3 minute research presentation

Cookies on our website

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use our site. And we'd like to serve you some cookies set by other services to show you relevant content.

• Accessibility
• Staff search
• External website
• Schools & services
• Sussex Direct
• Professional services
• Schools and services

Sussex Researcher School

• Researcher development
• Three Minute Thesis

Preparing your 3MT presentation

• Back to previous menu
• 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

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

• May 9, 2023
• 11 min read

How to deliver an award-winning 3MT presentation

Picture this.

You’re a PhD student, who’s spent countless hours researching and analysing data.

You’ve finally worked up the courage to participate in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, and after weeks of writing your script , designing your slide , and giving yourself pep-talks in the mirror, it's time to take to the stage and share your 3MT presentation with the world. 💪

But, as the timer begins to count down, you panic.

You’re rushing through your script, fumbling nervously with your hands, and stumbling over words like they’re in a foreign language…

Sound familiar? If so, don’t worry, you’re definitely not alone.

Public speaking can be a daunting experience for even the most seasoned professionals. And it only becomes more challenging when you have just three minutes to do it. 😅

The good news is, there are lots of public speaking tools that you can use to help bring your 3MT presentation to life. And today, we’re going to show you how!

Welcome to the final instalment of our three-part 3MT series, where we focus on the last piece of our 3MT puzzle: the delivery.

In this blog post, we’ll be covering some tips on how to engage your audience using the power of your voice, face, and body. We’ll also break down some examples that we love from award-winning 3MTs from all over the Australia (and the world)!

You may only have three minutes, but here's how to make every second count. ⏰

Practice! Know your script inside out. 🗣️

In your PhD, you might’ve had the opportunity to present your research at seminars , meetings, or conferences in the form of posters and oral presentations . Maybe by now you can ace these presentations with little to no rehearsing, since you can rely on your slides and data to tell a story for you. 👩‍💻

But in the 3MT, the only thing that you can rely on to tell your story is you. Which is why it’s so important for you to commit your script to memory.

It’s practically impossible to focus on how to deliver your 3MT, if all your attention is fixed on remembering what your next line is supposed to be in the first place. So, our first tip is simple: practice.

Know your script like the back of your hand, so that when you’re on stage, you can devote all that energy into your delivery, rather than into racking your brains to recall what comes next! If memorisation is something you struggle with, we’ve previously spoken about several different memorisation techniques that can help you learn scripts for public speaking events like the 3MT, such as repetition, practicing out loud, and physically writing your script down . 📝

Once you’re confident that you can recite your script in your sleep (and, let’s be honest… sleeping is how us researchers prefer to spend our leisure time 😉), you can start to think about how to deliver it in a way that really makes your presentation shine.

After all, the way you say something is just as important as what you say.

Even if you have the most ground-breaking research and a perfectly crafted script, if your vocal delivery is lacking, your audience might have tuned out before they can take any of it in.

So, to avoid your audience’s eyes glazing over, we’re going to discuss what I like to call the 5 P’s of vocal delivery :

Let’s start with how quickly, or slowly, you should speak – in other words, your pace.

1. Vary your pace 💬

Think back to the last Hollywood blockbuster you watched (maybe it was Ticket to Paradise 😉). Chances are, it had some slow-paced scenes to help expand the plot or build suspense, and some fast-paced scenes to keep things exciting. Together, this combination of slow and fast-paced scenes keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. 🎬

But… what do Hollywood films and the 3MT have in common you might ask?

They both tell stories. And like their cinematic counterparts, changing the pace of your voice throughout your 3MT is one way to keep the audience hooked.

Ideally, to avoid sounding monotone, you should speed up and slow down how fast you talk throughout your 3-minute presentation. To show you what this might look like, I did what researchers do best.

I made some fancy graphs. 😉

You can speed up your pace when you want to evoke excitement , for example, when talking about interesting research findings. Then, you can slow your pace right down when you want to emphasise a point , like some concerning statistics or what your findings mean for the future.

A graph of your 3MT might not look exactly the same as the ones above, but no matter what the overall profile looks like, it should have highs and lows, peaks and dips, to bring about a crescendo of a story!

2. Pause for impact ⏸️

I have, and it can be overwhelming.

It makes us feel overloaded with information, and we walk away not really knowing what to take away from the presentation. 😕

Luckily, there’s a simple way to avoid this, and it involves one single thing:

Aside from adding some ✨drama✨, including pauses during your 3MT provides the audience with some breathing room and gives them time to take in the information. That is, as long as you don’t pause for so long that it becomes an awkward silence. 😂

Generally speaking, a pause of 1.5–3 seconds is enough time for the audience to absorb the information, before you move onto the next part of your talk.

Pauses are very effective when placed after a key idea or concept, to let the gravity of what was said really sink in. Alternatively, they can also be extremely impactful when placed before a key idea ; a pause to command attention and imply that what you are about to say is really important.

The impact of pausing is demonstrated really well in this 3MT from 2016 Winner, Joshua Chu-Tan. Go over to 1:01 in their 3MT below, paying attention to the pause after mentioning the devastating side effects of macular degeneration.

As you can see, by including this short period of silence, we can fully comprehend the weight of what is being said, making it much more impactful.

If you’re unsure where pause in your own 3MT, take a look at your script and identify which points you want to emphasise. Then, make sure to include purposeful pauses before or after those sentences to really drive the impact home.

3. Voice projection 📣

With all this being said, pauses won’t matter much if the audience can’t hear what you’re saying in the first place, or conversely, are too busy cringing at your shouting to listen.

Voice projection is another really important component of the vocal delivery for your 3MT.

That is, how loudly or softly you speak .

In many of the best 3MTs, there are sections where the speaker talks relatively softly. Eventually, they build their way to a climax where voice projection is the loudest, usually around the same time that the pace is the fastest. Then, their voice gets quieter again once the pace slows down, when the speaker wants to make the most impact. 🤫

Let’s take a look at an example. At the 1:15 mark below of 2011 3MT Winner, Matthew Thompson, and pay attention to the projection of their voice when they say “They matched a print to the wrong person,” compared to “Mayfield was innocent.”

So, for your 3MT, consider raising your voice just that little bit louder as your pace/excitement increases, and quieten your voice for impact when your pace is slowest to help draw the audience in.

4. Vary your pitch 🎤

It’s another super important aspect of public speaking, and can definitely make or break a presentation. But what do I mean when I say pitch? I’m talking about inflection – how high or low the tone of your voice goes when you speak. (If you’re a music fan, think: do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do 🎶 ).

One common mistake in public speaking is the absence of inflection (or in other words, maintaining the same pitch throughout the entire talk). This is usually what makes presentations feel monotonous, robotic, and well on the way to putting the audience to sleep. 😴

If I were to graph it, it would look something like the one on the left:

Not very exciting, is it?

So how do you avoid this? By now, I might sound like a broken record when I say that variation is key! But by raising and lowering the pitch of your voice, you’ll sound a lot less like a robot, and a lot more like an lively, conversational human being.

To help you with this concept, let’s go through an exercise. Think about your vocal inflection when you ask the question:

You’ll notice that your pitch ends on an upward inflection as you ask this question, and this will be the same for most questions you pose. On the other hand, try saying this sentence out loud:

In this example, you might observe that your pitch has a natural tendency to inflect down. Generally, having a downward inflection at the end of a sentence makes things sound more authoritative and confident, which can be useful for your 3MT to ensure you sound convincing and knowledgeable.

So, by varying your pitch and ending sentences on a downward inflection, you’re one step closer to nailing the vocal delivery of your 3MT.

5. Passion ❤️‍🔥

And finally, to the last of the 5 P’s, but one of the most important: Passion.

Because emotional monotony can kill a presentation just as easily as vocal monotony. 🪦

In order for the audience to really connect with the presentation, they need to come along on an emotional rollercoaster. They need to feel the highs and lows of your research.

And one of the best ways to do this is to create emotional contrast in your voice . How?

Think about your script, and pinpoint sections where there might be negative emotions involved. For example, jarring statistics in your research area, or potential risks if nothing is done about the problem you are trying to address. In these instances, don’t be afraid to show emotion. When conveying these negative emotions, you can even enhance them by including a downward inflection of your vocal pitch.

On the flip side, when you’re talking about the impact of your research and the great outcomes it may lead to, make your voice match the excitement and hope in your presentation.

The more emotional contrast you can create, the more compelling and memorable your 3MT presentation will be.

Creating emotion in your voice goes hand in hand with creating emotion in your face. And with that, let’s move on from vocal delivery to the next very important aspect: your face!

A typical 3MT script sits at around 450 words, but we can communicate so much without uttering a single one.

Have you ever seen someone smiling or laughing, and suddenly felt compelled to do the same? 😂 That’s because emotions are contagious . And, thankfully, we can use this to our advantage in public speaking, where facial expressions become a powerful tool to communicate with the audience.

1. Facial expressions 😜

In the 3MT, facial expressions are super effective for tapping into the audience’s sense of empathy, encouraging them to feel what you feel. Take a look at each of the following facial expressions, all taken from presentations from past 3MT winners and finalists.

If you look at one of their faces long enough, you might start to feel an emotional response to the facial expression you’re seeing; perhaps start to mirror that emotion yourself. That’s because there’s thought to be an actual biological response when humans observe emotion. Pretty cool right?! 😱

But how do you use these facial expressions to your advantage in your 3MT presentation?

Well, start by reflecting on your script, taking note of which sections trigger positive or negative emotions. For example, if there are certain statistics or gaps in knowledge that are concerning to you, don’t be afraid to furrow your brow or downturn your mouth slightly.

On the other hand, do you mention any exciting findings, or make any lighthearted jokes? In these cases, feel free to smile and show hope in your facial features to reflect this!

Just make sure that the emotions you display match the words you are saying. For example, you wouldn’t say, “Millions of animals die each year due to deforestation,” with a happy, smiling face, would you? 😅 As you can imagine, this incongruence risks making you appear unauthentic or untrustworthy.

So, to sum it up, be authentic. If your facial expression feels forced, it probably looks that way too.

2. Eye contact 👀

They say that eyes are the windows to the soul, so it’s no surprise that eye contact is a major part of public speaking.

Eye contact helps establish a connection with the audience, and can also help you convey confidence and credibility. As tempting as it might seem, try to avoid staring at your slide for the entire three minutes, as this will disconnect you from the audience. Keep your eyes on the people in front of you, and as a general rule of thumb, aim to look at someone different each time you begin a new sentence.

In the world of public speaking, one thing can speak louder than words: body language.

Body language comes in many forms, but today, we’re going to discuss two types that are relevant for the 3MT: hand gestures and using the space around you.

1. Hand gestures 👋

Hand gestures are an important element of body language in the 3MT competition. They can help emphasise key points, engage the audience, and convey enthusiasm for your research. Let’s go through a few examples to show you how!

One very common hand gesture in public speaking is when the hands are open and placed palms up. This is a good hand gesture to use to come across as friendly and conversational.

A similar gesture is when the hands are open, but instead the palms are facing downwards, which helps the speaker appear friendly, confident, and knowledgeable.

This hand gesture, where the the fingers on each hand are pressed together, is commonly referred to as the triangle or the Angela Merkel gesture, and is commonly used to appear authoritative and knowledgeable.

If you refer to your slide at any point in your 3MT presentation, don’t be afraid to point to your slide to help keep the audience engaged and shift their attention where you want it.

Finally, it can also be effective to ‘act out’ gestures with your hands to help make the presentation more dynamic. For example, acting out verbs like ‘throw,’ or counting with your fingers.

So, hopefully we’ve given you some ‘hand-y’ tips for how to effectively use hand gestures to make your presentation more interesting. But… what about the rest of your body?

That’s where our final tip comes in.

2. Using the Space 🪐

Public speaking can be a daunting experience, and you might be tempted to hide behind the lectern to make it all feel a little less… intimidating. 🫣

But you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you did.

At best, it would risk your presentation being boring, and at worst, it could even give the impression that you’re anxious or unconfident. And perhaps you are… But you don’t have to show it. Fake it ‘til you make it, right? 😉

Using the space around you can be a great way to engage the audience in a more dynamic way and create the impression of confidence. So don't be afraid to walk around the stage ! By moving around, you can engage different members of the audience and keep their attention focused on you.

In the below example, you can see how simply moving across the stage at a leisurely pace, then stopping in the centre, makes for a more dynamic and captivating presentation.

A good way to practice this is to deliver your 3MT in front the mirror, or in front of loved ones, so you can get used to how these movements feel and ensure they look natural. Either way, be purposeful and intentional in your movements.

The takeaway 🥡

And there we have it, folks! That brings us to the end of not only this blog post, but our entire 3MT series. To recap our tips for delivering a fabulous 3MT presentation:

Practice: Know your script inside out

Remember the 5 P’s of vocal delivery (Pace, Pauses, Projection, Pitch and Passion)

Communicate with your facial expression and eyes, and

Master your body language.

We hope that this 3MT blog series has given you some valuable tips to help you write your own captivating script , design an impactful slide , and ace your delivery. On behalf of all of us at AYS, we wish you all the best on your 3MT journey! 🤞

Here’s to making science accessible, 3 minutes at a time. ✨

If you want to take your science communication skills to the next level, consider attending an in-person workshop or one of our online courses . Whether you're a seasoned presenter or just starting out, why not take the next step on your science communication journey today?

Contact us to find out more. 🤩

Cintya Dharmayanti

Dr. Tullio Rossi

Related Posts

How to write a winning 3MT script

5 acting lessons to level-up your public speaking skills

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

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

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.

Share This Book

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="3 minute research presentation"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Three minute thesis.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a competition for doctoral students to develop and showcase their research communication skills.

3MT Competition

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 a total of $2,500 in prizes and the opportunity to participate in the Northeastern (U.S. and Canadian) round or even to showcase your research at the annual Council of Graduate Schools meeting?

 3MT is an annual competition sponsored by the Cornell Graduate School. 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. All enrolled doctoral students at the research stage (with at least some results to share) are eligible. In 2024, the Graduate School 3MT is also open to research master’s students. The next competition will take place in Spring 2025.

Learn more about the 2024 Graduate School 3MT competition.

Email [email protected] with any questions.

All newly created videos on this website are accessible. Closed captions are available for the video on this page, and selecting the option to watch in YouTube will provide a transcript for the video. For an accommodation for this archival video, please contact [email protected] .

The first 3MT was held at The University of Queensland (UQ) in 2008 with 160 graduate students competing. Enthusiasm for the 3MT concept grew, and its adoption by numerous universities led to the development of an international competition in 2010. Today students from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Asia-Pacific region take part in their own regional and national events.

Cornell Graduate School hosted its ninth 3MT competition final round event on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Video submissions for the preliminary round was due on March 1, 2024, and was reviewed by a panel of volunteer judges using a common scoring rubric to select the finalists.

At the final round event, held in person on the Ithaca campus, a panel of judges scored presentations and selected the top two finalists. Additionally, audience members were able to vote for their favorite presenter for the People’s Choice Award.

3MT Resources

• Watch videos of finalists from Cornell’s 3MT contests .
• Learn more about the 2024 3MT winners and finalists .
• Learn more about the 2023 3MT winners and finalists .
• Learn more about the 2022 3MT winner and finalists .
• Learn more about the 2021 3MT winner and finalists .
• Learn more about the 2019 3MT winner and finalists .
• Learn more about the 2018 3MT winner and finalists .
• Learn more about the 2017 3MT winner and finalists .
• Watch a video of the inaugural 2019 Ivy 3MT event . Read more about the 2019 Ivy 3MT event .
• Watch videos of winning presentations from around the world .
• Read more about the Three Minute Thesis in Science Magazine .
• Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to 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.
• Presentations are to commence from the stage.
• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any kind) and 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.
• Zoom backgrounds are considered props. Please ensure your background is a blank screen or wall. 
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Judging Criteria

Each of the judging criteria has equal weight. Note what each criterion has in common: An emphasis on audience.

Comprehension and Content

• Did the presentation provide a clear background and significance to the research question?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the conclusions, outcomes, and impact of the research?

Engagement and Communication

• Was the oration delivered clearly, and in language appropriate for a non-specialist audience?
• Was the PowerPoint slide clear and did it enhance the presentation?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research, and capture and maintain the audience’s attention?

For more information about the Cornell competition, email  [email protected] .

University of South Florida

Office of Graduate Studies

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

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]

• About the Grad School
• Staff Directory
• Office Locations
• Our Campuses
• Twin Cities
• Mission & Values
• Strategic Plan
• Policies & Governance
• Graduate School Advisory Board
• Academic Freedom & Responsibility
• Academic & Career Support
• GEAR 1 Resource Hub
• GEAR+ Resource Hub
• Ask an Expert
• Graduate School Essentials
• Transferable Skills Checklist
• Grad InterCom
• First Gen Connect
• Advising & Mentoring
• Individual Development Plan (IDP)
• Application Instructions
• Application Fees
• Big 10 Academic Alliance Fee Waiver Program
• Application Status
• Official Transcripts & Credentials
• Unofficial Transcripts & Credentials
• Recommendation Letters
• International Student Resources
• Admissions Guide
• Change or Add a Degree Objective
• Readmission
• Explore Grad Programs
• Preparing for Graduate School
• Program Statistics
• Recruiting Calendar
• Funding Opportunities
• Prospective & Incoming Students
• Diversity of Views & Experience Fellowship (DOVE)
• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
• Current Students
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
• Distinguished Master's Thesis Competition
• Diversity Predoctoral Teaching Fellowships
• Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
• Excellence in Teaching Award
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program
• Graduate SEED Awards
• Harold Leonard Memorial Fellowship in Film Study
• Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship
• Judd Travel Grants
• Louise T. Dosdall Endowed Fellowship
• Mistletoe Fellowship
• Research Travel Grants
• Smithsonian Institute Fellowship
• Torske Klubben Fellowship
• Program Requests & Nominations
• Bridging Funds Program
• Best Dissertation Program
• Co-Sponsorship Grants Program
• Google Ph.D. Fellowship
• National Science Foundation Research Traineeship
• National Science Foundation Innovations in Graduate Education Program
• Training Grant Matching Funds
• Fellowship Dates & Deadlines
• Information for Staff & Faculty
• About Graduate Diversity
• Diverse Student Organizations
• McNair Scholars Resources
• About the Community of Scholars Program
• Graduate Recruitment Ambassadors Program
• Community of Scholars Program Writing Initiative
• Faculty & Staff Resources
• Diversity Recruitment Toolkit
• Summer Institute
• Diversity Office Staff
• What's Happening
• E-Publications
• Submit Content
• News Overview
• Events Overview

• 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

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

• Graduate College
• 3 Minute Research Presentation

Contact the NAU Graduate College

The next 3mrp will be held in fall 2024. for more information please see the 3mrp information document . please direct any questions to [email protected] . we look forward to seeing you then.

The 3-Minute Research Presentation (3MRP) Competition provides an opportunity for NAU graduate students to present their thesis, dissertation, capstone research, scholarship, and/or creative work to an intelligent, non-specialist audience in just three minutes. This professional development opportunity is designed to increase and improve graduate students’ communication skills, as well as their capacity to effectively present research, scholarship, or creative work.

Competitor information & resources

Please direct any questions to [email protected]

Spring 2023 Winners Accordion Closed

Congratulations to this spring’s 3MRP winners! All final presentations can be viewed on the Office of Graduate & Professional Studies’ YouTube channel . Additionally, The NAU Review has posted great coverage on this year’s 3MRP finals.

Information Accordion Closed

We are looking for students who have made progress on their project, research, creative work, etc., and can prepare a presentation that addresses the scope, significance, and impact of their work. Presenting preliminary data, pilot study data and preliminary results is fine; results do not necessarily need to be conclusive. 

Additionally, NAU’s Office of Graduate & Professional Studies offers robust training and formal practice sessions for Northern Arizona University graduate students participating in the event. We work with you through training sessions, practice sessions, librarian support, and library resources so that you will be fully prepared and polished before you participate in the event.

Training resources Accordion Closed

Criteria, and training presentation

• 3MRP Judges Evaluation Criteria
• Research Assistance from Research Librarians
• The Studios
• Reserve Equipment

Presentation examples

• NAU’s Office of Graduate & Professional Studies 3MRP Competition Finals
• University of British Columbia
• University of Melbourne

Helpful hints and tips

• Making the Most of Your 3 Minutes – Simon Clews
• How to Talk about Your 3 Minute Thesis – Inger Mewburn
• Improv Helps PhDs Explain Their Work – and Loosen Up

Office of Graduate & Professional Studies

Mailing address, social media.

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.