Congratulations to Rania Zaied, current George Mason Communication PhD student and Graduate Teaching & Research Assistant, recently became the first place winner of the Graduate Division at GMU Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition! 🥇
The Mason Graded (Graduate Division at George Mason) instagram post stated:
"Rania took the top spot with her compelling presentation, “Decoding the Joke: Muslim Representations in Comedy and Their Impact on Internalized Anti-Muslim Racism.” Her thought-provoking research examines how humor shapes identity, perception, and cultural understanding within media and society."
Zaied said regarding her recent win:
"Someone asked me, “What’s your dissertation about?” and I rambled in circles for about five minutes, leaving them absolutely confused. That’s when my friend said, “You should really get better at explaining your research, because what was that?!” Participating in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition has taught me how to share my research clearly with any audience, regardless of their background. It has helped me communicate my work in a way that is simple, concise, and to the point.
Studying communication, in itself, has prepared me for the competition by allowing me to apply the very skills I’ve learned in the field and taught my own students, such as monitoring vocal variety, incorporating meaningful gestures, making eye contact, using signposts, and avoiding jargon. Visting the Communication Center was also incredibly helpful for practicing and refining my presentation.
My dissertation focuses on Muslim-centered comedies and their impact on internalized anti-Muslims racism, which is when Muslims accept or believe negative ideas about themselves or other Muslims. I’m conducting a qualitative study, collecting data through interviews with Muslim audience members to understand how they make sense of their identities through humorous portrayals.
The next step is the regional competition in February, taking place during the 2026 Council of Southern Graduate Schools Annual Meeting. I plan to continue refining my presentation by applying all the amazing feedback I’ve received so far. I’m very excited to be representing the Communication Department and George Mason University at regionals!"
November 13, 2025