The Graduate School hosts the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. This competition provides graduate students with an opportunity to communicate the significance and impact of their research project to a non-specialized audience in just three minutes. The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.

Eligibility:

1. You must be actively enrolled in a Master’s (Thesis option A) or Ph.D. program and in good academic standing.
   1. Graduate students who have started their research or creative scholarship project and have gathered preliminary data, and findings are also eligible to participate. It is not necessary for a project to have been fully completed to participate in this competition.
2. You must be available to present in person at the 3MT® preliminary round and the final competitions.

To Apply:

1. Complete the USD 3MT® Application Form and obtain your research advisor’s signature.
2. After the application deadline passes, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to submit your presentation slide.

Competition Details

Information Session: February 19, 2020
Venue: Center for Teaching and Learning (McKusick 110)
Time: 3-5 p.m.

Preliminary Round: February 26, 2020 
Venue: Muenster Union Center (MUC 216/216A)
Time: 3-5 p.m.
Selected top students will advance to the finals.

Finals: March 4, 2020
Venue: Farber Hall, Old Main
Time: 3-5 p.m.

Competition Rules

1. 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).
2. No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
3. No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment, laser pointer ) are permitted.
4. Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
5. Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps, or songs).
6. Presentations are to commence from the stage.
7. Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through movement or speech.
8. The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Prizes

1. The first-place winner will be awarded $350 plus all-expense paid trip for participation in the Midwestern association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) 3MT® competition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin scheduled for April 1-3, 2020.
2. The second-placed student will be awarded $250.
3. The third-placed student will be awarded $150.

Resources

Questions?