3 Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

Three Minute Thesis header

The Three Minute Thesis Competition

An 80,000 word Ph.D. thesis would take 9 hours to present. Their time limit...3 minutes.
Special thanks to our sponsor RiverStone for supporting this event.

 

3MT Overview

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

Our 3MT

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

2023 3MT Winners

Past Participants

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

UNH Graduate School Media Page

The schedule for the Spring 2024 competition will be shared here. Stay tuned!

The Graduate School facilitates workshops designed to help prepare you for the 3MT competition. Stay tuned for information on the Spring 2024 workshop series!

2023

  • 1st place: Melanie Smith, Master's Student in Marine Biology
  • 2nd place: Manjot Rekhi, PhD Student in Earth and Environmental Science
  • 3rd place: Diana Reyes Gomez, PhD Student in Agricultural Sciences
  • People's Choice Award: Ava Boutilier, Master's Student in Biochemistry

2022

  • 1st place: Sathya Jagadeesan, PhD student in Chemical Engineering
  • 2nd place: Nikolai Matukhno, Master's Student in Mechanical Engineering
  • 3rd place & People’s Choice Award: Nick Pollak, PhD candidate in Chemistry

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

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

3 Minute Thesis presentations are judged using the following criteria:

Comprehension and Content

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

Engagement and Communication

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