thesis in three minutes

Samantha O'Sullivan (Physics / African American Studies)

Gullah Physics: Challenging English Language Hegemony in Science

Second prize expand_more

Sahar Mariam Mohammadzadeh (Government)

The Impact of Twitter on the Supreme Court

Third prize expand_more

Stephanie Alderete (Psychology)

Preschoolers' Ability to Think about Alternative Possibilities

Finalists expand_more

Alex Grayson (Molecular & Cellular Biology)

Comparing Fox and Human Brain Connectivity Patterns

Javin Pombra (Computer Science)

Unraveling the Black Box: Explainability for Artificial Intelligence in the Twenty-First Century

Zelin Liu (Classics / History)

Using the Past to Define Group Identity

Jerrica Li (Comparative Literature)

Diaspora: A Genre for This New Planetary Reality

Jahnavi Rao (Government)

The Spillover Potential of a Nudge

Daiana Lilo (Government / Data Science)

A Great Personality: How Different Characteristics Can Predict Supreme Court Decisions

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

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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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Preparing your 3MT presentation

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• Eligibility, Rules and Judging Criteria
• Sussex 3MT 2023
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• Sussex 3MT 2018
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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

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="thesis in three minutes"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Computer science and statistics ph.d. candidates win three minute thesis competition.

For the first time in Graduate School history, two doctoral candidates tied for first place in the eighth Cornell Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, held on March 30, on Zoom.

Yurong You, a doctoral candidate in computer science, and Kim Hochstedler, a doctoral candidate in statistics, wowed the judges and took home co-first place for their presentations, “Can Autonomous Vehicles Learn from Their Own Memories?” and “The Heart of Misdiagnosis,” respectively. Each were awarded the top prize of $1,500.

Alongside six other finalists, Hochstedler and You presented their dissertation research in just three minutes to a panel of judges and a virtual audience from across campus and around the world. Presentations were judged by how clearly and compellingly students summarized their research to a general audience, using only one static slide.

Second place and $1,000 was awarded to entomology doctoral candidate Lidia Komondy for her presentation, “Seeing is Believing, if You Know Where to Look,” and after nearly 100 audience members cast their ballots, votes were tallied and the People’s Choice Award and $250 were also presented to You.

This year’s judges included Eldora Ellison, Ph.D. ‘94, a member of Cornell’s Board of Trustees; Kim Wagner ‘85, a member of Cornell’s Board of Trustees; Bruno Shirley, an Asian literature, religion, and culture doctoral candidate and 2022 first place winner; and Matt Ranieri ‘06, M.S. ’09, Ph.D. ‘13, president of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Association.

“The presentations were fascinating and came from finalists with expertise in so many impressive and diverse research topics. It was amazing to see how impactful these research projects were to the world,” said Komondy. “This experience helped me realize how important scientific research is outside the lab and how important it is to keep the public updated on the implications of our research findings.”

Each of the winners agreed that participating in the 3MT was a great way to practice talking about their research in a way that engages and excites individuals outside of their fields and that the experience will influence the way they share their research going forward.

“The best way to explain things is to stand in the audience’s shoes and use simple words,” said You. “Participation in 3MT will undoubtedly shape my future presentations.”

Hochstedler said, “As I continue to communicate my research in future presentations and projects, I think these lessons of how to connect with an audience and explain my work succinctly will remain valuable. I now feel very prepared for the next family reunion when people ask me what I’m working on at Cornell!”

The 3MT competition was first held in 2008 at the University of Queensland and has since been adopted by over 900 universities in over 85 countries. 3MT challenges research degree students to present a compelling story on their dissertation or thesis and its significance in just three minutes, in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Cornell’s Graduate School first hosted a 3MT competition in 2015 and the event has grown steadily since that time.

“The 3MT is an excellent way for our doctoral students to practice communicating complex ideas to a broader audience, which is a skill beneficial not only for their time as students but for when they enter the professional world as well,” said Kathryn J. Boor, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education. “We are so proud of each and every one of this year’s finalists.”

2023 3MT Finalists

Watch the 2023 three minute thesis competition finale..

Co-First Place and People’s Choice Award: Yurong You , computer science doctoral candidate

Watch Yurong You’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “Can Autonomous Vehicles Learn from Their Own Memories?”

Special Committee Chair: Killian Weinberger and Bharath Hariharan

Area of Research: Machine learning, computer vision

Biography: Yurong You is a Ph.D. candidate in computer science, advised by Prof. Kilian Q. Weinberger and Prof. Bharath Hariharan. Before he came to Cornell, he received his bachelor’s degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (ACM honors class). His Ph.D. research focuses on enhancing 3D perception for autonomous vehicles, particularly through innovative methods.

Favorite Thing About Cornell: Amazing people at Cornell!

Co-First Place: Kimberly Hochstedler, statistics doctoral candidate

Watch Kimberly Hochstedler’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “The Heart of Misdiagnosis”

Special Committee Chair: Martin Wells

Area of Research: Correcting for misclassification/misdiagnosis in medical studies

Biography: Kim Hochstedler is a Ph.D. candidate in statistics. She received her M.S. in biostatistics from the University of Michigan in 2020 and graduated with her B.S. in statistics and psychology from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018. Her research involves developing statistical methods for misclassified outcome data in healthcare and criminal justice settings.

Favorite Thing About Cornell: The ice cream.

Second Place: Lidia Komondy, entomology doctoral candidate

Watch Lidia Komondy’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “Seeing is Believing, if You Know Where to Look”

Special Committee Chair: Brian Nault

Area of Research: Precision agriculture, insect vector ecology, integrated pest management

Biography: Lidia Komondy is a Ph.D. candidate in the field of entomology. Her research focuses on the vector ecology of insect-transmitted plant pathogens and the use of precision agricultural tools to solve modern problems in the ecological sciences. She hopes that her research will help alleviate the escalating challenges that growers are facing.

Favorite Thing About Cornell: The Big Red Barn!

Fangming Cui, psychology doctoral candidate

Watch Fangming Cui’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “An Upside to Disappointment in Close Relationships: Evidence for a Motivational, Relationship-Promoting Role”

Special Committee Chair: Vivian Zayas

Area of Research: Close relationships, emotion, motivation

Biography: Originally from China, Fangming is a Ph.D. candidate in psychology with an emphasis on social psychology. Her research mainly focuses on the downstream consequences of diverse emotional expressions in close relationships. She is fascinated with the idea of the “positivity of negativity,” wherein negative emotional expressions can, at times, exert positive relational outcomes.

Favorite Thing About Cornell: Taverna Banfi brunch and salads at the Terrace restaurant.

Sharada Gopal, biomedical and biological sciences doctoral student

Watch Sharada Gopal’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “Worming Our Way Through a Longer Life”

Special Committee Chair: Siu Sylvia Lee

Area of Research: Aging

Biography: Sharada Gopal am a third-year graduate student in Dr. Sylvia Lee’s lab, where she studies the molecular mechanisms that regulate aging. Originally from Bangalore, India, Gopal came to Cornell for her master’s degree before transitioning to the BBS program to pursue a Ph.D. Beyond her research, she enjoys swimming in Ithaca’s picturesque lakes, singing, and cooking.

Favorite Thing About Cornell: The BBS community.

Yuexing Hao, design and environmental analysis doctoral student

Watch Yuexing Hao’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “AI-Enhanced Patient-Centered Clinical Shared Decision-Making (SDM): A ‘Black Box’ Study with Older Adults”

Area of Research: Health intelligence, human-computer interaction

Biography: Yuexing Hao is a Ph.D. student in design and environmental analysis with a concentration in human centered design at Cornell University. She earned two computer science degrees from Rutgers University (B.A.) and Tufts University (M.S). Currently, her research focus is on health intelligence and human-computer interaction.

Favorite Thing About Cornell: P.E classes! I took ice hockey, squash, water skiing, and yoga, all of which were fantastic experiences.

Sangwoo Park, biophysics doctoral candidate

Watch Sangwoo Park’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “Sugar Barrier on the Cancer Cells”

Special Committee Chair: Matthew Paszek

Area of Research: Glycobiology, immunotherapy, biophysics

Biography: Sangwoo Park is from Changwon, South Korea. His current research focuses on developing new immunotherapies targeting the cancer cell glycocalyx. He has developed an optical microscopy method to understand the physical properties of glycocalyx. The ultimate goal of his research is to find treatment methods to eradicate cancers.

Favorite Thing About Cornell: Wineries and hiking.

Susannah Sharpless , English language and literature doctoral candidate

Watch Susannah Sharpless’s presentation .

Presentation Title: “How Did Maritime Trade Shape the Imaginations of American Women Writers?”

Special Committee Chair: Shirley Samuels

Area of Research: 19th-century American Literature

Biography: Susannah Sharpless is a Ph.D. candidate studying nineteenth-century literature. Her dissertation is titled, “‘Subtle Cargoes’: The Terraqueous Romantic in Nineteenth-Century Women’s Writing.”

2023 Final Round 3MT Competition

The live virtual Three Minute Thesis Competition Final Round took place at 3:00 pm ET on March 30, 2023. Eight finalists competed for first and second prize in the judging and People’s Choice Award winner. A post-event reception was held at the Big Red Barn starting at approximately 4:30 pm ET, and was open to the Cornell community and families and friends of the finalists and judges.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a competition to help doctoral students develop and showcase their research communication skills. Cornell’s 3MT challenges graduate students to present their dissertation as a compelling story in just three minutes, with one slide, in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Preliminary Round Events

• All competitors submitted a recorded presentation of their talk by noon ET on Monday, March 13, 2023 in order to compete in the Preliminary Rounds that selected finalists.
• We thank all of our wonderful preliminary round presenters for participation in the 2023 competition. Those who are still enrolled as doctoral students next year are welcome to enter the competition again.
• Thank you also to our preliminary round judges, including Evelyn Ambríz, Merry Buckley, Anitra Douglas-McCarthy, Christine Holmes, Janna Lamey, Nathan Lindberg, Heidi Marshall, and Christian Miller.
• Registration was opened from February – March 13, 2023, and an information was held on March 6. View the information session recording .
• Need assistance recording your video submission? Timeslots were available on Thursday, March 9 to record your preliminary round video in the Big Red Barn greenhouse with the help of a Barn staff member. Recording equipment was provided.

If you should have questions or concerns regarding the 3MT Competition, please email us at:  [email protected] . 

Graduate School

• Request Information
• Three-Minute Thesis

What is the 3MT?

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

• The 3-Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition that challenges students to communicate the significance of their projects without the use of props or industry jargon, in just three minutes.
• Originally established by the  University of Queensland (UQ) in 2008 , the competition challenges research students to communicate the significance of their projects in just three minutes, with the aid of a single, static slide.

3MT develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of research students' capacity to quickly explain their research in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience leaving them wanting to know more. 

Competitions at the University of Minnesota

Collegiate-level 3MT Competitions

• Inquire with your Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) to find out if your college hosts a 3MT competition. 
• Collegiate-level 3MT winners advance to the University-wide competition. 
• All collegiate-level participants receive a Maroon Digital Badge from the Graduate School. 

University-wide 3MT Competition

• The Graduate School hosts a University-wide competition held every November .  
• All active graduate students who have advanced from their collegiate competition are eligible. 
• Previous 3MT winners  (first prize, runner-up, and people's choice) are not eligible to compete a second time.
• The 1st place winner advances to a 3MT competition hosted every March by the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS).
• All finalists may be invited to present to the University's Board of Regents. 
• All University-wide competitors receive a Gold Digital Badge from the Graduate School. 

3MT Competition Rules

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

3MT Preparation Resources

• Prepare with  the Graduate School's 3MT e-course
• 2023 - Watch competition in its entirety

Who can I talk to about 3MT?

Please contact Dr. Noro Andriamanalina, Assistant Vice Provost, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Initiatives: [email protected]

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Three Minute Thesis Competition: Start

• 3MT Details
• Past 3MT Competitions

2024 3MT Competition

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an internationally recognized competition that challenges Ph.D students to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance in just 3 minutes, in language that anyone can understand. 3MT is not an exercise in trivializing or ‘dumbing-down’ research but requires students to consolidate their ideas, crystallize their research discoveries and capture the imagination of their audience.

Who's Eligible to Compete? All CMU Ph.D Students regardless of year in program. Whether it's your first year or last year, Come one - come all!

Why Compete? 3MT offers CMU doctoral candidates of any level the opportunity to gain early career recognition, connect with the campus community, and win prizes of up to $3,000. It's a great way to practice sharing your research with a non specialist audience and get listeners excited about your area of study. Students get to hear from fellow Ph.D. students across campus, which can spark interdisciplinary collaboration. They also get to present before staff, faculty, and alumni from a wide range of departments, as well as an extensive alumni network. Preliminary round winners receive $250 cash.

What Happens Next? Start practicing! All 3MT registrants will be scheduled to compete in preliminary rounds between January and February.

Then What? Winners of preliminary rounds go on to compete in-person in the CMU 3MT Championship, on Thursday, March 14, 2024 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm EST. Finalists will compete for an additional $500-$3,000 in cash prizes in the Three Minute Thesis Championship. Prizes are given for 1st ($3,000), 2nd ($2,000), and 3rd ($1,000) as well as the live audience-votes for People's Choice ($500) and virtual-vote for the Alumni Award ($750).

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• Next: 3MT Details >>
• Last Updated: May 2, 2024 11:33 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.cmu.edu/3mt

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2024 UW Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

About | Theme | Eligibility Criteria | Prizes | Timeline | Proposal Submission Form | Proposal Guidelines & Selection Criteria | Preliminary Round | Past Winners | FAQs | Contact

UW 3MT® is a professional development competition that celebrates the exciting capstone and research experiences of master’s and doctoral students at the University of Washington from all three campuses. The competition supports graduate students’ capacity to effectively explain their research or capstone project in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a public audience. This event is a partnership between Graduate Student Affairs in The Graduate School and the UW Libraries Research Commons .

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

UW Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition Thursday, May 23, 2024 | 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Doors open at 2:30 p.m.) Auditorium, Alder Hall, UW Seattle campus Use entrance at 1310 NE 40th St., Seattle WA, 98105 ( Google map )

Want to see graduate students vie for cash prizes by presenting their exciting capstone or research projects in 3 minutes and using only 1 slide?! The theme this year is Impact. There will be an esteemed panel of judges who will select First Place and Runner up winners and the audience members get to vote for People’s Choice. This free event is open to the UW community.

A reception will follow the presentations and free light foods and refreshments will be available.

Graduate Student Presenters :

The Paperclip is Mightier than the Sword Sherry Gu, Master’s candidate in Applied Bioengineering College of Engineering & UW Medicine

Surgical Scene Understanding Towards Human-Centered Collaboration in Robotic Surgery Niveditha Kalavakonda, Ph.D. candidate in Electrical & Computer Engineering College of Engineering

Race in Clinical Risk Predictions Sara Khor, Ph.D. candidate in Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy and Economics School of Pharmacy

Empowering Parents: Making Mealtime Unstressful  Daisy Ma, Ph.D. candidate in School Psychology College of Education 

Does Paid Leave Help All Parents? Elizabeth Pelletier, Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy & Management Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

Detecting Illegal Trade Risk in U.S. Mahogany Imports Sarah Pollack, Master’s candidate in Quantitative Ecology & Resource Management College of the Environment

Music as Medicine: Exploring the Health Impacts of Music & Its Accessibility in Seattle Public Schools Nicole Stankovic, Master’s candidate in Health Systems & Population Health & Master’s candidate in Music School of Public Health & School of Music 

Healthy Amazonian Gardens: Growing Backyard Gardens in the Peruvian Amazon Fiona Sun, Master’s candidate in Human Centered Design & Engineering College of Engineering

AI in the Forest: Preventing Billions from Burning Sumedh Supe, Master’s candidate in Technology Innovation Global Innovation Exchange Program

From Arteries to Space Stations: How Architected Patterns Lead to Custom Adaptation Sawyer Thomas, Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering College of Engineering

Is the Best Explanation the True Explanation? Apara Venkat, Ph.D. candidate in Statistics College of Arts & Sciences 

Can We Win the War on Cancer Caused by Viruses? Joselyn Landazuri Vinueza, Ph.D. candidate in Microbiology School of Medicine

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The theme for this year’s competition is Impact. Impact can be defined as the positive outcome of a critical intervention, social policy, service provision model, legal framework, or technological innovation. How does your graduate research demonstrate impact for the public good? We’re excited to celebrate the influence our graduate students have on the world.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to submit a proposal for UW 3MT, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are a University of Washington master’s or doctoral student from any UW campus.
• You have a draft of your final project (e.g. capstone, thesis, or dissertation), including findings and conclusions.
• Only one member of a capstone project team may submit a proposal. If the proposal is selected, the same student who submitted the proposal must be the presenter.
• Your degree will be granted during AY 2023-2024.

3MT competitions are intended for graduate students who are ready to present their capstone, thesis, or dissertation work, rather than for works-in-progress. If you are at an earlier stage with your research, we encourage you to submit a proposal to Scholars’ Studio to present your work.

At the 3MT Competition on May 23, a panel of external judges will select winners for First Place and a Runner Up. A People’s Choice winner will be voted on by the audience.

Proposal Guidelines for Online Preliminary Round

The proposal must address the following components:

Capstone or Research Project Summary

In 300 words or less, please describe your capstone or research project for a general reader (without a lot of discipline-specific jargon or technical language).

Your summary:

– Must be concise and coherent – Does not include a lot of disciplinary jargon – Is understandable to a general, public audience

Theme: Impact

Impact is the theme for this year’s UW Three Minute Thesis. Briefly (300 words) describe how your capstone or research project demonstrates impact.

Proposal Selection Criteria

Successful proposals for preliminary rounds are based on the following two components:

1. Capstone or Research Project Summary

– Is the capstone or research project summary concise and 300 words or less? – Does the summary include a lot of disciplinary jargon? – Is the summary understandable to a general, public audience?

2. Theme: Impact

Does the proposal include how the capstone or research project demonstrate impact in 300 words or less?

Submit Your Proposal

Access the proposal submission form. The deadline is April 23, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. (PDT).

Preliminary Round

If your proposal is selected, you will then have an opportunity to present your capstone or research project in a virtual preliminary round to be held in early May. Successful presenters will be selected to present at the in person 3MT Competition, scheduled for May 23.

Guidance on Preparing Your 3MT Presentation

Review the following tips and resources:

• Preparing for Your 3MT Presentation , University of Queensland
• Tips for Effective Design and Use of the 3MT Slide , Indiana University
• Time to Perfect Your Elevator Pitch , University of Pennsylvania
• How to Write a PhD Elevator Pitch , Academic Positions
• Communication: Two Minutes to Impress , Nature Jobs

Successful presenters will be selected to compete as finalists on competition day, based on the following guidelines:

3MT Competition Day

UW 3MT Competition May 23, 2024, 3:00–4:30 p.m. Seattle campus

In front of a general audience and an esteemed panel of judges, up to 15 graduate student presenters will each compete by doing three-minute presentations about their capstone or research projects.

Past Winners

• First Place – Mayuree Binjolkar , doctoral student in Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Runner Up – Ekta Samani , doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
• People’s Choice – Megan Maerz, doctoral student in Molecular Medicine & Mechanisms of Disease
• First Place – Enrique Saldarriaga , doctoral student in Health Economics and Outcomes Research
• Runner Up – Julia Dreifus , doctoral student in Microbiology
• People’s Choice – Douglas Wagoner, master’s student in Public Administration
• First Place – Beth Halsne , doctoral student in Rehabilitation Science & master’s student in Mechanical Engineering
• Runner Up – Jackie Otting , master’s student in Education (Learning Science & Human Development)
• People’s Choice – Arianne Caudal , doctoral student in Biochemistry
• Event canceled due to COVID-19
• First Place – Barbara Rodriguez Droguett , doctoral student in Built Environment
• Runner Up – Junyue Cao , doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
• People’s Choice – Junyue Cao , doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
• First Place – Amey Khanolka r, doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
• Runner Up – Evan Schuster , master’s student in Mechanical Engineering
• People’s Choice – Amey Khanolkar , doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
• First Place – Molly Grear , doctoral student in Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Runner Up – Gabby Barsh , doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
• People’s Choice – Zheng Li , doctoral student in Bioengineering

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens on 3MT Competition Day?

UW 3MT Competition May 23, 2024, 3:00-4:30 p.m. (Doors open at 2:30 p.m.) Auditorium, Alder Hall, UW Seattle campus RSVP for this event.

In front of a general audience and a panel of judges, graduate student presenters will each compete by doing three-minute presentations about their capstone or research projects.

Presenters will be competing for First Place, Runner Up, and People’s Choice Awards.

Who is eligible to submit a proposal for UW 3MT?

To be eligible to submit a proposal, you must meet the following criteria:

3MT competitions are intended for graduate students who are ready to present their capstone, thesis, or dissertation work, rather than for works-in-progress. If you are at an earlier stage with your research, we encourage you to submit proposals to Scholars’ Studio to present your work.

What is allowed on my 3MT slide?

One single static PowerPoint slide is permitted.

In preparing the slide, remember that ‘less is more.’ It does not have to include text. Visual cues are very effective in assisting the presenter’s explanation of their research. (No slide transitions, video, or animations are permitted).

Can I use sound or video files?

No additional electronic media (e.g. sound, music, animation, and video files) is permitted during the competition.

Can I have props (a 3D printed model, a soccer ball, a microscope, etc.)?

No. Is there a dress code?

Business formal or casual is suggested. Costumes are not allowed. Can I win in more than one category during the competition?

Yes, it is possible to win a place (First or Runner Up) and also win the People’s Choice Award.

Who will be in the audience during the competition?

The audience is often a mix of graduate students, faculty, staff, and University leadership. There will also be supporters of graduate education in attendance, as well as presenters’ family and community members.

[email protected]

A thesis in three minutes: making research accessible

Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Monash University

Disclosure statement

Zlatko Skrbis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Monash University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.

View all partners

Imagine condensing a thesis – which would normally take nine hours to read aloud – into a presentation just three minutes long.

Today at the Australian and Trans-Tasman Three Minute Thesis competition finals forty-three research students will do just that for a room full of their peers. Their presentations can only include one powerpoint, they must speak without notes and anyone going over the three minutes will be disqualified.

It sounds like an impossible task, but along the way participants gain valuable skills while also shedding some light on what happens in that ivory tower.

The Final for the Trans-Tasman 3MT will commence at 2:00pm. Click here to watch a live broadcast of the competition.

The elevator pitch

The Three Minute Thesis competition started at The University of Queensland in 2008 and was founded on the well-worn business trope of the “elevator pitch” – a way to simply and quickly propose a new business idea in the time it takes to get from the ground floor to the top level boardrooms.

So the idea went: if a good elevator pitch can open up new doors in the business world, why can’t it do the same in academia? And the concept for the first Three Minute Thesis competition was born.

Distilling a project into three minutes requires candidates to think about their audience and pick out the salient points; while honing the delivery helps build confidence and provides tools for engaging with an audience.

But the Three Minute Thesis concept is about far more than improving public speaking. It goes to the heart of what it now takes to be a successful researcher.

Communication and the modern academic

Just take the competition for grant funding as an example. Invariably, those making the decision on your grant application will no doubt be intelligent, but are unlikely to know your subject as intimately as you.

They will also be inundated with numerous applications and under pressure to allocate the limited funding they have at their disposal. Being clear and concise in these grant rounds could be the difference between receiving funding and missing out.

Along with vying for grant funding, there are other reasons academics need great communication skills. A skill all modern researchers need is to make their research accessible without dumbing it down – a skill clearly visible in a Three Minute Thesis presentation.

The public too, increasingly expect academics to prove the value of research. And as more and more researchers now blog, tweet and post articles about their research to websites such as The Conversation, our writing needs to be clear and compelling – precisely the hallmarks of a successful Three Minute Thesis presentation.

Building skills

Of course, participating in the Three Minute Thesis does not just build skills that are applicable to an academic career. We know too well that not all of our graduates will go into research and that some will end up taking other career paths. But clear communication remains invaluable in all industries.

The overarching values of the competition have been key to its appeal. This has been borne out by the sheer number of universities running their own competitions not just in Australia and New Zealand, but in countries such as Canada, the United States, England and Singapore.

More than a prize

Today the winner will walk away with a $5000 prize and their university will have the right to host the next 2013 Trans-Tasman competition.

But the competition goes beyond winners and losers; it promotes the importance of research to the public and helps develop the next generation of communicators – in academia and beyond. Each of the competitors will have developed much needed skills, grown in confidence and broadened their network of contacts.

And surely, that is something to be celebrated.

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• Higher education
• University of Queensland

Lecturer / Senior Lecturer - Marketing

Case Management Specialist

Assistant Editor - 1 year cadetship

Executive Dean, Faculty of Health

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• Schools & departments

About 3 Minute Thesis

Information about the competition and details of who to contact.

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

About the competition

The 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition requires doctoral researchers to compete to deliver the best research presentation in just 3 minutes (and one slide). It is based on a concept developed by the University of Queensland which quickly spread across Australia and New Zealand, and has gone global.

The University of Edinburgh has run a 3MT competition every year since 2013.

• 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 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 either movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Eligibility

Active PhD 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.

Judging Criteria

Comprehension and content

• Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background and significance to the research question being addressed, while explaining terminology and avoiding jargon?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the impact and/or results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes?
• Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
• Was the thesis topic, research significance, results/impact and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
• 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?

Engagement and communication

• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
• Was the presenter careful not to trivialise or generalise 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?

More information about 3 Minute Thesis

Find detailed information about the 3 Minute Thesis Competition, including tips on how to prepare, in our new handbook for participants:

3 Minute Thesis participant handbook (PDF)

You may also find our web information helpful:

• How to enter and competition criteria  
• Frequently asked questions

College Prizes

At each College heat, three winners will be selected to go through to the University final; further prizes to be confirmed.

University Prizes

All those who take part at the University competition will have their presentations filmed and uploaded to the University YouTube channel. Our thanks go to the Principal for the generous donation of funds for this year’s prizes for the winners of the 3 Minute Thesis Finals. We are very grateful for this support, and are happy to announce this year’s prizes:

1st Prize : £1000

Runner up:  £400 

Peoples’ Choice Award : £400 

The winner of the University of Edinburgh competition is then entered into the UK Competition and the international Universitas 21 Competition.

Details of the final prizes are still to be confirmed by Universitas 21.

Feedback from previous winners

Read our guest blog posts from Owen Gwydion James 2018 winner of the UK competition,  Chen Zhao, 2015 Competition Winner, Emma Hodcroft, 2014 Competition Winner, and Mara Götz, 2013 ‘People’s Choice’ Winner on their experience of the competition:

Read Owen Gwydion James's guest blog post

Read Emma Hodcroft's guest blog post

Read Mara Götz's blog post on participating in 3MT

Read Chen Zhao's blog post

Contact information

Please contact Louise if you have any questions:

Louise McKay

Events Operations and Doctoral Programme Manager

Contact details

• Work: 0131 651 7189
• Email: [email protected]

This article was published on 2024-02-26

• Three Minute Thesis >

Resources & FAQ

On This Page

• Preparation Workshops

Practice Your Presentation

Video recording studios  are available by reservation and free of charge in UB’s Silverman Library in Capen Hall. Watch yourself, assess your performance and share with others to get their feedback and improve your presentation.

Past UB Preparation Workshops

Additional resources, can i use a laser pointer.

No, a laser pointer is not allowed.

Can I refer to notes during the competition?

No. The use of notes, note cards or other prompts is strongly discouraged at the dress rehearsal and prohibited at the final competition.

Does my slide have to be in PowerPoint?

Yes, this ensures it will appear properly on the operating system that will be used.

How many transitions or animations can I have in my slide?

None. The slide must be static and not change in any way during the presentation. Your slide must be displayed for the duration of your presentation.

Will I be able to see a countdown timer during my presentation?

Yes, a countdown timer will be visible to you at all times.

What happens if my presentation is longer than three minutes?

A countdown timer will be visible to you. If you continue to speak after the timer ends, you risk having points deducted by the judges.

Is there a dress code?

There is no stipulated dress requirement such as “business casual”. Please wear whatever is comfortable for you. No costumes are allowed (including hats, masks, etc.).

Will my presentation be video recorded?

Yes. All presentations will be videotaped and will appear on the Graduate School's 3MT webpage and may be used for promotional purposes. There is no option to opt out. Students must understand that the  presentation of their research in 3MT will be publicly accessible , e.g., available on YouTube.

Can I win more than one category?

Yes, it is possible to win a place (first, second or third) and win the People’s Choice Award.

If I'm competing virtually, what do I use for a background?

Zoom backgrounds are considered props. Please ensure your background is a blank screen or wall.

• Apr 11, 2023

How to design an impactful 3MT slide (with examples!)

What can you do in three minutes? Brush your teeth, make a coffee?

How about explain your entire PhD thesis? 😅

Believe it or not, that’s what thousands of people do each year in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT ® ); a global public speaking competition where PhD students explain the scope and impact of their research in, you guessed it, just three minutes . ⏰

And if you’re reading this, perhaps you’re an aspiring 3MT-er yourself, on the hunt for some inspiration to design an impactful 3MT slide to accompany your talk.

Sound like you? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Previously, we gave you some tips and tricks on how to write a winning 3MT script , but in this instalment of our 3MT series, we’re switching gears to cover another very important aspect:

We’ve trawled the internet to discover what actually makes a good three minute thesis slide, and in this blog, we’ll cover some do’s and don’ts to help you design one that’s memorable and impactful. To help bring these concepts home, we’ll also include some examples that we love from past 3MT winners and finalists.

But before we do that, let’s recap some important rules related to the 3MT slide:

So, in short, the 3MT slide obviously needs to be fairly simple. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Hold up… if the 3MT is a public speaking competition, why is the slide even important? Surely only what you speak about matters, right? WRONG! 🙅‍♀️

The 3MT competition is about so much more than just what you say. It’s also about what you do and what you show And what you show during your 3MT is where your nifty little slide comes in.

Not only is the PowerPoint slide a key component of the 3MT judging criteria , it also helps create a lasting mental image for the judges. After all, you can’t win the 3MT if the audience and judges can’t even remember what your research is about!

So, hopefully we’ve been able to convince you about just how important having a good slide is. But how do you design an impactful 3MT slide, you ask?

Well, here are 5 of our top tips:

Tip #1 : Avoid data dumping 📊

You might be familiar with those boring old PowerPoint presentations that seem to appear at every conference. You know the ones I’m talking about. The ones cluttered with complex graphs, huge tables, and enough numbers to put even the most experienced professors to sleep.

May I present to you… Exhibit A:

Look familiar? Good. Now lock the memory away in a distant room of your mind palace, because that’s exactly what you DON’T want in a 3MT slide (or really, in any slide for that matter…)

Unlike a conference presentation, your 3MT slide should simply act to enhance and complement your script, rather than be used to display complex data and graphs. In fact, I would suggest avoiding the use of any complex graphs and data tables at all, because they just end up detracting attention from what you’re saying.

If you choose to present some important data or statistics in your 3MT slide, consider swapping out graphs with simple infographics , like pie charts or diagrams:

As you can see, simple infographics and eye-catching figures are a much more visually stimulating way to present information, especially compared to data-heavy graphs and tables. And they’re surprisingly easy to make using tools like Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Express .

So, if in doubt, leave complex data out. 🚫

In fact, you’ll find that most successful 3MT-ers show little to no data at all in their slides and intentionally keep them very conceptual, which brings me to tip #2 .

Tip #2 : Keep it conceptual 💡

Perhaps you’re sensing a general theme here… that typically less is more when it comes to a 3MT slide. This allows the focus of the presentation to be on the speaker, the slide simply acting as a visual aid to complement the story . And when it’s a public speaking competition, I’d say that’s pretty important.

In our humble opinion, some of the most effective and memorable 3MT slides are those that present an image or diagram that conveys a single underpinning concept or idea .

You might recall from our ‘ How to Write a Winning 3MT Script ’ blog post, that many successful 3MT scripts incorporate things like humour, analogies , or fictional characters. In these situations, it can be helpful for the contents of the slide to reflect this.

One of my favourite examples of this comes from 2016 Asia-Pacific 3MT Winner, Joshua Chu-Tan , who spoke about his research on gene therapy treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to target the root of vision loss. In his winning presentation, he says:

Rather than using complex diagrams to show the theory, he opted for this simple, yet extremely powerful image that highlights the impact of vision loss from age-related macular degeneration. And, seeing as this image has stuck in my memory for years, I’d say it was a pretty good choice.

As another example, back when I won the 3MT , I used an analogy to draw parallels between A) cars carrying passengers on a highway, and B) nanoparticles carrying drugs along a blood vessel. So, my 3MT slide portrayed a busy highway with signage to show which hypothetical organs the cars were headed towards:

Basically, the overarching message is to keep it simple.

And that’s all well and good… But where do you even start?

Your first step is to write your 3MT script . Then, once you have your script prepared, use it as a tool to help you brainstorm ideas for your slide. Note whether you’ve used any analogies, introduced any characters, or covered certain concepts, and then based on this information, find or create a visual to match! 🖼 This might be a little different to your usual scientific presentations, where you would normally prepare your slides first, then come up with what you are going to say after, but trust me – it works!

Tip #3 : Choose an eye-catching visual… or make one 👀

In the same way that ‘ the hook’ in your 3MT script helps to pique the audience’s attention, the slide is another important tool to capture their attention and keep them engaged. But to do this, it needs to be eye-catching and interesting .

We’ve noticed that most winning 3MTs have slides that generally fall under one of two categories: images or diagrams .

These are usually photographs or illustrations that complement the script in some way — containing a reference to the concept, analogy or character(s) that were introduced in the script.

For example, let’s say you introduced a fictional character in your 3MT script. By visually showing this character in your slide, it helps the audience form a connection with them and taps into their sense of empathy. Let’s look at an example:

As you can see, using this photograph makes for a really effective and impactful slide because it elicits a strong emotional response. Come on… how can you not love that adorable little face, right? 🥺

However, the images don’t have to be of people to be effective – they can also be more conceptual.

For instance, one 3MT finalist spoke about their research on detecting diseases, like cancer, based on characteristic molecules present in the breath. In their slide, they showed an illustration of breath molecules exiting the lungs and mouth to be caught in a net:

Not only is this image a great reference to the net analogy used, but we (as the audience) are able to get a basic idea about the research concept based on the slide alone, which really helps it stick in our memory!

Of course, while we’ve highlighted some great examples, you should choose whatever image speaks to you and your research. Some useful resources to find images for your 3MT slide include iStock Photo and Adobe Stock Photos (making sure to provide attribution where required), or you can even be extra creative and take your own photo, or create your own image ! 📸

Aside from images, schematic diagrams can be another great way to conceptualise and visualise your research. However, to be effective as 3MT slides, the diagrams need to be simple and easy to understand.

Ideally, they should be short, and the outcomes immediately recognisable . Avoid using complex diagrams that you’ve directly copy-pasted from a paper, as these generally take a lot more time and concentration to understand.

A good example of a diagram for a 3MT slide was used by the 2020 Asia-Pacific 3MT winner , whose research focused on the development of a liquid glue to help measure electrical signals from plants as a way to measure their health:

In this example, it’s easy to understand what the research is about, what’s being measured, and what the desired outcomes are, thanks to the clear illustrations and emotive flower drawings.

So, if done well, diagrams can be a really powerful tool to conceptualise your research. If you want to try and create one yourself, there are lots of useful tools you can use, like Adobe Illustrator , Canva , or BioRender , to name a few.

Get creative!

Tip #4 : Minimise text 💬

When it comes to presentations, there’s nothing worse than being in the audience, staring at a PowerPoint slide, only to find a wall of text staring back at you. Not only is it super distracting, but aesthetically, it also leaves much to be desired.

And let’s be honest, if the audience is reading your slide, then they’re not listening to you… and vice versa. Which, for the 3MT, is a very big problem.

To prevent this, try to avoid including large bodies of text on your 3MT slide . See if you can verbally communicate the information instead, or alternatively, replace the text with an image that conveys the same message. After all, they say a picture speaks a thousand words.

If you really need to include some text, as in the case of simple diagrams, try to keep it to a minimum and limit yourself to 15 words maximum.

Any text you do include should use a font size that can be easily seen from the back of the room (i.e., 24 pt. minimum). And, while they sometimes have their time and place, try to avoid using any cursive, funky, or hard-to-read fonts . Comic sans, I’m looking at you. 😒

Tip #5 : Negative space is your friend 🔲

You might be tempted to fill every visible inch of your PowerPoint slide with images, diagrams, or just something to compensate for the very little time you have to present your 3MT.

Though, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you did, because a little negative space can go a long way towards designing a great 3MT slide.

But what is negative space? Put simply, it’s the empty space around and between objects.

Leaving some negative space in your slide gives the audience some breathing room and helps them focus on what’s important .

For photographs, this might mean choosing an image that has one focal point. This doesn’t necessarily mean the background needs to be plain, but it may simply be out of focus to allow the objects in the forefront to stand out.

For diagrams, this means leaving some empty space between sections so that there’s a clearer distinction between them, or reducing the number of sections entirely.

Here are some great examples of 3MT slides that use negative space to draw our attention to a particular person or object:

By leaving some negative space, our eyes are immediately drawn to one particular focal point, letting us focus on what’s important: You.

The take-home message 📝

And that brings us to the end of the second blog for our 3MT series!

The 3MT slide can truly make or break a 3MT presentation, but the right one can take it to the next level. And, by following these simple tips, you’re well on your way to designing a slide that captures your research in an effective and impactful way:

Avoid complex graphs and data

Keep it conceptual

Choose an eye-catching image or diagram, or make one

Keep text to a minimum, and

Don’t be afraid of negative space

So get creative! And remember, if you want to learn more about how to create amazing graphics, or how to up your public speaking skills, we’d love to show you how in our in-person science communication workshop s or online courses!

Contact us here to find out more. 🤩

Cintya Dharmayanti

Dr Tullio Rossi

Related Posts

How to write a winning 3MT script

5 epic science communication conferences for your travel bucket list

The history of science communication methods and their evolution over time

The Graduate School

University information technology (uit), main navigation, three minute thesis.

Held in 85 countries  worldwide

Your thesis described in 3 minutes

900 universities participate

2023 3MT registration is CLOSED

What is 3mt.

The 3MT (Three Minute Thesis) program is designed to help students develop the communication skills necessary to make a compelling oral presentation on the value and impact of their research to a non-specialist audience.

As a research communication competition, the goal of 3MT is for students to articulate the significance of their research without using:

• Field-specific terminology
• Other language unfamiliar to those outside their fields of study

3MT training helps students hone their ability to quickly and effectively articulate the value of their research.  This skill-set is critical in many academic settings, whether communicating with collaborators, funding agencies, or trainees. Just as important, the communication skills learned in 3MT training are transferable and valued in many non-academic careers paths.

The Graduate School and the Career and Professional Development Center collaborate to offer training and sponsor a University of Utah 3MT competition.  In addition to prizes at our local event, the winner goes on to represent the U at the Western Association of Graduate Schools competition !

In 2008 the University of Queensland in Australia held the first official 3MT competition with 160 competitors in that first year .  More recently , the 3MT program has spread to over 85 participating countries worldwide.  The University of Utah began holding a 3MT competition in 2013 . 

Participants from across campus competed against each other to determine who could give the most compelling summary of their dissertation or thesis in three minutes or less.  Enjoy these videos as a taste of the excellent graduate work being done at the University of Utah.

2023 Grad School 3MT Showcase

University of Utah 3MT Videos

2022 Regional 3MT Competition Video

Testimonials

" Although I did not win the competition, being selected as one of the finalists was a great experience. I’m glad I got to participate in it." - 2023 Showcase Finalist

"Francine was such a great facilitator and our group was very helpful at making each speech as effective as possible." - 2023 Showcase Finalist

"I liked the opportunity to practice public speaking, i.e. speaking in front of an audience. I also enjoyed meeting peers, getting feedback from them and thinking on how to explain my research in an easy, non too specific way." - 2023 Showcase Finalist

Wayne State University

Graduate school graduate school, three-minute thesis (3mt) guidelines.

Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland in 2008. Participants present their thesis work in a short presentation using a single slide. The competition challenges students to distill their research ideas and discoveries into a concise, compelling presentation that can be understood by a general, non-specialist audience.

The 2024 3MT will take place during the Feb. 28, 2024, Graduate Research Symposium. After three years in a virtual environment, the GRS will return to its original in-person format in 2024 at the Student Center. GRS attendees will score the presentations and select a winner, who will move on to compete at the  Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools  April 4-6, 2024 in Clayton, MO.

The submission window is now closed.

Eligibility

The competition is open to Ph.D. students completing a thesis or a dissertation.

• Participants can use only one static PowerPoint slide. (No transitions, animations, or movement are allowed.)
• No additional electronic media are allowed. 
• No props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, models, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to three minutes; competitors who exceed the time limit will be disqualified.
• Presentations must be spoken word. No poems, raps, or songs are allowed.
• Participants must deliver their remarks from the stage.
• Presentations are considered to have begun when participants begin speaking or moving.
• The winners of the 3MT competition at the GRS will be selected by popular vote and the decision will be final.

Presentations will be judged by the participating audience.  Every member of the audience will vote for their top three presentations according to the criteria listed below. (Each audience member can vote only once for a specific competitor.)  The scores from all audience members will be compiled to determine the winners.

Comprehension and content

• Did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
• Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?

Engagement and communication

• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
• First place - $1000 plus the registration fee to attend the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools competition  
• Second place - $500 award
• Third place - $300 award 
• 3MT Competitor Guide by The University of Queensland (2017)
• 3MT: The Three Most Common Mistakes , a video featuring Inger Mewburn, director of research training at Australian National University
• 3MT: Three Tips to Help You Prepare a Winning Presentation , video featuring Rosanna Stevens, 2014 winner of the Australian National University 3MT competition
• How to Talk about Your Thesis in Three Minutes , a Prezi presentation by Inger Mewburn (2012)
• Making the Most of Your Three Minutes , a guide by Simon Clews
• Winning Tips for Preparing a Three-Minute Thesis Presentation , video by Sean McGraw  

Presentations

• 2017 People's Choice Award  winner, Nisansala Muthunayake, Chemistry
• 2017 First Place (tie), Xavier Swiecki, Art and Art History
• 2017 First Place (tie), Daniel Harrison, History
• View 3MT presentations on the University of Queensland's 3MT website

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Graduate School Updates>

The latest COVID-19 news and information is available at  Penn State's Coronavirus Information website . 

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update

On March 11 th  the University announced that beginning March 16 th  instruction for all students will be moving to a remote delivery format. Graduate students enrolled in resident courses should plan on participating remotely, and not coming to campus specifically for face-to-face instruction. Learn more at gradschool.psu.edu/covid19 .

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Three Minute Thesis

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The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. Through the competition, graduate and professional students can hone their academic and research presentation skills and their ability to effectively explain their research to a general audience. Each competitor has three minutes to speak and can use only one presentation slide.

The Graduate School will be hosting the 2024 Three Minute Thesis competition in partnership with the Graduate and Professional Student Association and the Graduate School Alumni Society .

Watch the Final Round

3MT at Penn State in 2024 

Penn State’s first University-wide 3MT Competition will take place over two rounds. To compete, graduate students must upload a video presentation during the submission period (January 8–February 9) and be available for the final, in-person round on Saturday, March 23, on the University Park campus.

Competitor Information

Learn more about eligibility requirements, the upcoming timeline, prize money, and more.

Judge Information

Learn about remote judging for the opening round, who can be a judge, judging criteria, and more.

Prizes 

• First Place: $1,000
• Second Place: $500
• People's Choice: $500

Competition Format

Opening Round — Video Format expand_more

Open call to any Penn State graduate or professional student conducting research to submit three-minute videos. Submissions will be judged by alumni, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, staff, and others. The top 10 students get invited to the final round as well as a free lunch at Penn State’s annual Doctoral Alumni Recognition Luncheon hosted by the Dean of the Graduate School. 

Final Round — In-Person Format expand_more

Saturday, March 23  10:00-11:15 a.m.  Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center 

The final round will be live streamed from the University Park campus and will include a people’s choice prize selected by virtual and in-person audience ballots. Winners will be announced shortly after the competition.

Regional and National Competitions expand_more

The top-scoring Ph.D. student from Penn State’s final round will be invited to the regional 3MT competition hosted by the Northeast Association of Graduate Schools in April 2024 (exact date to be determined). Winners of the regional competition are invited to the national competition hosted by the Council of Graduate Schools. Students in master's and professional degree programs are eligible to participate in Penn State's competition but are not eligible for the regional or national competitions.

Why participate?

Megan Rossi, past 3MT winner at the University of Queensland, discusses how the 3MT competition helped her career.

Contact  

Direct all questions about Three Minute Thesis at Penn State to: [email protected] .  

Three Minute Thesis, Graduate Exhibition, or Both?

In spring 2024, Penn State graduate students can participate in two major research and scholarship communication events, the Three Minute Thesis and the  Graduate Exhibition . Students are welcome to participate in both but should be aware that each event has its own application process and deadlines.

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3MT Winner Spotlight | Amanda Wise

"The BMS program allowed me the flexibility and freedom to learn about the things I love for the joy of learning and expanding my skillset, with more opportunity for experimentation."

Amanda Wise, M.S. Biomedical Science

• Biomedical Science (M.S.)
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• Biomedical & Environmental Graduate Programs

Amanda Wise is a current graduate student in the biomedical science M.S. program at Hood College. Wise also works as a senior quality assurance specialist. Before Hood, Wise graduated from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s in biology.

This semester, she participated in the  3-Minute Thesis  (3MT) Competition and won first prize at the event. We spoke with Wise about her experiences in the graduate school, and what it was like to present her thesis at 3MT.

Could you briefly explain your career and educational background?

I received my bachelor’s in biology from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, and after graduation, I entered the world of biotechnology. I began my career as a quality control microbiologist and later transferred into quality assurance. My current job entails assessing production lots of clinical trial materials to ensure patient safety. I have been fortunate to witness the cutting edge of progress in the development of Ebola virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus and HIV therapeutics or vaccines.

What drew you to Hood College?

Hood College is not only local to me as a Frederick resident, but it also drew me in based on the program offerings. When I was considering graduate school, I was split between pursing a degree in public health or a degree in biomedical science. I chose Hood College because the variety of science courses was very attractive to me as were the small class sizes and virtual options.

What interested you about the biomedical science (BMS) program? 

The BMS program offers students the opportunity to tailor their coursework to their academic and professional goals. Biotechnology is a very regulated industry in order to ensure the health of the world’s citizens, but the restrictive environment can come at a cost.

It is more difficult to pursue knowledge for the sake of understanding, rather than a strict parameter-based approach. The BMS program allowed me the flexibility and freedom to learn about the things I love for the joy of learning and expanding my skillset, with more opportunity for experimentation. I have learned so much in this program and feel so much more confident in myself and my career.

Could you briefly describe the thesis you presented?

My thesis focuses on a specific human papillomavirus (HPV): HPV67. 

HPV67 is related to extremely carcinogenic (cancer-causing) HPVs, but almost never causes cancer. I am seeking to understand what is different about HPV67 on a genetic level and to understand what sets it apart from carcinogenic HPVs.

What preparations did you do for the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition?

I prepared for the 3MT in many different ways. I attended the practice session that  Dean April Boulton set up. I brought a totally different slide to the practice session than the one I presented on the night of the competition thanks to the helpful feedback from Dean Boulton. I found previous 3MT winner presentations on the Hood website and watched those to try to understand what made for concise and exciting presentation.

Additionally, I typed out my entire talk and practiced speaking it out loud to grasp if the presentation had a good flow. Lastly, I tried to read my presentation with the mindset of a complete beginner and eliminated anything that was too technical and simplified concepts that were too complicated.

Overall, what was the competition like? Do you have any takeaways from it?

I have never attended a 3MT competition before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was relieved to find out I was the third person to present, as I was so nervous! 

Once my talk was over, I was so glad to relax and be able to learn about all of the exciting research being done by my peers. My biggest takeaway from the night is that Hood has a cohort of dedicated, inspiring students who will be assets to their fields.

Would you have any advice for people interested in participating in the next 3MT Competition?

My advice would be to attend the practice session! Dean Boulton gives helpful tips about presenting and will give you feedback that can’t be missed. I would recommend practicing the presentation in the space you will present from, that way it doesn’t feel so foreign on the night of the competition.

My biggest tip is to tell the people who care about you that you are presenting. I was hesitant to invite anyone to the competition because I was so afraid that I would mess up. It turned out that having the support of my loved ones and my thesis adviser made me feel braver and more confident. They celebrated the success right along with me, and that felt as good as winning.

Are there any fun facts or trivia about yourself that you would like to share?

I enjoy reading and especially love reading books to my honorary niece, Addison. In my spare time you’ll find me hanging out with my boyfriend and my pets. My fantasy job is to be an astrobiologist and explore the potential for life on exoplanets.

Encouraged by Amanda’s success at the 3MT Competition? Ready to  #GOFURTHER  in your career? Learn more about Hood College’s graduate programs, such as  biomedical science , by clicking  here .

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Four Win Prizes in Annual Three Minute Thesis Competition

by Holly Foster

May 14, 2024

Express Yourself

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Open to all members of the senior class, the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition offers cash prizes to students who can most effectively summarize their senior research projects in three minutes or fewer. In addition, participants must tailor their explanations to a broad audience.

The first,- second-, and third-place prizes were determined by a panel of judges from the Clinton and Utica area; the People's Choice Award goes to the speaker with the most audience votes.

History major Hannah Jablons ’24 took second place with her presentation titled Dan’s Manhattan Plaza , and interdisciplinary concentrator in public health Aliana Potter ’24 won third with Primary Care Provider Practice Patterns in Health Provider Shortage Areas and non-HPSAs. Biology major Bobbi Roca ’24 won the People’s Choice award for her speech  Climate Change and Trees: Which ones are built different.

Hamilton is one of only a few undergraduate institutions that sponsors the competition. Three Minute Thesis traditionally “celebrates the exciting research conducted by Ph.D. students. Developed by the University of Queensland, the exercise cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills.”

Funding for the 3MT at Hamilton comes from the Ferguson Endowment, which advances oral communication across campus.

Related News

Six Win Prizes in Annual Public Speaking Competition 

Six students won prizes in three categories at Hamilton’s annual public speaking competition held on March 1 in the Chapel. Presentations were either persuasive or informative in nature, and in one category, students addressed an assigned topic.

Opportunity Program Takes to the Mic 

Hamilton is among several New York State colleges that administer the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program, known on the Hill as simply “the Opportunity Program” or just “OP.” The Opportunity Program, designed to support students whose transition from high school to college may be made more difficult by their educational, socioeconomic, or personal circumstances, helps 30 to 40 new students each year acclimate to the College’s academic standards and social life.

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It's Scholars Week, which means a return of the popular faculty/student collaboration presentations

May 13, 2024

by Xander Johnson

The annual celebration of student research and creative works known as Scholars Week is returning to Western Washington University the week of May 13-17.

There are a variety of events at Scholars Week, such as graduate student Three-Minute Thesis presentations and the Poster Session for both undergraduate and graduate students. One relatively new Scholars Week event involves a third group: faculty.

“They’ve only been doing Faculty/Student Collaborations for three years, and I did one the first year,” said Mary Hunt, an associate professor of Health and Human Development at Western. “It’s an invaluable experience for students to do research with a professor and present it to a broader audience.”

Hunt’s presentation this year is based on qualitative research about people’s experiences with combining cannabis and sex. The research was a collaborative effort with 11 students and has been in progress for two years.

“Last year I was just like part of the lab, but now I’m in a cool spot with taking on more of a leadership role,” said Tasha Denton, a fourth-year public health student involved with the cannabis project.

Hunt and Denton’s collaboration is rooted in social science, but there is a wide variety of subjects and topics that the collaborations can cover at Scholars Week.

“I just think it's fascinating to learn about what’s around us,” said Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez, a Biology professor at Western.

Acevedo-Gutierrez’s Scholars Week presentation this year is a collaboration with another biology professor, Dietmar Schwarz; marine/estuary science graduate student Alexandrea Otto; and two undergraduate biology students, Isabel Shier and Maya Mijares.

“The project’s overall goal is to update the genetic population structure of harbor seals to help management and conservation organizations make responsible decisions in terms of managing harbor seals,” Otto said. “It’s not only about harbor seal conservation, but other species relying on harbor seals, such as harbor seal prey like pacific salmon.”

Otto is utilizing a new molecular technique called GT-seq that deals with nuclear DNA, while Shier and Mijares are working with mitochondrial DNA, which is only passed down by mothers.

Not only do these scholars have different scientific backgrounds, they also come from different places. Acevedo-Gutierrez grew up in Mexico and Schwarz is from Germany. Otto, Mijares and Shier are from Nebraska, Colorado and Washington.

“It’s fascinating to see five people with different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences coming together,” Acevedo-Gutierrez said.

The 10 Scholars Week Faculty/Student Collaborations will be presented on May 14 in the Carver Hall of Fame Room (CV 221) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Hopefully these collaborations are a good motivator for younger students to think ‘that could be me,’” Acevedo-Gutierrez said.

About Scholars Week at WWU

Scholars Week, an annual celebration of student research and creative activities at Western, was created by a unanimous resolution of the Faculty Senate in November 1999. What was originally envisioned as “Scholars Day” quickly became “Scholars Week” to accommodate a diverse series of events highlighting the scholarship and creativity of Western students. Scholars Week occurs annually each May and has become a highlight of the academic year, celebrating the contributions of students as they enrich the intellectual environment of Western and society in general.

Pelletier to Present in UW’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition!

Posted: 5/16/2024 (CSDE Research)

CSDE Trainee Lizzy Pelletier (Evans School of Public Policy & Governance) will be presenting at this year’s  UW Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition ! Lizzy’s talk is titled ‘Does Paid Leave Help All Parents?’. UW 3MT is a professional development competition that celebrates the exciting capstone and research experiences of master’s and doctoral students at the University of Washington. The competition supports graduate students’ capacity to effectively explain their research or capstone project in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a public audience. The event will occur on Thursday, May 23, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 in the auditorium of Alder Hall. Doors open at 2:30 pm. RSVP here and cheer Lizzy on!

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) 2024 School Level Competition

• May 7, 2024

This year, we are delighted to announce the success of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) 2024 School Level Competition, which featured a collaborative effort involving the School of Engineering, School of Information Technology, and School of Pharmacy. A total of 11 talented graduate researchers showcased their Ph.D. theses in just 3 minutes. Congratulations to all the winners of the  Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)  competition from each respective school. School of Pharmacy First Place – Aathira Sujathan Nair Second Place – Teoh Kah Woon People’s Choice Award – Aathira Sujathan Nair School of Engineering First Place – Sia Chin Siew Second Place – Shafeeq Ahmed Syed Ali People’s Choice Award – Sia Chin Siew School of Information Technology First Place – Kang Xiaoxi Second Place – Mohan Raj Chanthran People’s Choice Award – Kang Xiaoxi We extend our sincere appreciation to all the graduate students who participated. Each of them delivered outstanding presentations that showcased dedication, creativity, and passion for research. Your efforts have made this competition a success, and we are proud of your enthusiasm and commitment. We extend a heartfelt thank you to our distinguished panel judges: Dr Yogaambikai Paramanantham (SOP), Dr Lim Sing Sheng (SOE), and Ms. How Shi-Hui (SASS). Their expertise and dedication were crucial to the event’s success. Our appreciation also goes out to Professor Shaun Lee and Professor Anthony Guo for their continuous support, as well as Associate Professor Dr. Wu Ta Yeong, Dr. Soon Lay Ki, and Dr. How Chee Wun for their collaborative efforts. Additionally, we thank everyone who attended and cheered on the contestants.

All information are correct at time of publication.

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2024 Birkbeck Three Minute Thesis Competition

When: 16 May 2024, 18:00 — 19:30 Venue: Birkbeck Clore Management Centre

Book your place

On Thursday 16 May we will be holding the Birkbeck 2024 Three Minute Thesis Competition. You are invited to join the audience for this exciting event which provides opportunities to celebrate a diverse range of work from Doctoral Researchers across the College. 

Following the competition there will be a celebration and reception for the winners and attendees.

About the competition

Join a selection of Birkbeck's PhD students as they compete to communicate their compelling thesis topics in just three minutes. The winner will be chosen by an expert panel of judges who will award:

• £500 to the overall winner
• £250 to the runner up

The competition will take place in front of a public audience and will be filmed and available online after the event. The audience will also get a chance to have their say by picking a People’s Choice winner who’ll win a special prize. You can find out more about previous 3MT competitions at Birkbeck here on the BGRS blog .

Who can can enter as a competitor?

Competitors must be current Birkbeck doctoral students and be at least 6 months into their research studies.They must also have the permission of their supervisor. All potential competitors for the Three Minute Thesis Competition must attend the training sessions . This training will enhance your presentation skills as well as preparing you for the competition.

Contact name: Birkbeck Graduate Research School

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