A mechanical engineering graduate student took first place in the annual Three Minute Thesis competition with research that pokes holes in three-dimensional printing technology by exploring the flaws left in printed parts.

Dora Strelkova impressed the judges with her presentation, titled “You wouldn’t want a pie filled with holes, so why should we accept 3D printed parts with them?” Her thesis project, which she has been working on for the past two semesters, began as a new hobby she developed during pandemic lockdowns.

“I bought an inexpensive 3D printer and it kind of grew from that. I enjoyed it and it allowed me to be creative and bring my ideas to life. However, after using the technology, I began to realize that it has some flaws here and there and recognized areas where it could be improved — how we print things, how the layers are made, etc.,” she explains.

“So, I dove into that, and our research group under Dr. Jill Urbanic’s supervision has been fundamentally taking what exists now, and asking: how do we make it better?”

Donning her 3D-printed pi-symbol earrings during her presentation, Strelkova introduced the audience to her research by claiming that our 3D-printed projects are “catfishing” us, and used the analogy of a pie filled with holes.

“At a diner, you order a delicious lemon meringue pie — the top is golden, the crust is crisp. It looks flawless. But when you cut inside, your slice is riddled with holes. Weird — how does a chef even manage holes in a pie? Well, that kind of happens in 3D printing. The outside of a part looks smooth, to the right tolerance, but when you look inside, there are hidden voids that weaken the structure,” she said.

The competition’s judges evaluated contestants in the categories of communication, comprehension, and engagement.

To prepare, Strelkova said she watched YouTube videos with tips and previous Three Minute Thesis competitions at the University of Windsor to get a sense of what a winning speech looks like. From there, she wrote her thesis and practised in front of friends, family, and her research group to ensure she was hitting all the necessary points.

“Get different feedback from different audiences,” she recommends. “The idea with the minute thesis is that it’s for a general audience. Some people might get what you’re saying, but you assume no one knows what you’re talking about, and you have to present it with the least amount of jargon you can.”

All the preparation paid off, as she earned first place and a $1,000 cash prize. Strelkova will go on to represent Windsor at the provincial final on May 14 at the University of Toronto.

“I didn’t believe it at first,” she said.

“Something that helped with my nerves was reminding myself this is for fun, and it’s a learning experience. But I really enjoyed the feedback from the judges afterward, and it was great to get to know the other participants. After each presentation, everyone was cheering each other on.”

The second-place prize of $500 went to Piumi Kulatunga, a chemistry and biochemistry graduate student, for the thesis “Detect, Attack and Degrade: New Era in Brain Cancer Treatment.”

Physics graduate student Abo-Bakr Emara took home third place and $250 with the thesis “Unlocking the Universe’s Secrets: Tackling Radon in Rare Decay Searches.”

Learn more about Strelkova’s research and 3-D printing through her YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@strelkomania/videos.

A stroll through the Chimczuk Museum left research participants feeling more relaxed and less distracted compared to a walk around campus, a recent study found.

Francesco Biondi, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and an expert in human factors, partnered with Museum Windsor on a study examining how museum visits might enhance cognitive function and mental resources.

“They reported feeling less distractable,” Dr. Biondi said. “When feeling stressed out or anxious, we tend to be more prone to distractions. However, we found the opposite effect here. Participants felt that after the walk their minds could wander more freely.”

Twenty-five students participated in the study, taking an hour-long walk through the museum and another through an urban environment around campus. After each walk, they completed a series of cognitive tests and questionnaires. Changes in their physiological activation levels were also measured.

A walk through the museum had participants feeling more mentally focused, Biondi said.

The environment of a museum itself lends to a calmer experience, he noted. There are fewer outside distractions that one might encounter on an urban walk, such as cars, street noise and other people.

“The lighting is more consistent, there’s less noise, and sometimes museums even have background music that is relaxing. There are fewer sources to grab our attention away from just walking and observing,” he said.

“It also offers a chance to put the phone away. With notifications and emails, there are these constant sources of information that tend to grab our attention away from the task at hand.”

Biondi said similar studies have been done, but with a focus on nature. This work is unique because it examines how engaging with the arts during times of stress can improve overall well-being in daily life, offering a sense of calm and, in some cases, boosting creativity.

“Since we found evidence of mind-wandering, I think we can link being in that type of environment to eliciting more mental flow, which is associated with greater creativity overall,” he said.

When beginning the study, Biondi anticipated these results, predicting participants would see greater improvements in test performance after a visit to the Chimczuk Museum compared to a typical walk outdoors.

“This study will lay the foundation to more research on quantifying the long-lasting beneficial effects that engaging with arts has on wellbeing and mental health in diverse populations” Biondi said.

“I’m so excited that we were able to participate in this groundbreaking study,” said museum curator Madelyn DellaValle. “What great news that the museum environment is conducive to relaxation and less distraction. We who work in museums know that they can be contemplative spaces, but it’s lovely to have some scientific backup.”

For more information about Biondi’s research, visit www.hslab.org.

Autoworkers have been advocating for responsible environmental policies for about a century, says a UWindsor researcher.

In an online column published Monday, John Hartig, a visiting scholar at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, writes that the first-hand experiences of factory workers with water and air pollution put them at the forefront of conservation efforts.

He notes that on the first Earth Day, April 22, 1972, two boats — one filled with American autoworkers and one with Canadian autoworkers — met in the middle of the Detroit River to hold a wake, symbolizing the death of the river from pollution.

They placed a floral wreath on the water and the vice-chair of the United Auto Workers Downriver Anti-Pollution League quickly retrieved it, explaining she didn’t want the flowers to get contaminated.

Dr. Hartig also discusses Unifor’s recent work in Windsor to ban pesticides on school playgrounds and public parks, lobby Windsor City Council to purchase electric buses, and help establish the Ojibway National Urban Park.

“Today, both the UAW and Unifor remain champions of improving the lives of working people by advocating for better wages, health care and working conditions, including protecting the environment,” Hartig concludes.

His column is part of Great Lakes Moment, a monthly series published in conjunction with the magazine-style television program Great Lakes Now, housed at Detroit Public TV.

Read the entire piece, “Autoworkers’ long history of protecting our environment,” at GreatLakesNow.org.

Brent Lee will replace Cheryl Collier as dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences during her tenure as interim provost, she announced Monday.

The appointment took effect April 7 and will last for up to two years or until Dr. Collier returns to the position, whichever comes first.

Dr. Lee is currently FAHSS associate dean, graduate studies. He originally joined the University of Windsor in 2002 and has been a full professor in the School of Creative Arts since 2014.

As associate dean, his responsibilities have included supporting faculty research, supporting graduate study in FAHSS and the broader university community, developing policies and procedures within the faculty, and representing the dean’s office in a range of capacities.

In his tenured position as professor in the School of Creative Arts, Lee has composed more than 150 musical and media art works, ranging from orchestral music to interactive media pieces to film soundtracks. His current research and creative work seeks to identify and develop methodological tools that can be productively incorporated into inquiry-driven art practices.

A series of webinars aimed at growing the commercial acumen of researchers opens April 24 with a primer on key concepts.

Participants in the Campus Plus webinar “Introduction to Commercialization” will receive an overview of commercialization, what a typical journey might look like across various disciplines, and where to look for support for their opportunities.

The session is intended to benefit all faculty and research students regardless of their career stage. It may be watched live at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, or later at a convenient time.

The Office of Innovation, Partnerships and Entrepreneurship is hosting an in-person watch party at 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 25. Enjoy a catered lunch during the screening, followed by a structured networking session designed to connect students and faculty across campus. Register for this event on the Eventbrite page.

To register for the series or this initial entry, create an account at www.dashboard.myplatformplus.com/login using your @uwindsor.ca email address, as the system will recognize your subscription through your email address. This helpful guide shows you how to register for your first webinars once you’ve created your account.

The deadline to indicate interest in accepting the voluntary retirement incentive for eligible members of the Windsor University Faculty Association (WUFA) has been extended to May 15.

Announced in February, the voluntary retirement incentive provides WUFA members aged 65 and older an opportunity to retire on June 30, 2025, (or later if they are exhausting accumulated leave banks). In return, members will receive either a lump-sum payment equivalent to 12 months of regular salary or salary continuance for 12 months.

To help members make an informed decision on their retirement options, a dedicated webpage has been developed by the Office of the Provost: www.uwindsor.ca/provost/VCT-2025.

The Campus Bookstore is offering savings to psychology students on Thursday, April 10, as part of a series of discount days targeted to students in specific programs.

Hooded sweatshirts embroidered with “Psychology” are available for $55 — a savings on the regular price of $69.95. The sweatshirts are a 50-50 blend of cotton and polyester and boast a kangaroo pocket.

Psychology majors can claim a 10 per cent discount on any gift in-store Thursday.

The program discounts continue:

• April 17, Business
• April 23, Human Kinetics
• May 1, Law
• May 6, Nursing
• May 15, Biomed
• May 21, Neuroscience
• June 9, Social Work
• June 20, Computer Science

See the selection in the store, located on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre.