What is the 3MT?
An 80,000 word thesis would take 9 hours to present. The 3MT time limit ... 3 minutes.
- The 3-Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition that challenges students to communicate the significance of their projects without the use of props or industry jargon, in just three minutes.
- Originally established by the University of Queensland (UQ) in 2008, the competition challenges research students to communicate the significance of their projects in just three minutes, with the aid of a single, static slide.
3MT develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of research students' capacity to quickly explain their research in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience leaving them wanting to know more.
Competitions at the University of Minnesota
Collegiate-level 3MT Competitions
- Inquire with your Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) to find out if your college hosts a 3MT competition.
- Collegiate-level 3MT winners advance to the University-wide competition.
- All collegiate-level participants receive a Maroon Digital Badge from the Graduate School.
University-wide 3MT Competition
- The Graduate School hosts a University-wide competition held every November.
- All active graduate students who have advanced from their collegiate competition are eligible.
- Previous 3MT winners (first prize, runner-up, and people's choice) are not eligible to compete a second time.
3MT Prizes
- The University-wide 3MT competition gives cash prizes to 1st place ($500), runner-up ($250), and the winner of a people's choice vote ($150).
- The 1st place winner advances to a 3MT competition hosted every March by the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS).
- All finalists may be invited to present to the University's Board of Regents.
- All University-wide competitors receive a Gold Digital Badge from the Graduate School.
3MT Competition Rules
- Single static PowerPoint slide. No slide transitions, animations, or “movement” of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from beginning of oration.
- No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
- No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, lab equipment) are permitted.
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum, and participants exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
- Presentations are to commence from the stage.
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps, or songs).
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts her presentation through either movement or speech.
- The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
3MT Preparation Resources
- Prepare with the Graduate School's 3MT e-course
- Watch past UMN winners
Who can I talk to about 3MT?
Please contact Dr. Noro Andriamanalina, Assistant Vice Provost, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Initiatives: andri002@umn.edu