The University of British Columbia
UBC - A Place of Mind
The University of British Columbia
UBC News
  • Home
  • News Tips
  • Arts & Humanities
  • Business, Law & Society
  • Science, Health & Technology
  • University News
  • Contacts
  • Services
    • Services for Journalists
    • Services for Faculty
Home / 2013 / March / 06 / Outtakes
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Outtakes

Mar 6, 2013

What a Three Minute Thesis finalist  is doing one year later. A conversation with Baillie Redfern Genome Science and Technology Program, under the supervision of Dr. Jörg Bohlmann

Since participating in UBC’s 2012 Three Minute Thesis competition—an annual event where grad students boil down their research into a three-minute talk—Baillie Redfern has embraced public speaking. Her thesis, on cloning a gene in balsam fir trees that could replace a substance derived from whale barf for perfumes, was selected for animation by renowned cartoonist Jorge Cham after a competition called PHD Comics. In April, she travels to Albuquerque to be the first Métis woman to compete in the Miss Indian World Pageant and has selected storytelling as her traditional talent.
An image from the animated two-minute video of Baillie Redfern's thesis on whale barf and perfume. Jorge Cham PHD Comics

UBC’s 3MT competition

I’m among the first generation to go to university in my family.  I have a lot of aunties and uncles so I have had plenty of practice explaining my research and why it is important. If I said my thesis was about trying to clone some genes, no one would care about that. To make it interesting, you have to make your work relevant to everyday life.

2013 Three Minute Thesis Competition

Semi-finals: Tuesday, March 12, 1 – 4:30 p.m.

Finals: Thursday, March 14, 12 – 1:30 p.m.

For more information about UBC’s Three Minute Thesis Competition, visit: 3mt.grad.ubc.ca

I practiced my 3MT talk so many times and I knew it so well. During the finals, I stumbled over some words and repeated  a sentence. When you only get three minutes if you mess up once, its tough to redeem yourself.

The animated thesis

The PHD Comics competition was based on fan votes and I didn’t get enough votes to win. But then I got an e-mail from Jorge Cham saying that he wanted to make my thesis into a cartoon. We only had three weeks to work on the video but it was fun. I asked Jorge to draw me wearing cowboy boots and with feathers in my hair because of my Métis identity.

The importance of communicating your work

If you want people to be interested in what you’re doing, you have to be vocal. That’s why I’ve picked public speaking as my talent for the Miss Indian World Pageant. It’s not a beauty contest but we do show off our cultural talents, traditional knowledge and express our identity through powwow dancing. To demonstrate my traditional talent I have chosen to share a story my grandmother told me about traditional medicinal plants.

Watch the animated video of Baillie Redfern’s thesis:

Find other stories about: Alzheimer's, Canada Research Chair, china, Faculty of Medicine, health, intercultural understanding, international engagement, Weihong Song

2013 Three Minute Thesis Competition

Semi-finals: Tuesday, March 12, 1 - 4:30 p.m. Finals: Thursday, March 14, 12 - 1:30 p.m. For more information about UBC's Three Minute Thesis Competition, visit: 3mt.grad.ubc.ca

News Tips

News Tips

Looking for story ideas?
Check out our latest News Tips!

Find UBC Experts

An information source that gives journalists access to UBC’s expertise.

Explore

  • Arts & Humanities
  • Business, Law & Society
  • Science, Health & Technology
  • University News
  • Q&As
  • Media Advisories
  • Latest News

Tweets by @ubcnews

My Tweets
Subscribe & receive news by e-mail View UBC's Okanagan News Room
    
Public Affairs
310 - 6251 Cecil Green Park Road
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z1
Tel 604 822 6397
Fax 604 822 2684
Website news.ubc.ca
Email public.affairs@ubc.ca
Find us on
    
Back to top
The University of British Columbia
  • Emergency Procedures |
  • Terms of Use |
  • Copyright |
  • Accessibility