Prize for Outstanding PhD Thesis
This prize recognises outstanding scholarship from a PhD Researcher. The awards were presented by the Associate Dean (Research & Innovation) Life and Health Sciences, Professor Julie-Anne Little and Associate Dean (Research & Innovation) Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Frank Lyons.
3MT® Final 2026
3MT® is an academic competition that challenges PhD Researchers to describe their research and its significance, in non-specialist language to a general audience, in just three minutes.
Best Poster
The Best Posters were chosen by panels of judges made up of academic colleagues from across the University. There was a Best Poster award in each of the interdisciplinary research themes in the Festival of PhD Research: Accelerating Data Futures, Building the Sustainable World, Challenging Inequality and Division, Inspiring Creativity and Innovation, and Transforming Health. Prizes were presented by the Heads of Doctoral College, Dr Patrick Dunlop and Professor Alison Gallagher.
Photography Competition
The theme for the 2026 Photography Competition was ‘Curiosity in Action’. As part of the Festival of PhD Research, participants were invited to explore and visually represent curiosity as a lived aspect of doctoral practice. Prizes were presented by the Doctoral Development Manager, Lisa Thompson.
Bake Your PhD
Bake Your PhD is a creative research communication initiative that encourages PhD Researchers to represent their complex research topics through baking. Prizes were presented by the Head of Doctoral College (Coleraine / Derry~Londonderry campus), Professor Alison Gallagher.
