3mt thesis presentation

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Tips for a successful 3MT presentation

Being successful in the 3MT involves much more than summarizing your research in three minutes. You need to be able to connect with your audience: explain your work in a way non-experts can understand and in a way that makes them interested in hearing what you have to say.

Your talk is the focal point of your presentation. Most of your preparation time should be spent on crafting your talk than on creating your slide.

Prepare your talk

Although your talk is only three minutes, it will take time to craft a concise presentation of your graduate research in a way that can be understood by and is engaging for a non-expert audience. Below are suggestions to help you create a successful 3MT presentation.

Summarize your work verbally

You'll want to prepare your talk in writing, but you might want to start by expressing your thoughts verbally and using an audio or video recordor to capture what you say.

Write for your audience

• Your presentation needs to be understandable and engaging for people who are not experts in your field of study.
• Avoid jargon and academic language.
• Explain concepts and people important to your research - you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not.
• Highlight the outcomes of your research, and the desired outcome.
• Focus on the big picture, not the details that you typically share in a presentation with experts and peers in your field.
• Imagine that you are explaining your research to a close family member or friend. Explain your work in a way that they could understand what you do and why it is important.
• However, also make sure you do not simplify the explanation of your work so much that it becomes trivial.
• Convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject.

Tell a story

• You may like to present your 3MT as a narrative, with a beginning, middle, and end.
• It’s not easy to condense your research into three minutes, so you may find it easier to break your presentation down into smaller sections.
• Try writing an opener to catch the attention of the audience, then highlight your different points, and finally, have a summary to restate the importance of your work.

Introduction

• You are not required to introduce yourself in your talk, and it is recommended that you do not introduce yourself because this will count towards your three minute time limit. Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before you give your presentation.

Have a clear outcome in mind

• Know what you want your audience to take away from your presentation.
• Try to leave the audience with an understanding of what you’re doing, why it is important, and what you hope to achieve.

What not to do

• Do not write your presentation like an academic paper.
• Try to use shorter words, shorter sentences, and shorter paragraphs.
• You can use humor, but be careful not to devalue your presentation.

Create your slide

Your video should include a single, static slide. Transitions, movement, animations, and sound are not permitted.

Tips for a successful slide

• Your talk, not the slide, is the most critical part of the presentation
• Less is more: Too much t ext and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide instead of listening to your talk
• Do not rely on your slide to convey your message: The slide should simply complement your oration. If the slide were not displayed, the audience should should still understand and be engaged by your talk
• Work your message: Think about how your slide might be able to assist with the format and delivery of your presentation – is there a metaphor that helps explain your research?
• An engaging visual presentation can make or break any oration, so make sure your slide is legible, clear, and concise
• Title and introduction: You may include your presentation title on your slide, but it is not required . Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before your video is played. Therefore, you also should not spend time introducing yourself in your presentation because it will count toward your time limit.

Practice, seek feedback, revise

• Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, or video record yourself, review the recording, and find ways to improve.
• Practice in front of different audiences--colleagues, grad students in other disciplines, family, friends--and ask for feedack
• Ask your audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is about and why it is important. Can they explain to another person what you do and why it's important?

Use the One Button Plus Studio

Located in the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab on the first floor of Hale Library, this small studio room features studio lighting, cameras, microphones, a green screen, and recording equipment that operates through minimal effort. It’s ideal for recording presentations, interviews, and podcasts.

How can the studio help me prepare for the 3MT?

• Easily capture a high quality video recording of your presentation to review or share with others to review.
• You might have different ideas for explaining your research. Use the One Button Plus Studio to capture different versions of your presentation. Then review or share with others to help you select the best version of your presentation.

Reserve the One Button Plus Studio To use the studio, users plug in a USB flash drive or portable hard drive and touch the touchscreen interface to activate the studio’s lighting, camera and confidence monitor. The user can then adjust lighting, change the background or simply start recording.

Make a reservation!

Additional resources

• View videos of K-State's previous 3MT® winners and videos of 3MT® winners from around the world for examples of successful 3MT® presentations.
• Your Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Presentation for Presenting on What You Do as a Graduate Student and How it Matters by Brad Rickelman, Meridian Technology Center for Business Development (video presentation)
• Making the Most of Your Three Minutes (pdf) by Simon Clews, University of Melbourne
• The Up-Goer Five Text Editor - Can you explain your thesis using only the 1,000 most commonly used words? Give it a try with this text editor. While we do not recommend that you use this text editor to prepare your entire 3MT® presentation, it can help you identify terms and concepts that may not be well known outside of your field and will require some explanation if used in your presentation. This tool might be especially helpful with developing a presentation title.
• Thesis Gold by Paul Geiger
• Communicating Science: An Introductory Communication Guide for Conveying Scientific Information to Academic and Public Audiences
• The David Attenborough Style of Scientific Presentation (pdf) - This document is designed for preparing a presentation longer than three minutes, but many of the principles are applicable to a three-minute presentation.
• Make an appointment with the Writing Center to receive feedback on how to strengthen your three-minute oration.

Information sessions

Sessions were held in the fall semester to get students acquainted with the 3MT and to share guidance on how to prepare a successful 3MT presentation.

Missed the sessions? Watch a recording View slides from the session (pdf)

• Updated: 1/15/24

• Nov 21, 2022

How to write a winning 3MT script

That’s how many words are in a typical PhD thesis. Years of gruelling research, sleepless nights, and history-making breakthroughs… culminated into one VERY thick book. To present something of this scale would take you approximately 9 hours. 🤯

But what do you do when you only have 3 minutes? ⏰

Well, that’s exactly what thousands of PhD students worldwide do each year in the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. Not only do they explain their super complex research in the time it takes to make a coffee, but they do it in a way that can be understood by a non-specialist audience.

But we know what you’re thinking…

So, how do you even win a competition like that? Well first of all, you’re going to need a 3MT script. And we’re about to teach you how to write a WINNING one. 🏅

Not only that, but this blog post marks the beginning of a multi-part series that will cover all the important aspects of preparing a winning 3MT – from writing a captivating speech, to creating an effective slide, and of course, nailing your delivery.

What is the 3MT competition?

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition is an annual public speaking competition, where PhD candidates describe the impact and scope of their research in 3 minutes to a non-specialist audience. It was launched by the University of Queensland in 2008 and has since gained traction in over 85 countries around the world! 🌍

Put simply, it’s a fancy elevator pitch. Just imagine that it’s a really slow elevator.

Like any good competition, the 3MT has some rules. Here’s a run-down of some of the big ones:

Rules of the 3MT® competition:

You must use a single static PowerPoint slide with no transitions or animations.

You are limited to 3 minutes maximum. Competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.

Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs)… Sorry to all the aspiring rapper-researchers out there.

You can find a comprehensive list of the rules on the official UQ 3MT website.

Well, now that’s out of the way, let’s get into our tips on how to write a winning 3MT script! In this article, I’ll discuss some strategies that I used to craft my own winning 3MT script, but I’ve also watched lots of other award-winning 3MT presentations and identified some common features they share, so that you don’t have to. 😉

#1 : The hook 🪝

Every great 3MT presentation starts off with an attention-grabbing opener, otherwise known as ‘the hook.’ It’s a storytelling essential, and is undoubtedly one of the most important components of the 3MT script.

One clever way to hook the audience in a 3MT presentation is to start off by asking a question , which creates a sense of open dialogue with the listener. For instance, these 3MT finalists began their presentations by asking:

Full videos: Sarah Mokrzycki | Merryn Baker

You can see how the simple act of asking a question makes us reflect on our own personal views and encourages us to engage with the presentation. 💭 Another way to achieve a similar effect is to begin your talk by prompting the audience to act. An effective example of this is presented here:

Full video: Amanda Khamis

Prompting the listener to act is a powerful way to immerse the audience into a particular scenario by making use of their senses. It can be easily achieved by asking the audience to look around the room, visualise a scene using their imagination, or simply taking a deep breath. 😮‍💨

Finally, several fantastic 3MT presentations also begin with a hook that startles the reader by making an unusual, interesting, or thought-provoking statement. This can be done numerous ways, such as through the use of:

Oxymoron: A figure of speech that combines two contradicting words (i.e., ‘deafening silence’ and ‘old news’).

Paradox: A self-contradictory statement that may actually be true (i.e., ‘less is more’).

Irony: Use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning (i.e., telling a rude customer to ‘have a nice day’).

Here are some good 3MT examples where the presenter has opened with a startling hook:

Full videos: Sophie Jano | Kylie Sturgess

The success of this technique arises from its element of surprise, which keeps the listener intrigued and curious. Basically, the more shocking or unexpected the hook, the better. 😲

However, with all this being said, there’s certainly no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to begin your 3MT, and that’s the beauty of creativity. But in case you’re stuck for ideas, here are a few sentence starters to give you some inspiration for creating a compelling hook for your 3MT script:

Once you’ve got the crowd hooked, it’s a prime opportunity to reel them in for your story. 📖

#2 : Tell a story

If you watch all the award-winning 3MT presentations, you’ll notice that they have one thing in common: they all tell a story. And they do it well.

But how do we turn our own complex, and often niche, research into a compelling story? Well, thankfully, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can stand on the shoulders of SciComm giants... 👣

No one is more of an expert at the ins and outs of storytelling than Dr Randy Olson ; scientist-turned-filmmaker, and co-author of the book Connection: Hollywood Storytelling meets Critical Thinking ( a.k.a. our SciComm holy bible). Many of the principles discussed in this section come straight from this remarkable work, which made it to our top 5 must-read science communication books . 📚

As we know from pretty much every Hollywood blockbuster, all good stories have a beginning, middle, and end. In Connection , Randy further develops this idea by outlining what he calls the ‘ABT Template’, which stands for ‘And, But, Therefore.’ These represent the three key components that make up every good story. We’ve talked about the ABT template before , and how it can be used to elevate your storytelling. But, in case you missed it, I’ll use my own research as an example as we work through this concept.

Typically, in the beginning of a story, there’s some exposition. These are facts that help set the scene and ensure that the speaker and audience are all on the same page (pun intended). 😉 These facts can be connected using the word AND. For example:

“Cancer is deadly and traditional chemotherapy is one treatment option.”

Any statements we connect with ‘and’ are typically things that everyone would agree with, so you can quality-check your ‘and’ section by making sure you agree with all the facts you are connecting.

Okay, so we’ve set the scene. But this isn’t really a story yet, is it? The actual story doesn’t begin until there’s a source of tension or conflict , and the simplest word to make this happen is the word BUT:

“Cancer is deadly and traditional chemotherapy is one treatment option, but it comes with a lot of side effects.”

You can see that the ‘but’ is what makes things interesting. It’s what keeps the audience wanting more and makes them ask “Well, what happens next?”

It doesn’t have to be the word ‘but’ either – there are a lot of words that essentially do the same thing, such as however, although, except , and unfortunately, to name a few… (The thesaurus could be your best friend here). What these words have in common is that they create this critical sense of tension.

Following this, is the outcome , which is where the THEREFORE comes in.

“Cancer is deadly and chemotherapy is one treatment option, but it comes with a lot of side effects. Therefore , in our research, we load these drugs into tiny carriers called nanoparticles, which can help to reduce their adverse effects.”

‘Therefore’ is the word that brings everything together. It marks the beginning of a journey of discovery, which eventually leads to the resolution.

You can see how, by simply including these three key words: and, but and therefore , we have generated the foundations of a good story. Your 3MT script will obviously need to be longer than two sentences, but the ABT template provides a useful scaffold that you can build from to ensure that your story is compelling. If you’re interested in reading more on the ABT template and how it can be utilised, make sure to give Connection a read. 📖

To help you shape your story using the ABT template, here are some questions you can aim to answer in the beginning, middle, and end of your 3MT script:

Hopefully this outline can help you create a captivating and persuasive story to communicate your research effectively. Because, in the wise words of Dr Randy Olson, “Tell a good story and the whole world will listen.”

So, we’ve got our story. But what other strategies can we use to make it a little more interesting? Let’s unpack our storytelling toolkit to see how we can spice things up. 🌶

#3 : Your storytelling toolkit: analogies, humour & creation of a character

In addition to using the ABT template to write a compelling narrative structure, there are also several other tools that you can use to connect with your audience and make your story as easy to understand as possible.

One powerful way to do this is to relate your research to a more common experience by using an analogy . Analogies allow us to compare similarities between two seemingly different things. For instance, when I did the 3MT, I used an analogy to compare nanoparticles – a topic that’s not very common – to cars, something that almost everyone is familiar with:

Full video: Cintya Dharmayanti

As you can see, this works because the analogy serves to provide a simpler, more easily understood explanation using concepts and examples from everyday life. 🚗

Besides analogies, another useful tool to create a captivating story is the use of humour . Because who doesn’t like a good laugh, right? 😂 Comedic relief can help you create a bond with the listener and provide some emotional reprieve for what may otherwise be a serious presentation.

Humour is used well in this winning 3MT presentation:

Full video: Trevyn Toone

In this example, humour helps to keep us engaged with the presentation and gives us a good impression of the presenter. However, some care does need to be taken with the use of humour, so as to not devalue the presentation. Don’t worry if you’re not a comedian though (or if your research topics are too grim to joke about), there are still other effective ways to make your story shine.

Some of the most immersive 3MTs are those that introduce a character , fictional or not, and follow that character’s story. This is a particularly useful tool if your research involves a topic that strikes a strong emotional response. The following example executed this well, where the speaker refers to a photo of an adorable young infant with a feeding tube:

This is so effective because it encourages us to empathise with the character and persuades us to see the importance of the presenter’s research. Whether it’s analogies, humour, or the creation of a character, there are lots of ways to make your story relatable and more easily understood.

Now that we’ve got some ideas from our storytelling toolkit, let’s move on! 🙌

#4 : Goodbye technical jargon 👋

Imagine being in a different country, where you don’t speak the native language. You’re chatting with a local, but they can’t speak your language very fluently. The conversation is interspersed with foreign words that you can’t quite understand, so the meaning of the exchange ultimately becomes lost.

That’s what it’s like trying to understand complex research when it’s filled with terminology and jargon only an expert in that field would know. 🤓

Remember that the 3MT is for a non-specialist audience, which is very different to a conference presentation that’s mostly filled with experts in the field. As scientists, it’s our job to make sure that we are speaking the same language as our audience, and for the 3MT, that means avoiding the use of language that’s too niche or technical. We can still explain complex concepts using language that’s easy to understand!

But how do you do that, when you’ve spent years in academia doing the opposite? 😅

The best way to avoid the overuse of jargon is to simply seek the help of a non-specialist. Ask someone that’s not in your field of research to listen to your presentation and provide feedback. Perhaps this is a friend, family, or fellow student from a completely different department. Does your story make sense to them? If not, it probably won’t make sense to many people in the 3MT audience.

I remember when I was preparing my 3MT script, I went through this exact process! Reading it aloud to my mum, sister, and pretty much anyone who would listen, to make sure each sentence was easy to follow and understand. It’s actually what helped me come up with the idea of the car- analogy in the first place! So, keep iterating and tweaking your presentation until it makes sense to the mailman, the bus driver, and the neighbour down the road.

Also, make sure to keep your story focused on the big picture, rather than getting bogged down in the details and data. Not only will this make your presentation hard to understand, but it’s also more likely to make it B.O.R.I.N.G. and lead to blank stares !

When you’ve ticked all these boxes – great! You’re ready to move on.

#5 : The finisher: Coming full circle

Good job! You’re almost done. Time to add the finishing touch. We can all agree that a strong finish makes for a more memorable presentation. One trend that’s very common amongst winning 3MT presentations is the way that they finish: by bringing their story full circle. As the name suggests, this essentially means that the presenter refers back to the beginning of the story, especially if a particular character, scenario, or analogy is used.

For instance, in this winning 3MT example, the presentation begins with:

Then, as the presentation comes to a close, the final segment ends by referring back to the opening sentence:

Full video: Matthew Shaw

By bringing the story full circle, the audience gains a sense of satisfaction and closure as the cycle returns to its beginnings and the status quo is restored.

Take-away messages

The thought of distilling years of research down to just 3 minutes can be daunting, especially when it’s a competition. 😰 However, if you:

Create an attention-grabbing hook

Tell a captivating story using the ABT template

Use tools such as analogies, humour, and characters

Get rid of technical jargon, and

Bring your story full circle

You’re well on your way to writing a fantastic 3MT script! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s tell your story. Time is ticking. 😉⏰

And remember – if you want to further master your storytelling and public speaking skills, we’d love to show you how in one of our online or in-person science communication workshops .

Feel free to contact us to find out more!

Cintya Dharmayanti

Dr Juan Miguel Balbin

Dr Tullio Rossi

Illustration

Alvin Yanga

Related Posts

What does it mean to be a science communicator?

5 tips for improving your public speaking skills as a researcher

How to write effective analogies for communicating research

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• Three Minute Thesis

Preparing your 3MT presentation

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• Eligibility, Rules and Judging Criteria
• Sussex 3MT 2023
• Sussex 3MT 2022
• Sussex 3MT 2020
• Sussex 3MT 2019
• Sussex 3MT 2018
• Sussex 3MT 2016

NOTE: Familiarise yourself with the 3MT rules and judging criteria  before starting your preparation. This guidance is taken from the University of Queensland's  official 3MT competitor resources .

Even the world’s best public speakers prepare before important presentations. To assist you with your preparations, please find a few suggestions below that will help you in writing your presentation, creating your slide and practising your verbal presentation.

Drafting your 3MT

Write for your audience The judges will look for evidence that you can explain your research to a non-specialist audience. You may like to:

• avoid jargon and academic language
• explain concepts and people important to your research - you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not
• highlight the outcomes of your research, and the desired outcome
• imagine that you are explaining your research to a close friend or fellow student from another field
• convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject

Tell a story

• You may like to present your 3MT as a narrative, with a beginning, middle and end.
• It’s not easy to condense your research into three minutes, so you may find it easier to break your presentation down into smaller sections.
• Try writing an opener to catch the attention of the audience, then highlight your different points, and finally have a summary to restate the importance of your work.

Have a clear outcome in mind

• Know what you want your audience to take away from your presentation.
• Try to leave the audience with an understanding of what you’re doing, why it is important, and what you hope to achieve.
• Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, firstly to yourself and then to an audience of friends and family.
• Ask for feedback.
• Ask your audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is  about and why it is important.

Creating your 3MT slide

Before you start work on your slide, you should take the following rules into account:

• one single static PowerPoint slide is permitted;
• no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description are permitted;
• your slide is to be presented from the beginning of your oration; and
• no additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.

Suggestions

You may like to consider some of the following suggestions:

• Less is more : text and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide instead of listening to your 3MT. 
• Personal touches : personal touches can allow your audience to understand the impact of your research.
• Creativity drives interest : do not rely on your slide to convey your message – it should simply complement your oration.
• Work your message : think about how your slide might be able to assist with the format and delivery of your presentation – is there a metaphor that helps explain your research?
• An engaging visual presentation can make or break any oration, so make sure your slide is  legible, clear and concise .

Practising your 3MT presentation

Practice, practice, practice Feeling nervous before you present is natural, and sometimes a little nervousness can even be beneficial to your overall speech. Nonetheless, it is important to practice so you can present with confidence and clarity. Practicing will also help you gauge the timing of your 3MT so that you keep within the time limit.

Vocal range

• Speak clearly and use variety in your voice (fast/slow, loud/soft).
• Do not rush - find your rhythm.
• Remember to pause at key points as it gives the audience time to think about what you are saying.

Body language

• Stand straight and confidently.
• Hold your head up and make eye contact.
• Never turn your back to the audience.
• Practise how you will use your hands and move around the stage. It is okay to move around energetically if that is your personality, however it is also appropriate for a 3MT presentation to be delivered from a single spot on stage.
• Do not make the common mistakes of rolling back and forth on your heels, pacing for no reason or playing with your hair as these habits are distracting for the audience.

Record yourself

• Record and listen to your presentation to hear where you pause, speak too quickly or get it just right.
• Then work on your weaknesses and exploit your strengths.

Look to the stars!

• Watch your role models such as academics, politicians and journalists, and break down their strengths and weaknesses.
• Analyse how they engage with their audience.
• Visit  the Queensland 3MT website , the Vitae 3MT webpages or search YouTube to view presentations from previous 3MT finalists.
• While there is no dress code, if you are unsure of how to dress you may like to dress for a job interview or an important meeting. It is important that you feel comfortable so you can focus on your presentation.
• If you are presenting on a stage that has a wooden floor, be aware of the noise your footwear might make.
• Do not wear a costume of any kind as this is against the rules (as is the use of props).

Further resources

There are many resources available online for further help. Useful ones might include:

Presenting your research effectively and with confidence - By previous 3MT finalists (Taylor & Francis resource)

How a competition changed my academic life - By Jamie Khoo, 2018 UK People's Choice winner

Is it worth doing the three minute thesis?  - By Mary Woessner, Victoria University

How to win the 3 minute thesis  - By Dr Inger Mewburn (aka @thesiswhisperer)

Making the most of your 3 minutes  - Simon Clews, University of Melbourne

Talk nerdy to me  - Melissa Marshall's TED talk

Vitae's 3MT webpages

These guidance pages are part of the University of Queensland's official 3MT competitor resources

E : [email protected]

Copyright © 2024, University of Sussex

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22 The 3 Minute Thesis

Read time: 2 minutes

This chapter will provide an overview of the 3 Minute Thesis oral presentation format.

Sections in this chapter

What is it.

• 3MT examples

The three-minute thesis (3MT) is a new format of research presentation that builds on the classic “elevator pitch”. The challenge in this type of presentation is to explain your research to an intelligent non-specialist audience in under 3 minutes with limited visual aids. Often there are specific rules for the visual aid: a single 4:3 slide, no animations or video, and no props.

For a successful 3MT talk, you need to follow completely different rules from normal scientific presentations. You can skip common things like introducing yourself, thanking all your lab mates and colleagues, or funding. You typically don’t show data unless it is presented in a very simple figure.

Because of the challenge involved with presenting years of detailed research in only three minutes, Universities hold cross-faculty 3MT competitions. The first was founded by the University of Queensland, Australia, where you can find many great resources and videos .

The tips below were adapted from “10 Hints for Improving Presentations for the Three Minute Thesis” by Danielle Fischer at Charles Darwin University ( Full PDF here ):

• Don’t introduce yourself, don’t do acknowledgements, don’t show data.
• Start by introducing how your research relates to the bigger picture. Try to think of why any person might be interested in your work.
• Only include relevant things on your slide and make sure images are good quality. Carefully design your slide, don’t overcrowd it or use too much colour.
• Use simple and familiar analogies.
• Speak with an excited and engaged manner.
• Don’t wear anything distracting.
• Use body language: smiling, gestures, movement, and eye-contact.
• Finish by bringing the audience back to the big picture.
• Practice and get feedback from a wide variety of people.
• Use your time, but don’t go over it.

These are some 3MT slides made by previous CHEM 803 students.

There are many resources online about preparing a 3MT presentation. Below are some links to helpful videos, award-winning 3MT talks, and the many resources provided by Queen’s University.

Helpful Videos

These videos were prepared by are owned by Australian National University.

3MT: three tips to help you prepare a winning presentation

3MT: the three most common mistakes

Award-winning 3MT

These are videos of some award-winning 3MT talks. The first one has the best title,  it’s simple and concise!

Wind turbines and climate change – Rosemary Barnes

Hypoxia-activated pro-drugs: a novel approach for breast cancer treatment – jasdeep saggar, the development of anti-body-drug conjugate to specifically target and soften the crystalline lens in vivo – gah-jone won.

Check out the Queen’s University 2020 Competition results, where you’ll find two award-winning 3MT talks from our Chemistry Department by Morgan Lehtinen and Alastair Kierulf. [ In the video at this link, click “Playlist” to find their talks ]

Principles of Scientific Communication Copyright © 2020 by Amanda Bongers and Donal Macartney is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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3MT at the University of Kansas

Brilliant ideas conveyed in three minutes or less.

What is the 3MT® Competition?

The  Three Minute Thesis  (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. This event challenges graduate students to present a compelling speech about their research and its significance to non-academic persons in just three minutes using only one presentation image. 3MT® commenced in 2008 and is currently held in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide. In 2020, the 3MT® competition moved to a temporary virtual format due to COVID-19 and continues to be held around the world in either a virtual or live format (depending on local COVID-19 restrictions).

The goals of the competition are to (1) highlight the excellent research conducted by graduate students and (2) improve graduate students’ communication of research to non-specialist and non-academic audiences. The judges of the competition are educated professionals in a variety of positions in corporate, government, and non-profit industries. 

3MT® Timeline

March-april.

Graduate students are invited to register for the 3MT® Competition.

Graduate students registered for the 3MT® Competition will be required to participate in workshops to prepare them for the competition.

The Preliminary Heats usually take place in the first week of November to determine the graduate students that will advance to the final round of the competition one week later.

The KU winner moves on to represent KU at the regional 3MT® Competition, which takes place in late March or early April during the annual meeting of the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS). 

RELATED LINKS

• MAGS 3MT® Competition
• University of Queensland 3MT® Competition

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PREVIOUS COMPETITIONS

• 2022 KU 3MT® Competition
• 2021 KU 3MT® Competition
• 2020 KU 3MT® Competition

3MT® Competition @ KU

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Main navigation, three minute thesis (3mt®) at usf.

The Office of Graduate Studies and the Graduate and Professional Student Council are proud to present USF's 3 Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®)!

The Three Minute Thesis, or 3MT®, is an annual competition held at over 200 universities world wide, open to graduate students who present their research in less than 3 minutes, with only one static slide.

Winning presentations are engaging stories that are understood by the broader audience, requiring little expertise in the research area. The competition cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The idea is for students to orally present the significance of their dissertation or thesis using a single static slide in just three minutes.

WORKSHOP: Preparing a Winning 3MT® Presentation

Date: October 4, 2023 (Most recent)  Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Description

Presented by Ruth Bahr, PhD, Dean, Office of Graduate Studies and Tracy Costello, PhD, Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

The Three Minute Thesis , or 3MT® , is an annual competition held at over 200 universities worldwide, open to graduate students who present their research in less than 3 minutes, with only one static slide.  Winning presentations are engaging stories that are understood by the broader audience, requiring little expertise in the research area. 

This lecture is designed to help you understand and develop your best 3MT® presentation so that you're prepared to enter the USF competition in October 2023.  We'll share tips for success including how to frame your research for any audience and considerations for your slide's design. 

The winner and runner-up of the USF competition receive travel awards and are additionally supported to travel and present in the Council of Graduate Schools 3MT® competitions at the 2024 Council of Florida Graduate Schools Conference and the 2024 Council of Southern Graduate Schools Conference, schedule and funding permitting.  

Pictured from left to right: Asim Waqas, Anna Gonzalez, Reham Abuemira (People's choice) , Indira Goldman, Darrail Abercrombie, Alex Seigel, William Cromwell (Runner-up) , Martha McAlister, Alexandra Zamitalo (First Place), Dean Ruth Bahr. 2023 3MT® Competition.

Pictured: 2023 Participants compete with 3MT® presentations during the USF Finals Heat held on the Tampa campus. 

Judges will rate the student's ability to effectively present their research to a multidisciplinary audience in accessible and engaging non-technical language. Developed by The University of Queensland in 2008, enthusiasm for the concept and its adoption in numerous universities has also led to the development of an international competition.

Now, 3MT® is held in over 900 universities across more than 80 countries worldwide.

Why Participate?

Skills Development

Participating in 3MT® develops academic, presentation and research communication skills, while developing research candidates’ ability to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Culture of Research

3MT® provides a valuable opportunity for researchers to come together (live or virtually), get to know one another and talk about their research. It also provides a supportive environment in which schools, institutes and universities can provide presentation skills training.

Networking Opportunities

3MT® winners may go on to represent their university at national and international 3MT® competitions which provides an excellent networking and professional development opportunity. Previous 3MT® finalists have benefited from invitations to a variety of other networking events following their participation in the competition.

A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description, the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration).

No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.

No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.

Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.

Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).

Presentations are to commence from the stage.

Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through movement or speech.

The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

JUDGING CRITERIA

Comprehension & Content

Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question.

Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research.

Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes, and impact of the research.

Engagement & Communication

The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience.

The PowerPoint slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation.

The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience’s attention.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

An important aspect of the competition is the People’s Choice prize. Following all presentations, the audience is asked to vote on who they thought gave the most convincing 3MT® presentation (based on their understanding of the criteria outline above). A finalist can be the winner or runner-up and still receive the People’s Choice award.

ELIGIBILITY

Active Ph.D. and Professional Doctorate (Research) candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone (including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the date of their first presentation are eligible to participate in 3MT® competitions at all levels. Graduates are not eligible.

• 3MT® Competitor Guide
• FAQs for Competitors

USF holds a series of heats during the fall semester. Winners of the heats go on to compete in the USF 3MT® Finals, which typically take place in early November. 

• First Place: $300
• Runner-up (Second Place): $200
• People's Choice: $100

The First Place Winner moves forward to represent USF at the regional 3MT® competition the following spring.

VIEW: USF 3MT® Winners

First Place: Alexandra Zamitalo Title: Intraocular Marvels: Revolutionizing Techniques for Studying the Eye College: College of Engineering Program: Medical Engineering

Runner-up: William Cromwell Title: The ABOs of Cerebral Malaria College: College of Medicine Program: Medical Sciences

People's Choice: Reham Abuemira Title: Telecollaboration as an Approach to Facilitating Intercultural Communicative Competence and Exposure to Arabic Varieties in Arabic as Foreign Language Classrooms in the US: Exploring Teachers' Perspectives and Practices College: College of Education Program: Technology in Education and Second Language Acquisition

First Place: Kanchana Karunarathne Title: Coloring In Memory: Fluorescent Dyes as a Candidate for Oligomer Detection in Alzheimer’s Disease College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Physics

Runner-up: Efrain Gonzalez Title: Know the Unknown College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Mathematics and Statistics

People's Choice: Shelby Kell Title: One-size-fits-all: Pharmaceuticals For Human Health Care College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Chemistry

First Place: Aditya Chakraborty Title:  A Data-Driven Analytical Process to Monitor Pancreatic Cancer Survival Time College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Mathematics and Statistics

Runner-up: Jing Chen Title:  Membrane Proteins: Starting From a Binary Switch College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology

People's Choice: Minglu Sun Title:  The Effect of the Drug Abuse Prevention Programs on Domestic Violence College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Economics

First Place: Tiffany Miller Title:   Sniffing out COVID-19 with a Gas Sensor Array College: College of Engineering Program: Electrical Engineering

Runner-up: Celine Atkinson Title:  Climate Change, Gut Microbes, and You College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology

People's Choice: Poonan Lathiya Title:   Biotelemetry College: College of Engineering Program: Electrical Engineering

First Place: Aya Elmarsafawi Title:   Long Live Memory Cells College: Morsani College of Medicine Program: Molecular Medicine (Immunology)

Runner-up: Zeinab Motawe Title:   Having a Stroke? Take a Chill Pill! College: Morsani College of Medicine Program: Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology

People's Choice: Sandra Hornung Title:   Respiratory Syncytial Virus Accessorizes Human Proteins College: Morsani College of Medicine Program: Integrated Biomedical Sciences

First Place: Christian Brown Title:   Salamanders in the Sky and How They Try to Fly College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Integrative Biology

Runner-up: Abhijeet Iyer Title:   Air Pollution – Think Inside the Box College: College of Engineering Program: Chemical Engineering

People's Choice: Wainella Isaacs Title:   The Social and Technical Life of Drinking Water Tanks College: College of Engineering Program: Civil and Environmental Engineering

First Place: Karena Nguyen Title:   Parasites, People and the Changing Climate College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Integrative Biology

Second Place: Earnest Hansley Title:   Identification of Individuals from Ears College: College of Engineering Program: Computer Science and Engineering

People's Choice: Saurav Chakraborty Title:   El Niño Neutral Condition and its Influence on the Development of Hurricanes College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Geography

First Place: Kevin Orner Title:   Nutrient Removal and Energy Recovery from Digester Effluent College: College of Engineering Program: Environmental Engineering

Second Place: Karena Nguyen Title:   A Mechanistic Framework for Temperature-Dependent Disease Dynamics: A Novel Approach with Dynamic Energy Budget Theory College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: Integrative Biology

People's Choice: Dagmara Monfort Title:   Self-Assembling Nanoparticles for Treatment of Genetic Diseases College: College of Engineering Program: Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

First Place: Simon Bello Title:   Development of an Implantable Pressure Regulating Pump for Glaucoma Studies College: College of Engineering Program: Electrical Engineering

Second Place: Elan Pavlinich Title:   Counterfeit Feminism in Disney's Maleficent College: College of Arts and Sciences Program: English

People's Choice: Parveen Bazard Title:   Plasmonic Stimulation of Electrically Excitable Biological Cells College: College of Engineering Program: Chemical Engineering

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Penn Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

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Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a competition for doctoral and research students to develop and showcase their research communication skills through brief, 3-minute presentations.

Penn's annual 3MT competition is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Education, with co-sponsorship and support from Career Services, the Graduate Student Center, and GAPSA. 

Penn 3MT is a University-sponsored speaking competition designed to showcase graduate student research in three-minute talks to a general audience. This is a terrific opportunity for graduate students engaged in substantive original research to develop communication skills and share their work with faculty, students, and staff from across the University.

• 3MT Information Sessions : November 2023 & January 2024
• Research Communications Workshops : October - November 2023 &  February 2024 (optional)
• Practice and Feedback Sessions: February 2024 (optional)
• First Round Video Submissions Due: Saturday, March 2, 2024
• Finalists announced: March 7-8, 2024
• Finalist Feedback Sessions: March 8-21, 2024
• In-person Competition : Friday, March 22, 2024

In addition to bragging rights, a prize of $1000 will be awarded to the first-place winner and $500 to both the second-place and audience choice winners. Winners will also have the opportunity to participate in regional and national 3 Minute Thesis competitions!

Meet the Finalists & Winners!

First place, $1000, kritika jha.

Kritika is a material chemistry Ph.D. student at the SAS and has dedicated her research to sustainable and intelligent packaging solutions. She is also a great fan of cooking, so she’s always cooking up a storm both in the lab and the kitchen,  with a mission to whip up eco-friendly packaging solutions. So, just think of her as a chef-scientist, where her ingredients aren't just spices and veggies, but also the stuff that could make tomorrow's packaging as compostable as an apple core, with a sprinkle of creativity and a dash of science. Now she’s going to tell you more about all that in her talk title “Nanosuperheroes: Who Can See the Unseen Dangers” 

Second Place, $500, Grace Simon

Grace is a PhD Candidate in the Management Department. Before embarking on her PhD journey, Grace spent five years working in the financial services industry. From supporting employees through bank robberies to leading a crisis communications team during the pandemic, Grace realized the central role of emotions in the workplace. In her research, she explores when and why supportive intentions at work can go right and wrong.  When she's not working on research, you can find her searching for the best ice cream in Philadelphia or perfecting her soft pretzel recipe. Now she’s going to tell you about her research in her talk titled “Putting Feelings into Words” 

Audience Choice, $500, Talayah Johnson

Talayah is Bioengineering Ph.D. student here at the University of Pennsylvania. Her journey started at Penn State University where she received her B.S in biology and Masters in biomechanics. Outside of research she enjoys volunteering at Philadelphia high schools as a way of encouraging minority students to pursue STEM degrees.  Now she’s going to tell you about her research in her talk titled “The Tendon’s Achilles Heel: How Reduced Loading Affects Limb Growth” 

Shelvey Swett

Shelvey is a second year PhD student in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department. Her work focuses on carbon capture and storage. Outside of research, Shelvey loves reading, watching video essays, and doing hot yoga. Now she’s going to tell you about her research in her talk titled ‘Carbon capture? I hardly know her! Critical Mineral Supply and Carbon Dioxide Storage from Mining Waste’ 

Maya Moritz

Maya is a PhD student in the Criminology department at Penn. She grew up in New Jersey and studied labor and historical economics in Scotland, Canada, and Germany. During her studies, she listened to way too many true crime podcasts and, as a result, decided to return home and examine a different labor market- crime. As a PhD student in criminology she tries to keep her work on the brighter side by studying the crime-fighting effects of art, lighting, and the power of community. Now she’s going to tell you about her research in her talk titled “A Picture Worth A Thousand Words: The Effects of Murals on Crime ” 

Chris Johnson

Chris is a doctoral candidate in chemical and biomolecular engineering, with a focus on deciphering the physics behind new materials for energy technology. He has had work published in scientific journals such as Polymer, Advanced Materials Interfaces, and Chemical Communications. He was the 2020 winner of the Elda Wollaeger Gregory poetry award at the University of Delaware, and spends his free time playing with his cat Poe. Now he’s going to tell you about his research in his talk titled “Mission Ion-possible Charges in Motion" 

Natalia (Nati) Aponte Borges

Natalia is a graduate researcher, bilingual STEM educator, and artist. She obtained her B.S. in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras and is currently a Biology PhD Candidate in the Schmidt Lab. She is broadly interested in the neurobiology of behavior, known as neuroethology. Her work focuses on the neural mechanisms that control courtship behaviors in songbirds. She studies brown-headed cowbirds, which have an elaborate song and display during courtship. Outside of research, she is passionate about community, science literacy, disability justice, and teaching. Along with birds, she loves photography, sewing, and going to the beach. Now she’s going to tell you about her research in her talk titled “The Neural Command of Courtship: How the Bird Brain Orchestrates an Elaborate Wingspread” 

Pulkit Khandelwal

Pulkit is a 5th year PhD student in the department of Bioengineering. Previously, he completed his masters in computer science at McGill University in Montreal. Pulkit's research interests lie in biomedical image analysis using artificial intelligence and shape analysis to understand how neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, spread in the brain using postmortem human brain MRI. In his spare time, he likes to read poetry, literature, listen to Greek mythology podcasts, nerd out on coffee, enjoy foreign language independent movies, and lately he has been interested in rare books and book binding! Now he’s going to tell you about his research in his talk titled “Alzheimer's disease: cutting the brain open, literally!” 

To enter, students must register below and submit a video of their three-minute talk to Penn 3MT (details below) by Saturday, March 2. From those first-round submissions, up to 10 finalists will be chosen to compete in the campus-wide, live competition on Friday, March 22.

Register for Round 1 Video Submission

The 3MT competition will teach you how to communicate effectively to specialists and non-specialists alike, preparing you to present your research at scholarly conferences and to take part in both academic and professional job markets.

Professional Development:  Penn 3MT is a great opportunity for graduate students to practice sharing their original research to general audiences. Participants have the opportunity to attend workshops and receive group and one-on-one coaching to  develop oratorical skills, dynamic deliveries, and compelling content  when presenting their academic research.

Networking:  3MT participants will have an opportunity to meet and engage with new faculty, staff, and students from across the University.

Impact:  Participants have the opportunity to make the importance and relevance of their research visible to a non-specialist audience. Participants can elect to have their presentation shared online, promoting both your own work and the value of graduate student research to a much wider audience.

Prizes:  Everyone who submits a video will receive prizes from GAPSA and the Grad Center! Please register at the blue button at the top of the page  if you plan on submitting a video so we can collect your contact information. Judges will select a first-place ($1000) and second-place ($500) winner at the live competition. There will also be an audience choice ($500) winner.

Active PhD, Professional Doctorate Research (program composed of at least 2/3 research and eligible for Research Training Program (RTP)), and full-time Masters candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone (including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the date of their first presentation are eligible to participate in 3MT competitions at all levels. Graduates are not eligible.

Please Note : Students enrolled in any of the following programs are not eligible to enter the 3MT Competition:

Professional Masters

Professional Doctorate (less than 2/3 research)

Entries from all disciplines are welcome and encouraged.

In cases of presentation of a collaborative research project, the presenter’s contribution to the project must be salient and clearly specified.

If you are unsure of your eligibility or would like more information about 3MT, please contact [email protected] . You can also check the Graduate Catalog for your Penn School to see if your program is listed under the PhD and Research Master's Programs.

To enter, you must submit a three-minute video of your presentation by 11:59 p.m. (local time) on March 2, 2024.

Please register at the blue button at the top of the page  if you are interested in participating . Be sure to read through the Rules and Guidelines also before submitting your videos!

Competition Process

Students may submit their slide and video anytime before Saturday, March 2, 2024  for feedback. You can also request a 1:1 session during this time for immediate feedback or to go over your presentation with the Associate Director.

Research Communications Workshops offered by the Graduate Student Center will occur October - November and January - February. See our Events page for details.

Student videos submitted by the deadline of  Satur day, March 2 at 11:59 p.m., EST  are reviewed by a panel of staff for compliance with the eligibility requirements.

10 Finalists are selected for the online competition by March 7-8, 2024.

A  campus-wide competition between the finalists will be held March 22, 2024. A reception will be held after the competition.

On the basis of these presentations, winners will be selected by the panel of judges and a “people’s choice” by audience members.  

Judging and Selection

A panel of non-specialist faculty and staff judges will evaluate student presentations. Presentations will be evaluated based on clarity, comprehension, content, engagement, and communication.

Everyone who submits a video will receive a gift for participating! Please fill out the interest form above if you plan on submitting a video so we can collect your contact information. Judges will select a first ($1000) and second-place ($500) winner at the live competition. There will also be an audience choice ($500) winner.

All decisions of the judging panel are final.

Video submission:   

• Your video and slide should be submitted using the button below.  Please register at the blue button at the top of the page  if you are interested in participating .
• All video files should be named: “Title_of_talk.mp4” or “Title_of_talk.mov”.  Please do not include your name or any other identifying information in the name of the video file.
• You do not need to include your slide in your video. A video of you speaking is enough. You will upload your slide alongside your video.
• At the very beginning of your video, please state your full name, graduate program, and the title of your presentation. The time it takes to do this will not be counted against the three minutes to present your research.
• You will not be judged on your skills as a videographer, and you do not need to use professional video equipment. As long as the judges can see you and the audio is clear and understandable, that is sufficient. You can record yourself using the Panopto interface in Canvas. You can also record yourself in Zoom. You may ask a friend or colleague for help creating your video, or you can get assistance and borrow equipment from the Vitale Digital Media Lab . You can also follow these tips for recording a presentation in Zoom . Here is one demonstrated on a Mac .

Visual submission :

• Presenters may use a single image or static PowerPoint slide (no Prezi or other presentation formats) to enhance their presentation.
• Students must create their slides themselves – they cannot ask someone else to design the slides. Use of PowerPoint templates is allowed.
• Slides can include visual elements (charts, visualizations, photos, clip art, etc.) created by someone other than the student, as long as the slide credits the original creator.
• Embedded audio, animations, and/or video clips (including but not limited to .gif, .avi, .mp4, .mp3, and .wmv file types) are NOT permitted.
• Powerpoint slides should be named "Title_of_talk.ppt". Please do not include your name or any other identifying information in the name of the PowerPoint file.

Powerpoint slides and videos can be uploaded below. If you are having difficulty, please upload it to Microsoft, Box, or Google Drive and email jomcb at upenn.edu the link to download.

Upload Your Video & Slide

Length and Timing: Presentations should be a maximum of three (3) minutes in length, commencing from the moment the speaker starts the presentation through movement or speech.

• The presentation  begins  at the moment the speaker engages with the audience (if they start with a hand clap, a gesture, or any other such engagement, prior to speaking, the clock begins at that time; if there is no such engagement the clock starts when the student begins speaking).
• If the speaker continues past three minutes, points will be deducted from the final score, beginning with one point at 3:03, and one point every two additional seconds thereafter.
• No props of any kind are permitted, and notes cannot be used during the presentation.

Want some help getting started? In need of Inspiration? Check out the resources below!

3MT® Resources

• Three-Minute Thesis Showcase :  Watch winning 3MT presentations from around the world.
• Three Tips to Help You Prepare a Winning Presentation
• 3MT: The Three Most Common Mistakes
• Sample 3MT Coaching Session

Past Penn 3MT ® Competitions and Workshops

Research Communications Workshops

Additional Resources

• Nature MasterClass: Effective Science Communication (PennKey login required)
• Alda Center for Communicating Science Creating Connections Workbook
• XKCD Simple Writer
• Dejargonizer
• TED Talks :  Short talks on “ideas worth spreading.” 
• PhD Comics Two-Minute Thesis  Competition
• Berkeley Grad Slam Competition

Graduate Student Center University of Pennsylvania 3615 Locust Walk Philadelphia PA 19104 215-746-6868

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Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)

• Past Winners
• Competitions
• Three Minute Thesis®

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland. The competition develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of students' capacities to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience.

During each competition, graduate students will have three minutes to present a compelling discussion on their research topic, including its significance and relevance, to the general public. 3MT® is not an exercise in trivializing or "dumbing down" research, instead, it forces competitors to consolidate their ideas and crystallize their research discoveries. This is a fast-paced competition where the top 10 finalists compete by summarizing their two to three-plus years of research in only three minutes with only one slide.  Cash awards are given to the winner, runner-up, and People's Choice Award winner.

3MT® at Purdue

Enrolled graduate students in all disciplines at Purdue University are eligible to participate in 3MT®. Research presented must have been conducted at Purdue University, not from a previous degree, and should be in the final stages so students have some sound conclusions and impacts to present. Purdue Alumni are not eligible to participate.

Purdue holds its annual 3MT® competition early each spring. It is a celebration of the discoveries made by graduate students and will allow the broader community to learn about ongoing research at Purdue. It is free and open to the public. Cash awards are given to the winner, runner-up, and People's Choice Award winner.

2024 Competition Timeline

• Friday, February 9, 11:59 PM -  Faculty Nominations Due
• Monday, March 3, 11:59 PM - Student Submissions Due
• Monday, April 14  - Rehearsal, Fowler Hall 5:00 p.m. EST - mandatory
• Tuesday, April 15 -  Competition, Fowler Hall, 7:00 p.m. EST

 Cash Awards

• 1st place $5,000 
• 2nd place $3,000 
• People's Choice $2,000 

A panel of judges will select the first and second-place winners, while the People's Choice Award will be selected by the audience.

2024 Winners

First place: kevin alessandro bautista, engineering.

Second Place: Thomas Clarke, Science

People’s Choice: Jeanine Arana, Agriculture

Graduate Student Submissions

The Graduate School welcomes submissions from all Purdue University disciplines. For help with presenting and visual aids please see the following free professional development workshops.

Please read the 3MT® competition rules in the drop-down button below.

Video Competitor Guide

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or "movement" of any description).
• No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments or laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
• The decision of the judging panel is final, and People's Choice voting results will not be released.
• All presentations will be videotaped and will appear on the graduate school 3MT® website.
• Students who are over the cost of attendance allowance may not be eligible for prizes.

Each 3MT® presentation will be judged based on communication style, comprehension, and engagement. Please view our archive of video presentations made by past winners .

Please email the program administrators at  [email protected]  if you have any questions!

An 80,000 word PhD thesis would take 9 hours to present. Their time limit... 3 minutes.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.  While the original competition was for graduate students, a number of colleges are now sponsoring undergraduate competitions. The Writing Center sponsored Harvard's first undergraduate Three-Minute Thesis competition in April 2019. 3MT offers seniors the opportunity to create an accessible and interesting presentation of their senior thesis research for an audience of non-specialists. All finalists were offered the opportunity to work with a writing tutor and a public speaking tutor to craft their final presentations.

If you are a senior interested in entering this year's 3MT, you can find information on this page.  

First Prize

Meera Nair (MCB): ""M2 Macrophages: The Bodyguards of Metastasis."  (video unavailable)

Second Prize

Harrison Ngue (Biomedical Engineering): ""Beating Cancer Twice: Understanding How "Sleeping" Cancer Cells Become Resistant to Chemotherapy

Third Prize

Nour Khachemoune, "Animals, Diet, and Societal Collapse at the Maya Site of Copán, Honduras"

Alison Chen (Philosophy/History) "Where Mind Meets Body: Descartes on Knowledge in Everyday Life"

Yousuf Amiel Bakshi (Government): "Block to the Future: Understanding Why Certain Countries Use Blockchain for e-Government"

Henry Cerbone (Ontology of Autonomous Systems): "Running on Water: A Multi-Disciplinary Look at Basilisk Lizards"

Nikhil Dharmaraj (History and Literature/Comp Sci): "System Update: Historicizing Facial Recognition Technology in Hindutva India"

Laura Murphy (English): "The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: Fiction, Journalism, and Personal Journals of the Plague"

Jeromel Dela Rosa Lara (Social Anthropology/Comparative Religion): "Smugglers of Faith": The Enduring Presence of Filipina Migrant Domestic Workers in the Middle East"

Isha Puri (Applied Mathematics): "Shifting Paradigms of AI Explainability and Reasoning"

Sam Saba (NELC/Government): "Digitalization & Divide: Global Divides in the Digital Age"

Aristotle Vainikos (Government): "Thinking Outside the Disciplinary Box: The Role of Designers in Military Technology Innovation"

Michael Wallace (History): "How the National Park Service Created Environmentalism"

Zoe Weiss (Molecular and Cellular Biology): "RNA in a Haystack"

3MT (Three Minute Thesis)

3mt (three minute thesis).

UCF’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) features master’s and doctoral students communicating their research in just three minutes with only one PowerPoint slide. Participants are judged on the ability to effectively convey the importance of their research in an engaging way to a non-specialist audience.

First developed in 2008 by the University of Queensland in Australia, the popularity of the competition has increased and 3MT competitions are now held in over 600 universities across more than 59 countries worldwide. 

For questions about this event, please email [email protected] .

Join us for the 2024 3 Minute Thesis

Morgridge International Reading Center

November 14, 2023 1:00 – 3:30 pm Light Refreshments will be provided

Applications

Applications for the UCF 3MT will open in early Fall 2024. See below for full eligibility.

Scholarships

Scholarships will be awarded to outstanding presentations at the 3MT Finals as follows:

• Winners: $1,000 Scholarship
• Runners up: $750 Scholarship
• People’s Choice: $250 Scholarship

All scholarships awards are contingent on the finalist completing all required activities leading up to the 3MT Finals.

Eligibility

Participants must be currently enrolled UCF doctoral or master’s students actively engaged in research. Doctoral students must be currently enrolled in dissertation hours. Master’s students must be enrolled in thesis hours or completing a long term research project. A competitive candidate should have a well-conceived project (ideally their dissertation or thesis research), compelling data collected, and a novel story to share. The work presented must have been conducted at UCF for the student’s current degree program. 

The number of finalists chosen for the event on November 15, 2023, will depend on the submissions made. Master’s and doctoral students will compete separately. All finalists will be required to attend a series of preparation activities to develop their presenting skills leading up to the finals.

The first-place winner and runner-up will be chosen by a panel of judges. Over $4,000 in Scholarships will be awarded to winners at both the master’s and doctoral levels.  

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted; no slide transitions, animations, or ‘movement’ of any description are allowed; the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration 
• No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted
• No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted 
• Presentations are limited to three minutes (plus a 10-second buffer) and competitors exceeding three minutes will be disqualified 
• Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, rapping, or songs) 
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final

Judging Criteria

• Communication style: Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience? 
• Comprehension: Did the presentation help the audience understand the research? 
• Engagement: Did the presentation make the audience want to know more? 

2023 Event Finalists

Thank you to the finalists who presented at the 2023 UCF 3MT event!

Master’s Meghan​ Kane​ – Industrial and Organizational Psychology MS Njeri​ Kinuthia​ – Emerging Media MFA – Studio Art and Design Track​ Cory​ Kennedy Barrow​ – Theatre MFA – Theatre for Young Audiences Track​ Dani​ Sarta​ – Creative Writing MFA​ Olivia​ Van Natta​ – Emerging Media – Studio Art and Design Track​ Melanie​ Cedeño-Lopez​ – Feature Film Production MFA​ ( Winner )

Doctoral Nikki​ Barnes​ – Texts and Technology PhD​ Alexandra​ Frank​ – Education PhD – Counselor Education Track​ Yu-Shan​ Huang -​ Business Administration PhD – Marketing Track​ Greta​ LeDoyen​ – Curriculum and Instruction EdD​ Yasaman​ Majd​ Electrical Engineering PhD​ Whitney​ Margaritis​ – Integrative Anthropological Sciences PhD​ Helen​ Mills​ – Nursing PhD​ Ashley​ Morris​ – Public Affairs PhD​ ( Winner ) Christopher​ Proppe​ – Kinesiology PhD​ Ilana​ Szlamkowicz​ – Chemistry PhD​

Video Presentations

Want to see what 3MT is all about? Watch the 3MT presentations from our past events on our YouTube page:

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The Three Minute Thesis Competition  

An 80,000 word ph.d. thesis would take 9 hours to present. their time limit...3 minutes. special thanks to our sponsor riverstone for supporting this event.  .

The 2024 3MT Competition is taking place in February and April! Thirty applicants will be selected to compete. Applications are now closed.

3MT Overview

Three Minute Thesis (3MT ® ) celebrates the exciting research conducted by PhD students around the world. Developed by  The University of Queensland (UQ) , the competition cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Presenting in a 3MT competition increases their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes , in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Competitors are allowed one PowerPoint slide , but no other resources or props.

The 8 th  annual 3MT competition took place in March 2023. We had 32 students compete and witnessed some fantastic presentations. We can't wait to see what our new and returning participants bring in 2024. To help students prepare for the 3MT we offer a workshop series that will guide students through the whole process-- developing the talk, creating the slide, and practicing the presentation. view all the 2023 preliminary and final round presentations

Past Participants

The UNH Graduate School Media Channel hosts videos of the 3MT competitions from every year! Browse the channel at the link below to find 3MT presentations from participants across a range of disciplines and subjects. You can find direct links to the videos of our award winners from each year in the "Past 3MT Winners" section on this webpage as well.

UNH Graduate School Media Page Official 3MT Website

2023 3MT Winners

2024 3MT Competition Schedule

Preliminary Round 1 - February 27th from 3-5pm, MUB Theater I Preliminary Round 2 - February 28th from 3-5pm, MUB Theater I 3MT Final Round - April 8th from 4-6pm, MUB Theater II (followed by a reception from 6-7pm)

Preparing for your 3MT

Upcoming workshop open to all UNH graduate students and postdocs

Introduction to the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Come for an overview of what the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition is and what makes a good 3MT, from content to audience to the way you present your research, orally and visually. Attendance can be in-person or virtual. 

When : December 13, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Where : Hamel Recreation Center room 107C or via Zoom

Register here

Past 3MT Winners

• 1 st place: Melanie Smith ,  Master's Student in Marine Biology
• 2 nd place: Manjot Rekhi , PhD Student in Earth and Environmental Science
• 3 rd place: Diana Reyes Gomez , PhD Student in Agricultural Sciences
• People's Choice Award: Ava Boutilier , Master's Student in Biochemistry
• 1 st place: Sathya Jagadeesan ,  PhD student in Chemical Engineering
• 2 nd place:  Nikolai Matukhno , Master's Student in Mechanical Engineering
• 3 rd place & People’s Choice Award:  Nick Pollak , PhD candidate in Chemistry
• 1 st place: David Heit , Msc Wildlife and Conservation Biology
• 2 nd place: Via D'Agostino , MFA Fiction Writing
• 3 rd place: Hannah Lightcap , PhD Psychology
• People’s Choice Award: Jess Flarity , PhD English Literature
• 1 st place: Jordan Pierce , MS Oceanography
• 2 nd place: Allison Giannotti , PhD Composition & Rhetoric
• 3 rd place: Isaiah Paolo Atienza Lee , PhD Molecular and Evolutionary Systems Biology
• People’s Choice Award: Danial Mirzaiyanrajeh , PhD Civil & Environmental Engineering
• People’s Choice Runner Up: Kerry Dykens , MS Oceanography
• 1 st place: Sidney Birch , PhD Molecular & Evolutionary Systems Biology
• 2 nd place & People’s Choice Award: Zane Relethford , PhD Chemistry
• 3 rd place: Katherine Ineson , PhD NRESS
• 1 st place: Jovana Milosavljevic Ardeljan , PhD Education
• 2 nd place: Devon O'Rourke , PhD Molecular and Evolution Systems Biology
• 3 rd place & People’s Choice Award: Kaitlyn Belknap , M.S. Genetics
• 1 st place: Drummond Biles , PhD, Mechanical Engineering
• 2 nd place: Meagan Wengrove , PhD Ocean Engineering
• 3 rd place: Ryan Stevens , PhD Natural resources
• People’s Choice Award: Rev. Holland Prior , MFA Creative Nonfiction
• People’s Choice Runner Up: Jovana Milosavljevic Ardeljan , PhD Education
• 1 st place & People’s Choice Award: Lesley Atwood , PhD Agroecology
• 2 nd place: Susan Deily Swearingen , PhD History
• 3 rd place: Maria Marin Jarrin , PhD Oceanography
• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations, or "movement" of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
• No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment, etc.) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, raps or songs).
• Presentations are to commence from the front of the theater.
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Judging Criteria

3 Minute Thesis presentations are judged using the following criteria:

Comprehension and Content

• Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background to the research question being addressed and its significance?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the key results of the research including conclusions and outcomes?
• Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
• Was the thesis topic, key results and research significance and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
• Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
• Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation - or did they elaborate for too long on one aspect so that other aspects of the presentation felt rushed?

Engagement and Communication

• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
• Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience's attention?
• Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation - was it clear, legible, and concise?

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• 3MT (3 Minute Thesis)

3 Minute Thesis Competition

Three Minute Thesis   (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by   The University of Queensland   (UQ). Graduate students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance. 3MT is not an exercise in trivializing or “dumbing down” research, but rather challenges students to consolidate their ideas and research discoveries to present concisely to a non-specialist audience. 

Whether you're trying to raise capital, cold call or network, it's essential to have an elevator pitch, especially when describing your research. 3MT® is a competition that helps graduate students develop their verbal communication skills and helps all people understand the importance of research and how it positively affects our lives. Students, you have 3 minutes to content, clarity, and cash. Ready, set, go…

3MT® is a competition that challenges graduate students to present a compelling verbal presentation of their thesis /dissertation topic and its significance in just three minutes. 3MT® develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of graduate students' capacity to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to a public audience.

3MT® is not an exercise in trivializing or ‘dumbing-down' research but forces students to consolidate their ideas and crystalize their research discoveries.

Students compete by presenting their thesis/dissertation topic in three minutes or less. Competitions are judged by a panel comprised of a diverse group of professionals (academic and non-academic) with a wide range of expertise.   Watch 3MT Showcase.  

Watch Sam Houston's own, Dr. Erica Pasquini, People's Choice award winning 3MT  presentation   at the University of Southern Mississippi.

By competing in the 3MT® competition at Sam Houston State University, graduate students have the opportunity to sharpen their communication skills, promote their field of research to the campus and the general public, and help all people understand the importance of research and how it positively impacts their lives.

The winners will be awarded cash prizes from the Graduate School and graduation regalia credit (full master's coverage or master's credit towards doctoral) courtesy of the Vice President for Student Affairs Office.

• Grand Champion: $1,000 and credit towards graduation regalia
• Runner Up: $750 and   credit towards   graduation regalia
• People's Choice Award: $500 and   credit towards  graduation regalia
• The top twelve finalists will receive $100 courtesy of the Vice President for Student Affairs Office.

* Prize money greater than $100 will post to the student’s SHSU account in the form of a scholarship. If the student has an outstanding balance, the scholarship will be applied towards that balance. Any remaining funds from the scholarship will then be credited to the student’s billing account.

The Graduate and Professional School at Sam Houston State University is excited for the upcoming 2024 3 Minute Thesis Competition. There will two preliminary rounds. The final round will be on the Huntsville campus on April 1, 2024. The top participants and one people's choice winner from each event will advance to the finals dependent upon final participant numbers.

Important Dates:

Must be registered by: January 31, 2024

Preliminary 1: February 19, 2024 @ The Woodlands Center Preliminary 2: February 20, 2024 @ Huntsville Campus - College of Business Haney Auditorium

2024 3MT Finals

April 1, 2024- Huntsville Campus - College of Business Haney Auditorium

For any questions send an email to [email protected]   

Virtual Competition Rules:

• presentations are limited to 3 minutes and competitors exceeding 3 minutes will be disqualified. • presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through speech (timing does not include the 3mt title slide and commences from when the competitor starts speaking, not the start of the video). videos must meet the following criteria: • filmed on the horizontal • filmed on a plain background • filmed from a static position • filmed from one camera angle • contain a 3mt title slide • contain a 3mt powerpoint slide (top right corner/right side/cut to) • a single static slide is permitted in the presentation (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description). this can be visible continuously, or ‘cut to’ (as many times as you like) for a maximum of 1 minute or submitted via email if not included in the presentation. • the 3 minute audio must be continuous – no sound edits or breaks. • no additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment and animated backgrounds) are permitted within the recording. • presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs). • no additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted within the video recording. • the decision of the adjudicating panel is final. • submissions via video format (only video link provided to event coordinators). files sent in other formats will not be accepted. please note: competitors *will not* be judged on video/ recording quality or editing capabilities (optional inclusions). judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3mt powerpoint slide., in person competition rules.

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description are allowed. The slide will be presented from the beginning of the oration.
• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (eg. no poems, raps or songs).
• Presentations are to commence from the stage.
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts his or her presentation through either movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Once a student begins his or her presentation, the clock begins to run. The timekeeper will hold up a warning sign. A bell chimes at the end of the 3-minute period. If a competitor continues to speak after the bell chimes, he or she is disqualified from the competition.

Eligibility

• Student must be enrolled in master's or doctoral level classes for the semester of competition.
• Working on major project, capstone, thesis or dissertation research with some preliminary data complete
• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
• Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience's attention?
• Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation - was it clear, legible, and concise?
• Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background to the research question being addressed and its significance?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the key results of the research including conclusions and outcomes?
• Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
• Was the thesis topic, key results and research significance and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
• Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
• Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation - or did they elaborate for too long on one aspect or was the presentation rushed?

– Please note: The judging panel will not judge the presentation based on the video/recording quality or editing capabilities (optional inclusions). Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate re-search to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide. – People’s Choice element - number of votes received (via link survey on The Graduate School website). – Winners announced online and via social media and will be notified via email.

• Guide to the 3MT
• Preparing_Your_3MT_Presentation

All information sessions are listed below. If you were not able to attend one then contact Ricky Saiz at [email protected] who will schedule a special session for your group. Last day to sign up for the 3MT competition is January 31st and all information sessions must be completed prior to this date. An information session is not required in order to compete as long as the student and faculty sponsor feel comfortable about competing. 

2024 Information Sessions 

October 19, 2024 @ 6pm via Zoom

October 20, 2024 @ 6pm via Zoom

October 26, 2024 @ 6pm via Zoom

November 1, 2024 @ 6pm via Zoom

November 8, 2024 @ 5:30pm In-Person

Spring 2024 practice sessions will be scheduled after registration has closed. All sessions will be scheduled once a coach is assigned. If a student chooses their faculty as a coach, then scheduling will be between the student and faculty sponsor. 

3 Minute Thesis Presentations

Winners will be announced at The Graduate and Professional School 2023 Spring Awards Banquet

Grand Champion Damilola Oladimeji

Runner Up Jennifer Snedeker

People's Choice Razaq Jinad

• 2023 Finalists Sarah Vickery Kristina Block Razaq Jinad Holly Moore Taylor Robinson Sarah Hernandez AE Fonsworth Jennifer Snedeker Kushi Gupta Damilola Oladimeji
• Preliminary Presenters & Presentations Cesar Cantu Cesar I. Garza Sanchez Damilola Olademji Holly Moore Jared Estevanes Jennifer Snedeker Kristina Block Taylor Robinson Aileen "AE" Fonsworth Destiny Little Razaq Jinad Khushi Gupta Kiara Osbourne-Willis Liza Allen Sarah Vickery Sarah Hernandez Seth Castillo

Spring 2023 Prelims

Florida State University

FSU | The Graduate School

Main navigation Pulldown

The graduate school, three minute thesis (3mt™).

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT™) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland, Australia. The exercise develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of students' capacities to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience.

Doctoral students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their dissertation topic and its significance. 3MT™ encourages students to consolidate their ideas and crystalize their research discoveries.

Congratulate the 2023 3MT Winners!

1st Place:  Hyosoon Yim

Sport Management Promoting Sport Participation among Older Adults: Application of the Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

2nd Place:  Tania Sultana

Biomedical Sciences ZIKV NS3 Drives Assembly of a Viroplasm-Like Structure (VLS)

3rd Place:  Meng Tian

Communication The Stereotypes of Female eSports Players

People's Choice:  John Akintola

Chemistry and Biochemistry Functional Polyelectrolyte Complexes

2023 3MT Competition Finalists!

Sima Sabbagh

Neuroscience Unmasking the Architects of the Brain: Marvelous FMRP

Art Education Art May Facilitate Community Building to Alleviate Chinese International Students' Alienation

Andre Juliao

Condensed Matter Experimental Physics Nb3Sn for Axion Detection

Hemant Goswami

Molecular Biophysics Development of an Ultrasensitive and Rapid Virus Detection Method Based on CRISPR-Cas Enzyme

Toshiaki Kanai

Physics  Quantum Computer on Solid Neon 

Qiushan Liu

Developmental Psychology Investigating Strategy Flexibility in Algebra

Click here to read the FSU News Article

Click here to see the 2023 3MT Competition Gallery

Your graduate research. 3 minutes. 1 slide.

Why Participate?

Skills development for research candidates Participating in 3MT develops academic, presentation and research communication skills, while developing research candidates’ ability to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Building external relations for the university 3MT winners go on to represent FSU at regional and national competitions which provides an excellent networking and professional development opportunity. 

Are you eligible?

Currently enrolled doctoral students at Florida State University are eligible to participate in the 3MT™. 3MT® presentations must represent the primary research the student has conducted in their graduate program.

Master's students are not eligible.

What are the prizes?

• 1st Place -  $1,000
• 2nd Place -  $750
• 3rd Place -  $500
• People's Choice (selected by the audience): $250

What are the judging criteria?

At every level of the competition each competitor will be assessed on the judging criteria listed below. Each criterion is equally weighted and has an emphasis on audience.

Comprehension and content

• Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question
• Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research
• Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes and impact of the research

Engagement and communication

• The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience
• The PowerPoint slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation
• The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience’s attention

What are the rules?

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description), and the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration and remain in view for the duration of the oration.
• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
• The decision of the judging panel is final.

Helpful Resources

• Click here to view the Three Minute Thesis Virtual Competition Handbook.

3MT Recording/Editing Links

• OpenShot Editing Video
• Kapwing Website
• 3MT Workshop Recording of Kapwing Editor: this video is a demonstration of the software
• Kapwing Tutorial
• FSU Canvas Support Center Tutorial : Best Practices for Student Video Production (iMovie and Movie Maker)
• Vimeo Website

Past 3MT™ Competitions

Fall 2023 3MT™

Doctoral student in Sport Management, Hyosoon Yim took first place at this year's 3MT competition and won $1,000. Read more .

Fall 2022 3MT™

Doctoral student in Science Education, Dionne Wilson took first place at this year's 3MT competition and won $1,000. Read more .

Fall 2021 3MT™

Doctoral student in Art Education, Chris Omni took first place at this year's 3MT competition and won $1,000.  Read more.

Fall 2020 3MT™

Mark Duslak (Educational Leadership & Policy Studies) and Matthew Martenson (Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences) finished first this year. Read more.

Fall 2019 3MT™

Judges selected Alyssa Henderson (Physics)and Sara Jones (Biomedical Sciences) as this year’s first-place winners. Read more.

Fall 2018 3MT™

Doctoral student in biological science, Eve Humphrey took first place at this year's 3MT competition and won $1,000. Read more.

Fall 2017 3MT™

For the first time, a student from the College of Education, Shannon Gooden (Teacher Education), won the $1,000 prize. Read more.

Fall 2016 3MT™

Madhuparna Roy (Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering)won first place in this year's competition. Read more.

Fall 2015 3MT™

Aniket Ingrole (Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering) won first place in the 3MT™ competition. Read more.

Fall 2014 3MT™

Kimberly Smith (Neuroscience) won first place in this year's 3MT™ competition. Read more.

View the past 3MT competition galleries

Three-Minute-Thesis Presentations (3MTs)

• First Online: 07 August 2019

Cite this chapter

• Fiona Rossette-Crake 2  

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With this chapter, we turn to the fourth and final part of the book, to focus on the new genres of public speaking that constitute “the New Oratory”. This chapter investigates the specific generic constraints of three-minute-thesis presentations. Special attention is paid to adapting to a non-specialist audience and to engaging with the audience. A linguistic tool kit is provided.

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Even though “3MT” is a registered trademark, for the sake of convenience, it will be used here to refer to the speech genre in general.

Oxford Dictionary .

An exception to this is provided by the staging of certain finals, which take place on an elevated stage.

Viewed at: https://vimeo.com/292832535 .

https://threeminutethesis.uq.edu.au/resources/3mt-competitor-guide .

Transcribed from video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lraTf8UPcUY .

https://www.monash.edu/pharm/research/news/three-minute-thesis/transcripts .

Transcribed from video retrieved from https://www.monash.edu/pharm/research/news/three-minute-thesis .

Transcribed from video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=182&v=uPvl2ZtWxWc .

Video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOTFnidHOXc .

Transcribed from video retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bxUg_rjq9w .

This extract and further extracts transcribed from video retrieved from https://vimeo.com/292832662 .

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Department of Applied Languages, University Paris Nanterre, Nanterre, France

Fiona Rossette-Crake

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Correspondence to Fiona Rossette-Crake .

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Rossette-Crake, F. (2019). Three-Minute-Thesis Presentations (3MTs). In: Public Speaking and the New Oratory. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22086-0_20

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22086-0_20

Published : 07 August 2019

Publisher Name : Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

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Online ISBN : 978-3-030-22086-0

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Home  >>  The Graduate School  >>  three minute thesis

Three-Minute Thesis (3MT ®)

The university of texas at tyler.

Could you present your 80,000-word thesis or dissertation in three minutes? Do you want the excitement of competing with other graduate students for cash prizes?

The Graduate School will host UT Tyler's Three Minute Thesis (3MT ®) competition challenging graduate students to present compelling spoken presentations on their research in just 180 seconds, using language that people outside the discipline can understand.

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations, or ‘movement’ of any kind; the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration).
• No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
• No other props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are allowed.
• Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations must be spoken word (i.e., no poems, raps, or songs).
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when presenters start their presentation through movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Please Review The Competitors Guide : https://threeminutethesis.uq.edu.au/resources/3mt-competitor-guide  

• 1st Place - $1,000
• 2nd Place - $500
• 3rd Place - $250

Deadline:  All submissions must be uploaded by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

Presentation:  The in-person presentations will take place on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM in the Rodney A. Mabry Theater (UC 2114). Results of the competition will be announced by Friday, April 12, 2024.

Eligibility

Currently enrolled master's and doctoral students in all disciplines at the University of Texas at Tyler will be eligible to participate in 3MT®. Work presented must have been conducted at the University of Texas at Tyler. Students should be in the final stages of graduate school, so they have some sound conclusions and impacts from their research. Students who have already graduated are not eligible.

Please register for the competition and submit your PowerPoint slide here:  https://uttyler.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9yN9sfF3H5dWaay

Congratulations to the first, second, and third place winners of the 2023 3MT Competition:

First Place Winner

Participant Name: Sarah Glaesemann Area of Study: Chemistry Topic: Synthetic Studies of Dragonamide E and its Potential Treatment of Leishmaniasis    

Second Place Winner 

Participant Name: Danish Ansari Area of Study: Biotechnology Topic: Bacteriophage therapy for the treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections in humanized mice

Third Place Winners (Ties) 

Participant Name: Giovanni Josue Cerrato Area of Study: Mechanical Engineering Topic: Residential Indoor Air Quality Study- – Assessment and Mitigation Description

Participant Name: Ratri Mukherjee Area of Study: Electrical Engineering Topic: A Machine-Learning Approach For The Early Detection Of Adverse Outcomes In Preterm Infants Using Inter Hypoxemia Intervals

3MT competition winners will receive their awards at the Celebration of Research and Scholarship event on April 16, 2024. 

If you have any questions, please e-mail [email protected].

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.

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Upcoming events, watch the 2024 3mt finalist presentations.

Miss last month's  3 Minute Thesis finals  but want to hear about some of the impactful research Dal's grad students are engaged in? Check out the presentations from this year's finalists, now available on  YouTube ! Watch the 2024 3MT finalist presentations . 

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Graduate Education

Office of graduate and postdoctoral education, three minutes, infinite impact: 2024 3mt winners announced.

Apr 10, 2024

The ninth annual Georgia Tech Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition concluded on Friday, April 5, where 12 scholars shared their groundbreaking research through electrifying and informative three-minute-long presentations. Four graduate students emerged victorious, each winner taking home research travel grants.

Congratulations to the 2024 Three Minute Thesis Winners:

Master's Winner

Karina Bhattacharya, MID, Industrial Design

The master’s category winner won a $1,000 research travel grant.

Overall  Ph.D. Winner

Alexandra Patterson, Ph.D. Bioengineering

First Runner Up

Kantwon Rogers, Ph.D. Computer Science

Second Runner Up

Valeria Juarez, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering

The first-place Ph.D. winner won a $2,000 research travel grant. The Ph.D. first runner-up

Won a $1,500 research travel grant, and the second runner-up won a $1,000 runner-up grant.

First runner-up, Kantwon Rogers also won the coveted People's Choice award,

which earned him an additional $500 research travel grant.

The Office of Graduate Education coordinates tech’s 3MT competition in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), The Naugle Communications Center, and the Language Institute. For more information about this year’s 3MT Competition, visit grad.gatech.edu/3mt .

Brittani Hill

Marketing Communications Manager

Office of Graduate Education

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2024 3MT® Winner Hannah Ericson Shares Her Experience

Graduate studies news.

April 22, 2024

Recently, the UGA Graduate School hosted the Three Minute Thesis, a highly engaging international research competition. Better known by the acronym 3MT ® , the competition requires contestants to explain their thesis or dissertation topic and its significance in three minutes or less using only a single static presentation slide.

2024 UGA Grand Prize winner Hannah Ericson , a doctoral candidate in the Department of Genetics , shared more about herself, her research, and her experience with 3MT ® . Her winning presentation was titled “Catalyzing Change: What Helps Department Heads Be Successful?” Congratulations, Hannah!

What is the focus of your research, and whom does it impact?

Higher education institutions have been pushing for instructors to use more evidence-based teaching practices in their classes, and one way to help with that is through how teaching is evaluated. If teaching evaluations can recognize and reward these practices, then that can motivate instructors to start using them in their classrooms. My research focuses on how teaching evaluation has been changing here at UGA, and what has been influencing these changes. I specifically focus on department heads, who are key players in making changes in their units, and how they’ve been facilitating these changes to teaching evaluation.

My work most specifically impacts department heads and other individuals who are looking to lead change within their units. More broadly, my work has implications for faculty, as how they are being evaluated starts to shift.

Hannah Ericson presenting a poster at a conference, summer 2023 (photo courtesy of Hannah Ericson)

How did preparing for 3MT ® help you with your thesis and research?

Preparing for the 3MT competition really helped me take a step back from my work and think about how to present it in a way that is understandable to someone who hasn’t been working on the project for four years like I have. I think it can be easy to start talking about D, E, and F in your research, when someone needs to understand A, B, and C first. Putting together my talk really helped me think about what the fundamental concepts are that someone needs to be familiar with before I can start talking about the nitty-gritty of my project.

What was the competition like for you? How did you feel when you won?

I thought the competition was really fun! I did theater in high school, but it’s been a while since I’ve been up on a stage like that, so it was like a blast from the past. Even down to practicing my talk with my dog serving as the audience! I really appreciated the change to get to talk about my research with a new group of people.

It felt very surreal to win. It took me a few seconds to fully process what had happened. I thought that everyone did an awesome job with their talks, so I fully wasn’t expecting to win!

How do you feel that this competition has prepared you for the next step in your career?

I feel like the competition has given me some valuable practice presenting my work in a comprehensible way to a lay audience. I’ve presented at conferences before, but those audiences were at least generally familiar with my field of study. For the competition, I had to assume that the audience had no idea what I was talking about, so I had to figure out how to take them step by step through the story I was trying to tell. This is an important skill when interviewing for jobs, so I appreciated the lower stakes (and fun!) way to get more practice with it.

How have you charted a path to success in graduate school?

The Graduate School has really given me the opportunity to explore my interests. I came in through the Integrated Life Sciences (ILS) program with only vague ideas about what I wanted to study. I was able to rotate through a couple of different labs, and ended up in my current lab, doing research in a field I hadn’t even known existed before! I really appreciate the opportunity to figure out what I was passionate about and what types of research I wanted to do.

Who is someone that has impacted your graduate career? 

My PI, Dr. Tessa Andrews, has been super impactful on my graduate career. She has been extremely supportive and encouraging, both academically and personally, every step along the way. I really appreciate the experience I’ve gained via working in her lab, and truly don’t think I could have ended up with a better mentor!

What is next for you?

I still have roughly a year left before I graduate from my doctoral program. I have a lot of work ahead of me, including pushing out a few papers. After that, I’m planning on going on to a post doc position, although I’m not sure exactly where that will be, or what that will look like.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I love collecting houseplants! I’m especially partial to unique and interesting succulents. My current favorites are called Mother of Thousands, because they grow little plantlets along the edges of their leaves, which then fall off and start growing new plants. I’ve accumulated something like 50 different plants (and counting!) over the last few years. They’re slowly taking over my apartment!

This year’s 3MT ® competition drew over 70 submissions from students in departments across UGA’s campuses. The 3MT ® annual contest was open to any currently enrolled UGA master’s or doctoral student. Ten students advanced to the finals after scoring well with a team of judges during the preliminary heats.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT ® ) is an academic competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. Learn more about 3MT ® .

Tags: #Committo , #DepartmentofGenetics , #FranklinCollegeofArtsandSciences , #GradStudies , #UGA , #UGAgraduateschool

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Annual Three-Minute Thesis Competition Provides Research Capsule Talks

Creating an elevator pitch from information gleaned through years of specialized research takes clear thinking, precise wording and a flair for presenting to an audience. Just ask the participants of this year’s Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Ten graduate and doctoral students took part in the contest’s final round last month.  

3MT provides participants with the chance to share details about their research and creative work in a compelling way—within a three-minute time limit. It was first developed by the University of Queensland in Australia and is now held at colleges and universities around the world.   

“3MT forces students to come up with ways to describe their research succinctly to non-specialists in a way that is not just comprehensible, but is also interesting and engaging. That’s a skill set that will pay off on the job market, and even beyond, as far as interacting with the media and others who can help disseminate your work and findings more broadly,” says Glenn Wright, executive director of career and professional development for the Graduate School, who runs the competition.  

Nimisha Thakur

This year’s top winner is Nim isha Thakur , a Ph.D. student in anthropology, whose topic was “ River Song: Riverine Futures Amidst Climate Change on the Brahmaputra Floodplains .” Thakur, a graduate research associate at the South Asia Center in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs , won a 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 and a year membership in the Anthropological Association of America. Thakur also has the chance to represent Syracuse University in the regional 3MT competition hosted by the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools.   

Qingyang Liu

Qingyang Liu , a Ph.D. student in human developm ent and family science, was named the “People’s Choice” winner by audience vote. Liu conducts research in the SELF Regulation Laboratory in  the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics . Her topic was “ Material Hardship’s Influence on Self-Regulation Across Childhood: Which Hardship Truly Matters ?” The prize was a set of Bose noise-cancelling headphones.   

Additional finalists were:   

• Caroline Barraco , master’s student in history, “Authenticity, Commodity and Empire in the Early Modern Spanish Relic Trade”  
• Yener Çağla Çimendereli , Ph.D. student in philosophy, “Nonnative Speaking and Linguistic Justice”  
• Nicholas Croce , Ph.D. student in social science, “America’s Forgotten Labor Colony Experiment”  
• Nardini Jhawar , Ph.D. student in clinical psychology, “Racial Reflections: Examining ADHD Help-Seeking Among Asian American College Students”  
• Matthew D. O’Leary , Ph.D. student in anthropology, “Entangled Frontiers: Capitalism and Artifacts of Power at Fort St. Frédéric”  
• Andrew Ridgeway , Ph.D. student in composition and cultural rhetoric, “Evil We Desire: Akrasia and Conspiracy Rhetoric”  
• Paul Sagoe , Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering, “From Joint Pain to Joy Gain: Delivering Drugs for Osteoarthritis Cure”’  
• Julia Zeh , Ph.D. student in biology, “From Baby Babbles to Masterful Melodies: Investigating Vocal Development in Humpback Whales”  

Judges were Sarah Hamersma, associate professor and director of doctoral studies in public administration and international affairs, and Chung-Chin Eugene Liu, assistant professor of economics, both of the Maxwell School; and Corey Williams, a Syracuse City School District employee and a Common Councilor for Syracuse’s Third District.

Diane Stirling

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• NSF Grant Advances Planning for Community College Engineering Pathway Program Monday, April 22, 2024, By Diane Stirling
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• Albert Williamson-Taylor Named School of Architecture Convocation Speaker Sunday, April 21, 2024, By Julie Sharkey
• CNN Anchor Boris Sanchez ’09 Named 2024 A&S | Maxwell Convocation Speaker Sunday, April 21, 2024, By News Staff

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