter’s unwavering support and encouragement to help her step outside of her comfort zone and share her research beyond the lab.  

For students who hope to compete in next year’s 3MT® competition, Knaub shared some personal insights and advice.   

“First, be sure to know your audience. It is important to remember that you are speaking to the general public, so explain detailed or complicated concepts of your study in a plain language using simple terms,” stated Knaub. “Second, have fun! I used a few puns in my talk that got a laugh out of the audience, and it made my talk more enjoyable to present.”