Virtual Three Minute Thesis

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 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.

Student will need to record and edit their 3MT video presentations (using any available recording or mobile device) following the guidelines listed below and upload it as an MP4 video format. The recording will be uploaded within the registration form.
Presentations videos are limited to 3 minutes and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through speech.
Videos must meet the following criteria:
- Filmed on the horizontal;
- Filmed on a plain background;
- Filmed from a static position;
- Filmed from one camera angle;
- Contain a 3MT PowerPoint slide (top right corner/right side/cut to)
Formal/Professional Portrait: a portrait/picture of the student who is participating in the competition. When uploading a photo in the registration form, you must follow the guidelines found here. This photo may be used by the Graduate College to showcase your research.
3MT PowerPoint slide: A single static slide is permitted in the presentation (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description). This can be visible continuously, or ‘cut to’ (as many times as you like) for a maximum of 1 minute or submitted via email if not included in the presentation. For an example on how the 3MT PowerPoint slide should look, please review the 2020 Asia-Pacific 3MT Final showcase videos.
The 3-minute audio must be continuous – no sound edits or breaks.
No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment and animated backgrounds) are permitted within the recording.
Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted within the video recording.
The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
Submissions via video format (mp4 format preferred). Files sent in other formats will not be accepted.

Please note: competitors *will not* be judged on video/ recording quality or editing capabilities. Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide.

Scholarships

University Final

Awarded by judges:

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

Register

Registration to compete in 3MT® is now open.

Click here to register

The deadline to submit is Thursday, March 31st, 2022 (at 11:59pm CDT)

Judges

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

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:

2020 Asia-Pacific 3MT Final showcase

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

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact the Graduate College with any questions: gradcollege@utrgv.edu