Two PhD candidates from Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) won first and third place at the 2026 Lebanese final of My Thesis in 180 Seconds. Held on October 1 at the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS-L) in Beirut in partnership with the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), the competition challenged 14 French-speaking PhD candidates to communicate their research through clear, compelling three-minute presentations.

Ghina Hage Chehadé, a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Pharmacy, took first place, while Amine Fikani, a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Medicine and a cardiac surgeon at Hôtel-Dieu de France, took third.

Hage Chehadé’s winning presentation explored the potential of extremophile microorganisms from natural sites in Lebanon to produce biodegradable plastics sustainably. She also received a cash prize from CNRS-L and may be selected to represent Lebanon at the international final, scheduled to take place online in late 2026.

 Also read: Deux doctorants de l’USJ brillent à « Ma Thèse en 180 secondes »