Skip to main content

CPB Graduate Student Wins Runner-Up Prize in Purdue “Say it in 6” Competition

A man is standing on a stage holding a large check that reads "SII6 Runner-Up, $500". The man is wearing a dark gray suit and is standing in front of a blue stage curtain.
CPB Graduate Research Assistant Shyamkumar T.S. claimed 2nd prize in Purdue’s annual Three Minute Thesis® competition on April 22. (Photo by Image Source Photography, David Mason)

Graduate Research Assistant Shyamkumar T.S. in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology was recognized as the runner-up in a unique graduate student competition at Purdue this spring.  The contest is called, “Say It In 6®” and requires graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to tell their research story with only one picture and just a six-word caption.  

Three individuals are standing in honor of an award. Two men are on the left and center, and a woman is on the right. The man in the center is holding the award.
Shyamkumar T.S. received the Say It In 6 runner-up prize from Associate Vice Provost, Dr. Kevin Gibson, and Senior Vice Provost, Dr. Haley Oliver-Jischke, at a ceremony April 23 in the Purdue Memorial Union Faculty Lounges. (Photo by Image Source Photography, David Mason)

The competition is based on SMITH magazine’s “Six-Word Memoirs” concept. Each year, Purdue’s Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars (OGSPS) awards first- and second-place prizes in the competition as well as the People’s Choice award.  The awards are presented at a spring ceremony where the winning entries are placed on display.  

T.S. won the $500 2nd place prize by successfully conveying his story about his research experience in a clear, concise and creative way, using a single image and the title “Shining Light on Life’s Hidden Beginnings.”

The competition is open to all graduate and professional students, non-degree students, and postdoctoral fellows at Purdue. Congratulations to Shyamkumar T.S. and his major professor, Dr. Viju Pillai, assistant professor of anatomic pathology!

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Indiana FFA Names PVM’s Julia Wickard as One of Five New Board Members

Executive Director of the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association and Constituent Liaison Julia Wickard is one of five newly named members of the Indiana FFA Foundation board of directors.  The appointments took effect July 1.

Alumnus and Oncology Specialist Dr. Christopher Fulkerson Appointed as Associate Dean for Purdue Veterinary Hospitals

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Bret D. Marsh, DVM, has named Dr. Christopher Fulkerson as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Chief Veterinary Officer for the Purdue Veterinary Hospitals. The appointment was announced July 1, the same day that Dr. Fulkerson’s promotion to full Clinical Professor of Veterinary Medical Oncology took effect.

“Paws Up” for the ADDL Accessioning and Molecular Teams – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week, we express our sincere gratitude to our ADDL Accessioning and Molecular Teams (and cross trained individuals).

PVM Dean Bret Marsh Shares College Update with Swine Producers and Industry Partners at Major Swine Event in Indianapolis

Swine Health was the focus of a significant event recently at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis as swine industry partners and swine producers gathered for the National Junior Summer Spectacular (NJSS) and Summer Type Conference (STC).  The event was held at the end of June in the Fall Creek Pavillion and included a Swine Health Briefing that featured swine industry and veterinary medicine leaders including Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Bret Marsh, who also had an opportunity to provide an update on the College of Veterinary Medicine.

2026 Annual Recognition Ceremony Honors VCS Residents, Graduate Students, and PVH Interns

On Monday, June 29, 2026, more than 100 faculty and staff from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital gathered at Thomas Duncan Hall for the 2026 Resident and Intern Recognition Ceremony. This annual event provides a great opportunity to honor and celebrate the contributions of the residents, interns, and graduate students who are completing their programs this summer.

New Administrative Assistant Joins PVM Office of Student Success

The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine welcomes Charity Holden as the new administrative assistant in the Office of Student Success.

“Paws Up” for Scott Fix – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we are highlighting Scott Fix who is the Lead Facilities Manager in the Department of Veterinary Administration.

Remembering Zeus: A Legacy of Loyalty and Love

We continue our series of articles about animals and their owners who’ve found help and healing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital by sharing the story of a beloved dog named Zeus. For Amy Fitzsimmons-Blaising, Zeus wasn’t just a dog, he was her spirit animal and best friend. A proud Giant Schnauzer bred in Bedford, Indiana, Zeus had been the heart of Amy’s home for 11 unforgettable years. Then, in October 2024, Zeus’s health challenges began, when he started coughing and showing signs that looked like seizures. After rushing him to a local veterinary urgent care facility, Amy learned he was in congestive heart failure, and she turned to the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital for help.

PVM Scholar Receives Purdue WGHI Pilot Grant Aimed at Advancing Women’s Health

Purdue University’s Women’s Global Health Institute (WGHI) has announced six pilot research grant awards aimed at solving critical problems in women’s health and quality of life, and one of recipients is Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty member Viju Vijayan Pillai. Dr. Pillai is assistant professor of anatomic pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology.

The universal socket set of vaccines: Innovative technology heralds more effective, more efficient vaccines

You fight fire with fire. And Purdue Veterinary Medicine vaccine expert Suresh Mittal fights viruses with viruses. Using innovative techniques, Dr. Mittal, Distinguished Professor of Virology in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology, develops novel vaccines for viral infections including avian influenza.