Idoma Son Peter Akor Makes UK’s Prestigious Research Competition Final

….To Battle Oxford, King’s, Surrey in UK Research Championship

A Nigerian researcher, Peter Akor, has qualified for the national final of the Vitae Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition 2026, emerging as one of only six finalists selected from universities across the United Kingdom.

A PhD researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in Scotland, Akor is the only finalist representing a Scottish university.

He will compete against doctoral researchers from some of the UK’s most prestigious institutions, including the University of Oxford, King’s College London, the University of Surrey, the University of Westminster and the University of Reading.

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®), organised nationally by Vitae, challenges PhD candidates to explain years of complex research in just three minutes using a single presentation slide while engaging a non-specialist audience.

The competition is regarded as one of the UK’s leading platforms for showcasing excellence in research communication.

Akor earned his place in the national championship after winning the Judges’ Choice Award at Glasgow Caledonian University’s annual 3MT final in June.

His award-winning presentation, titled “The Minutes That Matter: Transforming Epileptic Seizure Care from Reaction to Prediction,” explored how artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies can predict epileptic seizures before they occur, potentially improving patient safety, treatment and quality of life.

His victory at GCU came with the university’s 3MT trophy, a cash prize and the opportunity to represent the institution at the UK’s national finals.

The national final will see him compete against some of the brightest doctoral researchers in the UK, with the winner advancing as one of the country’s foremost ambassadors for research communication