Big Think Competition 2023 Results

With a record number of entries for 2023, the Big Think Competition is back stronger than ever!

This Spring, St Edmund Hall invited young people in state schools across the UK to submit a video essay answering one of our academics’ ‘big’ tutorial-style questions. Fourteen subjects were offered, with questions ranging from ‘Are CEOs overpaid?’ to ‘How unique is Earth as a habitable planet?’.

We are pleased to announce that Naheed Akbari was the Overall Winner of the Big Think Competition 2023, with her video on how the environment influences the brain highly praised by our tutor in Neuroscience, Professor David Dupret. The Hall awarded a winner to each subject and, thanks to the high quality of entries this year, several Special Commendations were given to runners-up in the competition.

The Hall welcomed Naheed and the other Subject Winners to a Prizewinners’ Day in Oxford, where they had a tour of St Edmund Hall, met current students and the tutors who marked their entries, and found out more about life at university.

“I enjoyed the entries and meeting the students, and I look forward to next year.” – Participating Tutor

“I love this competition, all the entries were wonderful to watch.” – Participating Tutor

“ I’m definitely going to apply for Oxford now after seeing the college and talking to the tutor.” – Winning Entrant

“I am still pretty speechless at the result.” – Winning Entrant

Thank you so much for the incredible news of a Special Commendation award – it has made my day! I am so happy to read the constructive and kind comments about my presentation which I will be sure to utilise in my future endeavours, it is greatly appreciated.” – Winning Entrant

“I thoroughly enjoyed putting together my video and have learnt a lot from the process.” – Winning Entrant

A huge congratulations to everyone who took part in the competition. We are also very grateful to our tutors for their efforts in judging the competition.

You can watch the winning entries and find out more about the competition on our Big Think Competition webpage.