Nigerian Researcher Peter Akor Wins Dual Awards at 2026 3MT

Peter Akor, a PhD researcher in the School of Science and Engineering at GCU, achieved a historic milestone by winning both the Judges' Choice Award and the People's Choice Award at the 2026 Vitae Three Minute Thesis (3MT) national final. This event is one of the UK's most competitive postgraduate communication competitions.

Akor's presentation, titled "The Minutes That Matter: Transforming Epileptic Seizure Care from Reaction to Prediction," focused on using data to predict epileptic seizures, aiming to enhance patient safety and treatment outcomes. He triumphed over finalists from prestigious institutions including the University of Oxford and King's College.

Akor's victory is significant as GCU had never won the national 3MT final before, and he is only the second researcher to win both awards in the same year. The Judges' Choice Award included a £1,000 grant, while the People's Choice Award provided an additional £250 grant, both aimed at public engagement or professional development activities.

Akor plans to utilize the funding for public engagement events in the UK and Nigeria.