The teacher, the psychologist, the midwife, the lawyer, the marine biologist, the nanotechnologist, the biotechnologist and the accountant.

No, it’s not the unlikely cast of an arthouse film – this wide-ranging group of researchers make up the finalists in the Flinders Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition.

Each of the University’s four faculties will be represented this Friday afternoon by two research higher degree students, all vying for the Flinders University title, a prize of $2000, plus an all-expenses paid trip to the Trans-Tasman 3MT™2012 final in Brisbane in October.

Their mission? To pitch a compelling oration on their thesis topic and its significance in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience – all in three minutes.

This year’s judging panel includes “celebrity judge” Dr Paul Willis, director of RiAus (the Royal Institution of Australia) and a former presenter on the ABC’s Catalyst program; Professor Jeri Kroll, Dean of Graduate Research at Flinders University; and Anthony Francis, Managing Director of Flinders Partners.

The event will also feature a People’s Choice winner, voted for by the audience.

This year’s finalists are:

• Claire Holmes, psychology:  Autism spectrum disorder

• Philip Townsend, education: Remote teacher training by mobile

• Julie-Anne Fleet, midwifery: Alternative pain relief options in labour

• Andrew Scholefield, marine biology: Is fish oil needed in tuna feed?

• Jessica Viven, law: Is Australia acting in bad faith?

• Andrew Lorbeer, biotechnology:  Seaweed: The neglected treasure of the oceans

• Anirudh Sharma, nanotechnology: Laminated plastic solar cells

• Nga Ho, business: Re-entry adjustment and re-expatriation intentions of accounting and finance professionals in Vietnam

To be held in Room 1.01 in the Education Building from 2 to 4pm on Friday 31 August, the event is free and open to all university students, alumni, school students and staff.