Martin Locht Pedersen from the Department of Regional Health Research wins this year’s PhD Cup
Open Research Day: Six passionate PhD students competed on Wednesday afternoon in the noble art of research communication at the annual PhD Cup hosted by the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Region of Southern Denmark. Martin Locht Pedersen from the Forensic Psychiatric Research Unit in Middelfart took home the win for his performance.
Ethnic disparities in care and treatment exist across the healthcare system – including in psychiatry. In forensic psychiatry in particular, the issue remains underexplored, but this is exactly what Martin Locht Pedersen is investigating in his PhD project, which he presented at the PhD Cup 2025 on Wednesday 26 November 2025.
He opened strongly by asking everyone in the room to consider – What is your ethnicity? He then invited them to reflect on how their ethnicity might influence the care and treatment they receive.
Martin Locht Pedersen’s presentation was so well received by both judges and audience that he was named the winner of the competition. In addition to the honour, Martin Locht Pedersen also receives a prize of DKK 10,000 to support his continued work.
Participants in the PhD Cup 2025
- Elna Pedersen: Department of Clinical Research
- Frederik Novak Stenstad: Department of Regional Health Research
- Ida-Marie Terese Pereira Arendt: Department of Psychology
- Martin Locht Pedersen: Department of Regional Health Research
- Stephanie Thuy Duong Pham, Department of Molecular Medicine
- Søren Kjær Petersen, Department of Clinical Research
PhD Cup and Open Research Day
The PhD Cup takes place as part of Open Research Day, where researchers and managers from the Region of Southern Denmark and the Faculty of Health Sciences (SUND) meet to present their own research and hear about the latest national and international trends in health research. This year’s keynote speaker was Professor Britt Borregaard, who shared concrete examples from her own career to illustrate how researchers can work strategically to shape their career paths.
The PhD Cup is an annual event organised by the Region of Southern Denmark and the Faculty of Health Sciences. Here, PhD students from SUND’s departments compete in the noble art of research communication.
The PhD students have seven minutes to present their research, followed by eight minutes of questions from the audience and the judges. After all six presentations, the audience vote for their favourite. In the final decision, votes from the audience and the judges each carry a weight of 50%.
In addition to the traditional PhD Cup, the day also featured abstract sessions in both the morning and afternoon, covering the following themes: clinical research, cross-sectoral research, prevention and health, translational research, and patient and relative involvement in research.
An exciting and insightful day dedicated to research.
Judges at the PhD Cup 2025
- Kurt Espersen is Executive Director in the Region of Southern Denmark, responsible for quality, research, primary care, and innovation.
- Tore B. Stage is Professor and Head of Research in Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine at the University of Southern Denmark.
- Dorthe S. Nielsen is Professor and researcher in vulnerability, cross-cultural care and treatment, ageing, and the everyday lives of patients with chronic illnesses.