Three Minute Thesis is Back!

Virtual Awards Ceremony

Watch the announcement: Monday, May 25, 7pm

Thank you for submitting your votes and viewing the 'at-home' version of the 3MT 2020.

3MT 2020: "At-Home" Version

What is the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)?

The Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®) presents Masters and Ph.D. students with the ultimate challenge: to explain their complex and highly specialized research and ideas to a general audience in just three minutes, using only one Power Point slide.

3MT® was begun at the University of Queensland in 2008 as part of an effort to encourage graduate students to develop their skills in communicating their research. It has spread to universities throughout the world with students participating in a wide range of university, regional, and international competitions.

This event is generously sponsored by The Pan Colleges Fund, Trent Community Relations, the Trent Graduate Students Association, the School of Graduate Studies, and the Office of the Provost.

Why Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)?

The skills developed while preparing for and competing in 3MT® are central to graduate students' growth as professionals. From job interviews, to networking with colleagues at conferences, to conversations with family and friends, graduate students are often in situations where they must describe their research, and its larger importance, in language accessible and engaging to a non-specialist audience. Forcing participants to balance complexity and depth with clarity and concision, 3MT® hones skills that will benefit graduate students as they move toward professional careers.

3MT® also provides an excellent opportunity for conversation across disciplines and with the general public. The event is advertised widely and participants share key insights from their research with a diverse audience.

Prizes

Provost’s People’s Choice Award -$250

TGSA Runner Up Award - $150

Eligibility

Students must be registered in a Trent Masters (Thesis or MRP) or PhD program at the time of the 3MT® competition, and must have made substantial progress on their research and analysis. Course-based Masters students are ineligible.

PhD and Masters students who have defended but have not yet graduated are eligible to participate.

Presentations must be based on research that is directly related to the student’s graduate program thesis, dissertation or MRP. The 3MT® presentation must represent the research of the presenter.

Presenters must agree to be video-taped and allow the video to be shared publicly.

Presenters must consent to 3MT ® confidentiality/intellectual property guidelines.

confidentiality/intellectual property guidelines. The winner of Trent's 3MT® should be available to attend the Ontario Provincial Final on April 15, 2020 at University of Windsor. Expenses for this event will be covered by Trent.

Rules

A single static Power Point slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or "movement" of any description). The slide must remain in view for the entire presentation. No additional electronic media (such as sound and/or video files) are permitted. No 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 (for example, no poems, raps or songs). Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts the presentation through movement or speech. No notes are allowed during the presentation. The decision of the judges' panel is final.

Applications

Applications for 2020 are closed.

How To Apply to Participate in 3MT

Review the eligibility and confidentiality information and ensure that you are able to participate in Three Minute Thesis.

Once the applications open, you will be able to access a form that will ask you for information about your program and thesis. You should be prepared to provide a tentative title (we promise you can change it later), a three sentence description of your proposed 3MT talk, as well as a brief summary of how you have completed a significant portion of your research and analysis for your thesis.

Your application will be reviewed by the Graduate Program Directors Committee.

The application committee will review your application and allocate spots in a manner that a) ensures that a diverse range of Trent's graduate programs are represented b) gives priority to students who have completed a significant portion of their research and analysis.

Important: Depending on the number of applications received, all applicants may be required to participate in a preliminary heat the week of March 16 or 23rd. If this is the case, the heat participants with the highest scores, along with several wildcard participants, will move on to the 3MT final.

Applications are due by Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 4pm. All decisions and/or heat arrangements will be communicated to applicants no later than Monday, February 10.

Judges and Judging Criteria

Trent's 3MT® Competition will be decided by 3- 5 esteemed judges, including members of the Trent and Peterborough communities and Trent Alumni. Together, the panel represents a diverse range of perspectives.

Each competitor’s presentation will be assessed according to the criteria listed below. Please note that each criterion is equally weighted.

Communication

Did the presenter use language and terminology that was clear and understandable?

Was the pace of the talk effective?

Did the presenter use non-verbal communication (i.e. eye contact, voice modulation, body language, etc.) effectively?

Did the slide enhance, rather than detract from, the talk – was it clear, legible, and concise?

Comprehension

Did the talk help you to understand the scholarly research and creativity?

Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and purpose of the scholarly research and creativity?

Did the presenter clearly indicate what is interesting about the scholarly research and creativity?

Did the talk follow a logical sequence?

Engagement

Was the talk engaging?

Did the talk inspire you to want to know more?

Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?

Did the presenter capture and maintain your attention?

Video Archive of 2019 3MT prize winners

President’s First Prize and Provost’s People’s Choice Award

Katharine Viscardis, Canadian Studies, "Locked Away And Out Of Sight"

School of Graduate Studies Runner Up

Hannah Mackellar, Environmental and Life Sciences, "Characterizing Migration in Hudson Bay’s Whimbrel Population"

Catharine Parr Traill College Honourable Mention

Anna Currier, Sustainability Studies, "Promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the City of Peterborough’s Civic Engagement Strategy"

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. Trent University would like to thank the University of Queensland and Queen's University for use of language and images included on this site.