Three Minute Thesis

The Spring 2020 Three Minute Thesis Competition has been canceled. As part of UTRGV’s ongoing commitment to help mitigate the impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on our campus community, all university-related events have been canceled until further notice.

The UTRGV community’s health and safety always comes first. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to having this event in the future.

Background	Rules	Presentation Prep
Benefits	Awards	Registration
Eligibility	Previous 3MT®	Judges

What is 3MT?

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ) in which graduate students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis / dissertation research and its significance. 3MT® is not an exercise in trivializing or "dumbing-down" research, but instead challenges students to consolidate their ideas and research discoveries so they can be presented concisely to a non-specialist audience.

The first 3MT® was held at UQ in 2008 with 160 students competing. Enthusiasm for the 3MT® concept grew and it has now been adopted by numerous universities around the world. The Graduate College is excited about providing our students the opportunity to participate in the Texas State University 3MT® Competition.

Why Compete?

Reason to participate in the UTRGV 3MT® competition:

Promote your research
Enhance communication skills
Learn how to explain your research to a non-specialized audience
Develop your “elevator pitch” discussions of your research (especially useful for job interviews!)
Awards at both the preliminary and final rounds

Eligibility

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 3MT® Competition Eligibility

Graduate students currently enrolled in a University of research Ph.D. or Ed.D. program and master's students on a thesis track are eligible to compete. The presentation must include findings/outcomes of research, i.e., you cannot present your proposal; you must have at least preliminary or pilot study findings. Read more about the presentation rules and judging criteria.

Rules

Please see below for a complete list of rules for the UTRGV 3MT® competition.

A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or "movement" of any description).
No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments or laboratory equipment) are permitted.
Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
The decision of the judging panel is final.
All presentations will be videotaped and will appear on the graduate school 3MT® website.

Each 3MT® presentation will be judged based on communication style, comprehension, and engagement.

Awards

University Final

Awarded by judges:

1st Place: $1,000
2nd Place: $500
3rd Place: $250

Register

Registration to compete in 3MT® is now closed.

Judges

Judges are selected from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley communities.

There are five judges for the competition. Learn more about judging criteria and presentation rules.

Judging Criteria

At every level of the competition judges will use the 3MT® judging criteria listed below to score presentations.

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 nonspecialist 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 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 presenter 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?

Presentation Prep

Prepare to compete in the 3MT® by:

watching videos of other winners
reviewing the judging criteria and presentation rules

Previous Competitions

Need some inspiration? Watch students present their research in previous 3MT® Competitions:

You can also watch 3MT® winners from competitions at other universities.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Graduate College Division of Research, Graduate Studies & New Program Development