UGA Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition – Fall 2024
Three Minute Thesis is a professional and highly engaging international research communication competition. Better known by the acronym 3MT®, the competition requires contestants to explain their thesis or dissertation topic and its significance in three minutes or less using only a single static presentation slide.
The competition supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. This event is free and open to the public.
Fall 2024 Final Competition:
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Morton Theatre
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.
Become a participant
This competition challenges graduate students to explain their research to non-specialist audiences in the space of just three minutes. The winner takes home $1,000 and can represent UGA at the regional 3MT® competition. Master’s and Doctoral students are eligible.
The preliminary rounds will be held from September 16 through September 27, 2024. Competitors are narrowed down to a field of ten for the finals.
Finals will be held November 14, 2024, Morton Theatre.
Registration has closed for Fall 2024.
About
The exercise develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of students’ capacities to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience.
Master’s and doctoral students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis or dissertation topic and its significance. 3MT® is not an exercise in trivializing or ‘dumbing-down’ research but forces students to consolidate their ideas and crystalize their research discoveries.
Eligibility
Currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students at the University of Georgia will be eligible to participate in 3MT®. Graduates are not eligible. Students must present on the research that will culminate in either their master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Previous winners of the 3MT® competition are not eligible to participate.
Prizes
- Winner: $1,000
- Runner-up: $750
- People’s Choice: $500
Rules
- 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) are permitted.
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
- Presentations are to be spoken word (eg. no poems, raps or songs).
- Presentations are to commence from the stage.
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
- The decision of the judging panel is final.
Judging Criteria
Comprehension & Content
- Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question
- Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research
- Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes and impact of the research
Engagement & Communication
- The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience
- The PowerPoint slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation
- The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience’s attention
Interested in learning more about how to make the most of your 3 minutes? Here’s a guide that that will help you to prepare and deliver an effective 3MT™ presentation.
Fall 2024 Finalists:
Sakshi Babar – Department of Marketing, Terry College of Business, “Climate Marketing Strategies and Firm Value”
Daisi Brand – Department of Psychology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, “Join the Fun: Event Attendance as an Avenue for Social Connection”
Sarah Dhanji – Department of Kinesiology, Mary Frances Early College of Education, “Head Hits to Road Risks: The Association Between Clinical Concussion Measures and Driving Behavior”
Marco Garcia – School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, “A Multi-model Approach to Evaluate Hybrid Coastal Features: A Resilience-based Assessment”
Kyndra Higgins – School of Chemical, Materials, and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, “Breast Cancer: How Cells Shape Up”
Nathanael Mickelson – Department of History, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, “Seeds of Recovery: Agricultural Crisis and the Origins of the New Deal”
Moses Okocha – Department of Journalism, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, “True or Untrue? Deepfakes and Health Mis/disinformation – Impact on Journalistic Credibility in Nigeria”
Skye Remko – Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, “From Grass to Gas: Enhancing Switchgrass for Sustainable Jet Fuel Production”
Anthony Suryamiharja – Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, “The Development of Protein-rich Plant-based Milk through a pH-based Approach”
Darrian Talamantes – Institute of Bioinformatics, UGA Office of Research, “Making Better Forage Grass”
