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The 2025 Three Minute Thesis final competition will be held Feb. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

That’s the question eleven graduate students will be wrestling with as part of the Graduate School’s eighth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, which will be held in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom on Feb. 13, 2025, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but .

This event challenges students to explain their thesis to the general public. They are then evaluated by a panel of judges from across the university and local community, including Waleed Abdalati, executive director of the Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and professor of geography; Jared Bahir Browsh, director of critical sports studies and an assistant teaching professor; Sonia DeLuca Fernández, senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion; and Aaron Brockett, City of �鶹ӰԺ mayor.

In the days leading up to the event, we’ll feature each of the competitors. Today’s is Anna Deese, a doctoral candidate in education policy, specializing in school district governance. Her 3MT presentation’s title is, “Fixing the problems of local control.”

If you had to describe your research in one sentence, what would you say?

The local control of American school districts is generally a pretty nifty thing but has long been used to hurt minoritized racial groups; I'd like to fix that.

What led you to pursue your doctoral degree in your field of study?

My experience as an elected board member was amazing, but brought up a lot of questions about my role—was I serving the students or the community? Did that role change based on the issues we were discussing? There are a lot of materials out there that try to help school board members do their jobs well, but I kept wondering who defined what a "good job" was, and what students were best served by this "good" job. 

What is your favorite thing about the research you do?

I get to live my values with this research. And I get to make maps.

What did you do before coming to CU �鶹ӰԺ for graduate school?

As a "mature" student, I have had a lot of different experiences—I served in the Army National Guard, worked as a management consultant, taught high school science in Chicago and Oregon, and helped run a company focused on the professional development of teachers. I also served as an elected school board member in Montana and have my principal's licensure. 

What are your hobbies/what do you enjoy doing outside of your academic work?

I'm a mother so that takes up a lot of time—and i enjoy it. I like to read mystery/thriller stories.

Tell us a random fact about yourself

Two related things folks should know about me: My blood type is B+. And I'm very clumsy. Folks in the front row should look out.