Three Sound Futures CDT students have been recognised for their outstanding research communication skills after reaching the finals of this year’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition at the University of Salford’s SPARC conference.
Congratulations to Matt Torjussen, Sarah Armstrong and James Hipperson, who were selected as finalists and showcased their PhD research as part of the prestigious 3MT competition during SPARC 2026 (Salford Postgraduate Annual Research Conference).
SPARC, the University of Salford’s flagship postgraduate research event, returned on 23–24 June 2026, bringing together postgraduate researchers, academic staff, students and members of the public to celebrate and share innovative research from across the University. This year’s conference marked a significant milestone, celebrating 25 years of postgraduate research at Salford.
The annual event provides a platform for postgraduate researchers to present their work to both in-person and online audiences, encouraging collaboration, discussion and knowledge exchange across disciplines. The Three Minute Thesis competition forms a key part of the programme, challenging doctoral researchers to communicate complex research projects in a clear and engaging way to a non-specialist audience.
The achievements of Matt, Sarah and James highlight the exciting and impactful research taking place within the CDT Sound Futures community. By reaching the final stage of the competition, they demonstrated not only academic excellence but also the ability to make their research accessible and relevant to wider audiences.