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Preparing your 3MT presentation

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NOTE: Familiarise yourself with the 3MT rules and judging criteria  before starting your preparation. This guidance is taken from the University of Queensland's  official 3MT competitor resources .

Even the world’s best public speakers prepare before important presentations. To assist you with your preparations, please find a few suggestions below that will help you in writing your presentation, creating your slide and practising your verbal presentation.

Drafting your 3MT

Write for your audience The judges will look for evidence that you can explain your research to a non-specialist audience. You may like to:

  • avoid jargon and academic language
  • explain concepts and people important to your research - you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not
  • highlight the outcomes of your research, and the desired outcome
  • imagine that you are explaining your research to a close friend or fellow student from another field
  • convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject

Tell a story

  • You may like to present your 3MT as a narrative, with a beginning, middle and end.
  • It’s not easy to condense your research into three minutes, so you may find it easier to break your presentation down into smaller sections.
  • Try writing an opener to catch the attention of the audience, then highlight your different points, and finally have a summary to restate the importance of your work.

Have a clear outcome in mind

  • Know what you want your audience to take away from your presentation.
  • Try to leave the audience with an understanding of what you’re doing, why it is important, and what you hope to achieve.
  • Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, firstly to yourself and then to an audience of friends and family.
  • Ask for feedback.
  • Ask your audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is  about and why it is important.

Creating your 3MT slide

Before you start work on your slide, you should take the following rules into account:

  • one single static PowerPoint slide is permitted;
  • no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description are permitted;
  • your slide is to be presented from the beginning of your oration; and
  • no additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.

Suggestions

You may like to consider some of the following suggestions:

  • Less is more : text and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide instead of listening to your 3MT. 
  • Personal touches : personal touches can allow your audience to understand the impact of your research.
  • Creativity drives interest : do not rely on your slide to convey your message – it should simply complement your oration.
  • Work your message : think about how your slide might be able to assist with the format and delivery of your presentation – is there a metaphor that helps explain your research?
  • An engaging visual presentation can make or break any oration, so make sure your slide is  legible, clear and concise .

Practising your 3MT presentation

Practice, practice, practice Feeling nervous before you present is natural, and sometimes a little nervousness can even be beneficial to your overall speech. Nonetheless, it is important to practice so you can present with confidence and clarity. Practicing will also help you gauge the timing of your 3MT so that you keep within the time limit.

Vocal range

  • Speak clearly and use variety in your voice (fast/slow, loud/soft).
  • Do not rush - find your rhythm.
  • Remember to pause at key points as it gives the audience time to think about what you are saying.

Body language

  • Stand straight and confidently.
  • Hold your head up and make eye contact.
  • Never turn your back to the audience.
  • Practise how you will use your hands and move around the stage. It is okay to move around energetically if that is your personality, however it is also appropriate for a 3MT presentation to be delivered from a single spot on stage.
  • Do not make the common mistakes of rolling back and forth on your heels, pacing for no reason or playing with your hair as these habits are distracting for the audience.

Record yourself

  • Record and listen to your presentation to hear where you pause, speak too quickly or get it just right.
  • Then work on your weaknesses and exploit your strengths.

Look to the stars!

  • Watch your role models such as academics, politicians and journalists, and break down their strengths and weaknesses.
  • Analyse how they engage with their audience.
  • Visit  the Queensland 3MT website , the Vitae 3MT webpages or search YouTube to view presentations from previous 3MT finalists.
  • While there is no dress code, if you are unsure of how to dress you may like to dress for a job interview or an important meeting. It is important that you feel comfortable so you can focus on your presentation.
  • If you are presenting on a stage that has a wooden floor, be aware of the noise your footwear might make.
  • Do not wear a costume of any kind as this is against the rules (as is the use of props).

Further resources

There are many resources available online for further help. Useful ones might include:

Presenting your research effectively and with confidence - By previous 3MT finalists (Taylor & Francis resource)

How a competition changed my academic life - By Jamie Khoo, 2018 UK People's Choice winner

Is it worth doing the three minute thesis?  - By Mary Woessner, Victoria University

How to win the 3 minute thesis  - By Dr Inger Mewburn (aka @thesiswhisperer)

Making the most of your 3 minutes  - Simon Clews, University of Melbourne

Talk nerdy to me  - Melissa Marshall's TED talk

Vitae's 3MT webpages

These guidance pages are part of the University of Queensland's official 3MT competitor resources

E : [email protected]

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Tips for a successful 3MT presentation

Being successful in the 3MT involves much more than summarizing your research in three minutes. You need to be able to connect with your audience: explain your work in a way non-experts can understand and in a way that makes them interested in hearing what you have to say.

Your talk is the focal point of your presentation. Most of your preparation time should be spent on crafting your talk than on creating your slide.

Prepare your talk

Although your talk is only three minutes, it will take time to craft a concise presentation of your graduate research in a way that can be understood by and is engaging for a non-expert audience. Below are suggestions to help you create a successful 3MT presentation.

Summarize your work verbally

You'll want to prepare your talk in writing, but you might want to start by expressing your thoughts verbally and using an audio or video recordor to capture what you say.

Write for your audience

  • Your presentation needs to be understandable and engaging for people who are not experts in your field of study.
  • Avoid jargon and academic language.
  • Explain concepts and people important to your research - you may know all about Professor Smith’s theories but your audience may not.
  • Highlight the outcomes of your research, and the desired outcome.
  • Focus on the big picture, not the details that you typically share in a presentation with experts and peers in your field.
  • Imagine that you are explaining your research to a close family member or friend. Explain your work in a way that they could understand what you do and why it is important.
  • However, also make sure you do not simplify the explanation of your work so much that it becomes trivial.
  • Convey your excitement and enthusiasm for your subject.

Tell a story

  • You may like to present your 3MT as a narrative, with a beginning, middle, and end.
  • It’s not easy to condense your research into three minutes, so you may find it easier to break your presentation down into smaller sections.
  • Try writing an opener to catch the attention of the audience, then highlight your different points, and finally, have a summary to restate the importance of your work.

Introduction

  • You are not required to introduce yourself in your talk, and it is recommended that you do not introduce yourself because this will count towards your three minute time limit. Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before you give your presentation.

Have a clear outcome in mind

  • Know what you want your audience to take away from your presentation.
  • Try to leave the audience with an understanding of what you’re doing, why it is important, and what you hope to achieve.

What not to do

  • Do not write your presentation like an academic paper.
  • Try to use shorter words, shorter sentences, and shorter paragraphs.
  • You can use humor, but be careful not to devalue your presentation.

Create your slide

Your video should include a single, static slide. Transitions, movement, animations, and sound are not permitted.

Tips for a successful slide

  • Your talk, not the slide, is the most critical part of the presentation
  • Less is more: Too much t ext and complicated graphics can distract your audience – you don’t want them to read your slide instead of listening to your talk
  • Do not rely on your slide to convey your message: The slide should simply complement your oration. If the slide were not displayed, the audience should should still understand and be engaged by your talk
  • Work your message: Think about how your slide might be able to assist with the format and delivery of your presentation – is there a metaphor that helps explain your research?
  • An engaging visual presentation can make or break any oration, so make sure your slide is legible, clear, and concise
  • Title and introduction: You may include your presentation title on your slide, but it is not required . Your name, degree program, and presentation title will be announced before your video is played. Therefore, you also should not spend time introducing yourself in your presentation because it will count toward your time limit.

Practice, seek feedback, revise

  • Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, or video record yourself, review the recording, and find ways to improve.
  • Practice in front of different audiences--colleagues, grad students in other disciplines, family, friends--and ask for feedack
  • Ask your audience if your presentation clearly highlights what your research is about and why it is important. Can they explain to another person what you do and why it's important?

Use the One Button Plus Studio

Located in the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab on the first floor of Hale Library, this small studio room features studio lighting, cameras, microphones, a green screen, and recording equipment that operates through minimal effort. It’s ideal for recording presentations, interviews, and podcasts.

How can the studio help me prepare for the 3MT?

  • Easily capture a high quality video recording of your presentation to review or share with others to review.
  • You might have different ideas for explaining your research. Use the One Button Plus Studio to capture different versions of your presentation. Then review or share with others to help you select the best version of your presentation.

Reserve the One Button Plus Studio To use the studio, users plug in a USB flash drive or portable hard drive and touch the touchscreen interface to activate the studio’s lighting, camera and confidence monitor. The user can then adjust lighting, change the background or simply start recording.

Make a reservation!

Additional resources

  • View videos of K-State's previous 3MT® winners and videos of 3MT® winners from around the world for examples of successful 3MT® presentations.
  • Your Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Presentation for Presenting on What You Do as a Graduate Student and How it Matters by Brad Rickelman, Meridian Technology Center for Business Development (video presentation)
  • Making the Most of Your Three Minutes (pdf) by Simon Clews, University of Melbourne
  • The Up-Goer Five Text Editor - Can you explain your thesis using only the 1,000 most commonly used words? Give it a try with this text editor. While we do not recommend that you use this text editor to prepare your entire 3MT® presentation, it can help you identify terms and concepts that may not be well known outside of your field and will require some explanation if used in your presentation. This tool might be especially helpful with developing a presentation title.
  • Thesis Gold by Paul Geiger
  • Communicating Science: An Introductory Communication Guide for Conveying Scientific Information to Academic and Public Audiences
  • The David Attenborough Style of Scientific Presentation (pdf) - This document is designed for preparing a presentation longer than three minutes, but many of the principles are applicable to a three-minute presentation.
  • Make an appointment with the Writing Center to receive feedback on how to strengthen your three-minute oration.

Information sessions

Sessions were held in the fall semester to get students acquainted with the 3MT and to share guidance on how to prepare a successful 3MT presentation.

Missed the sessions? Watch a recording View slides from the session (pdf)

  • Updated: 1/15/24

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  • Nov 21, 2022

How to write a winning 3MT script

That’s how many words are in a typical PhD thesis. Years of gruelling research, sleepless nights, and history-making breakthroughs… culminated into one VERY thick book. To present something of this scale would take you approximately 9 hours. 🤯

Scientist public speaking at a lectern in front of a giant book filled with text and graphs. Text reads: Thesis

But what do you do when you only have 3 minutes? ⏰

Well, that’s exactly what thousands of PhD students worldwide do each year in the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. Not only do they explain their super complex research in the time it takes to make a coffee, but they do it in a way that can be understood by a non-specialist audience.

But we know what you’re thinking…

So, how do you even win a competition like that? Well first of all, you’re going to need a 3MT script. And we’re about to teach you how to write a WINNING one. 🏅

Not only that, but this blog post marks the beginning of a multi-part series that will cover all the important aspects of preparing a winning 3MT – from writing a captivating speech, to creating an effective slide, and of course, nailing your delivery.

What is the 3MT competition?

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition is an annual public speaking competition, where PhD candidates describe the impact and scope of their research in 3 minutes to a non-specialist audience. It was launched by the University of Queensland in 2008 and has since gained traction in over 85 countries around the world! 🌍

Put simply, it’s a fancy elevator pitch. Just imagine that it’s a really slow elevator.

Like any good competition, the 3MT has some rules. Here’s a run-down of some of the big ones:

Rules of the 3MT® competition:

You must use a single static PowerPoint slide with no transitions or animations.

You are limited to 3 minutes maximum. Competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.

Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs)… Sorry to all the aspiring rapper-researchers out there.

You can find a comprehensive list of the rules on the official UQ 3MT website.

Well, now that’s out of the way, let’s get into our tips on how to write a winning 3MT script! In this article, I’ll discuss some strategies that I used to craft my own winning 3MT script, but I’ve also watched lots of other award-winning 3MT presentations and identified some common features they share, so that you don’t have to. 😉

#1 : The hook 🪝

Every great 3MT presentation starts off with an attention-grabbing opener, otherwise known as ‘the hook.’ It’s a storytelling essential, and is undoubtedly one of the most important components of the 3MT script.

An orange fish looking enticingly at a worm on a fishing hook under water. The hook is tied to a label with text. Text reads: Attention Grabber.

One clever way to hook the audience in a 3MT presentation is to start off by asking a question , which creates a sense of open dialogue with the listener. For instance, these 3MT finalists began their presentations by asking:

Excerpts from 3MT examples. Text reads: “Did you grow up in a picture perfect family?” (Sarah Mokrzycki, 2021 Asia-Pacific Finalist, Victoria University) ”What does your breath say about you?” (Merryn Baker, 2022 Asia-Pacific Finalist, UNSW)

Full videos: Sarah Mokrzycki | Merryn Baker

You can see how the simple act of asking a question makes us reflect on our own personal views and encourages us to engage with the presentation. 💭 Another way to achieve a similar effect is to begin your talk by prompting the audience to act. An effective example of this is presented here:

Excerpt from 3MT example. Text reads: “I want you to tip your head back all the way… now swallow. It’s an uncomfortable, almost impossible feeling, isn’t it?” (Amanda Khamis, 2022 Asia-Pacific Runner Up, University of Sydney)

Full video: Amanda Khamis

Prompting the listener to act is a powerful way to immerse the audience into a particular scenario by making use of their senses. It can be easily achieved by asking the audience to look around the room, visualise a scene using their imagination, or simply taking a deep breath. 😮‍💨

Finally, several fantastic 3MT presentations also begin with a hook that startles the reader by making an unusual, interesting, or thought-provoking statement. This can be done numerous ways, such as through the use of:

Oxymoron: A figure of speech that combines two contradicting words (i.e., ‘deafening silence’ and ‘old news’).

Paradox: A self-contradictory statement that may actually be true (i.e., ‘less is more’).

Irony: Use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning (i.e., telling a rude customer to ‘have a nice day’).

Here are some good 3MT examples where the presenter has opened with a startling hook:

Excerpts from 3MT examples. Text reads: “The opposite of black is yellow.” (Sophie Jano, 2021, University of South Australia Runner-Up) ”I wonder why you’re listening, and what’s going to keep you listening for the next 2 minutes and 55 seconds of your life.” (Kylie Sturgess, 2020 Asia-Pacific Finalist, Murdoch University)

Full videos: Sophie Jano | Kylie Sturgess

The success of this technique arises from its element of surprise, which keeps the listener intrigued and curious. Basically, the more shocking or unexpected the hook, the better. 😲

However, with all this being said, there’s certainly no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to begin your 3MT, and that’s the beauty of creativity. But in case you’re stuck for ideas, here are a few sentence starters to give you some inspiration for creating a compelling hook for your 3MT script:

Sentence starter ideas for the 3MT Hook. Text reads: What if I told you… Think about the last time you… How many of you… Imagine that… Take a look at… Did you know…

Once you’ve got the crowd hooked, it’s a prime opportunity to reel them in for your story. 📖

#2 : Tell a story

An open book in front of a variety of scientific illustrations.

If you watch all the award-winning 3MT presentations, you’ll notice that they have one thing in common: they all tell a story. And they do it well.

But how do we turn our own complex, and often niche, research into a compelling story? Well, thankfully, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can stand on the shoulders of SciComm giants... 👣

No one is more of an expert at the ins and outs of storytelling than Dr Randy Olson ; scientist-turned-filmmaker, and co-author of the book Connection: Hollywood Storytelling meets Critical Thinking ( a.k.a. our SciComm holy bible). Many of the principles discussed in this section come straight from this remarkable work, which made it to our top 5 must-read science communication books . 📚

As we know from pretty much every Hollywood blockbuster, all good stories have a beginning, middle, and end. In Connection , Randy further develops this idea by outlining what he calls the ‘ABT Template’, which stands for ‘And, But, Therefore.’ These represent the three key components that make up every good story. We’ve talked about the ABT template before , and how it can be used to elevate your storytelling. But, in case you missed it, I’ll use my own research as an example as we work through this concept.

Typically, in the beginning of a story, there’s some exposition. These are facts that help set the scene and ensure that the speaker and audience are all on the same page (pun intended). 😉 These facts can be connected using the word AND. For example:

“Cancer is deadly and traditional chemotherapy is one treatment option.”

Any statements we connect with ‘and’ are typically things that everyone would agree with, so you can quality-check your ‘and’ section by making sure you agree with all the facts you are connecting.

Okay, so we’ve set the scene. But this isn’t really a story yet, is it? The actual story doesn’t begin until there’s a source of tension or conflict , and the simplest word to make this happen is the word BUT:

“Cancer is deadly and traditional chemotherapy is one treatment option, but it comes with a lot of side effects.”

You can see that the ‘but’ is what makes things interesting. It’s what keeps the audience wanting more and makes them ask “Well, what happens next?”

It doesn’t have to be the word ‘but’ either – there are a lot of words that essentially do the same thing, such as however, although, except , and unfortunately, to name a few… (The thesaurus could be your best friend here). What these words have in common is that they create this critical sense of tension.

Following this, is the outcome , which is where the THEREFORE comes in.

“Cancer is deadly and chemotherapy is one treatment option, but it comes with a lot of side effects. Therefore , in our research, we load these drugs into tiny carriers called nanoparticles, which can help to reduce their adverse effects.”

‘Therefore’ is the word that brings everything together. It marks the beginning of a journey of discovery, which eventually leads to the resolution.

You can see how, by simply including these three key words: and, but and therefore , we have generated the foundations of a good story. Your 3MT script will obviously need to be longer than two sentences, but the ABT template provides a useful scaffold that you can build from to ensure that your story is compelling. If you’re interested in reading more on the ABT template and how it can be utilised, make sure to give Connection a read. 📖

To help you shape your story using the ABT template, here are some questions you can aim to answer in the beginning, middle, and end of your 3MT script:

A checkpoint roadmap for the 3MT structure according to the ABT Template, including question prompts.

Hopefully this outline can help you create a captivating and persuasive story to communicate your research effectively. Because, in the wise words of Dr Randy Olson, “Tell a good story and the whole world will listen.”

So, we’ve got our story. But what other strategies can we use to make it a little more interesting? Let’s unpack our storytelling toolkit to see how we can spice things up. 🌶

#3 : Your storytelling toolkit: analogies, humour & creation of a character

Top-down view of an open toolbox with three spanners inside, each labelled with bold text. Text reads: Analogies, Humour & Character

In addition to using the ABT template to write a compelling narrative structure, there are also several other tools that you can use to connect with your audience and make your story as easy to understand as possible.

One powerful way to do this is to relate your research to a more common experience by using an analogy . Analogies allow us to compare similarities between two seemingly different things. For instance, when I did the 3MT, I used an analogy to compare nanoparticles – a topic that’s not very common – to cars, something that almost everyone is familiar with:

Left: A blood vessel with an enlarged section to show a diagram of a drug-loaded nanoparticle. Right: A road with an enlarged image of passengers in the car.

Full video: Cintya Dharmayanti

As you can see, this works because the analogy serves to provide a simpler, more easily understood explanation using concepts and examples from everyday life. 🚗

Besides analogies, another useful tool to create a captivating story is the use of humour . Because who doesn’t like a good laugh, right? 😂 Comedic relief can help you create a bond with the listener and provide some emotional reprieve for what may otherwise be a serious presentation.

Humour is used well in this winning 3MT presentation:

Excerpt from 3MT example. Text reads: “Which is stronger: the land, or the sea? The sea of course! It has so many mussels.” (Trevyn Toone, 2022 Asia-Pacific Winner, University of Auckland)

Full video: Trevyn Toone

In this example, humour helps to keep us engaged with the presentation and gives us a good impression of the presenter. However, some care does need to be taken with the use of humour, so as to not devalue the presentation. Don’t worry if you’re not a comedian though (or if your research topics are too grim to joke about), there are still other effective ways to make your story shine.

Yellow caution sign with text. Text reads: CAUTION. Care must be taken with the use of humour in the 3MT.

Some of the most immersive 3MTs are those that introduce a character , fictional or not, and follow that character’s story. This is a particularly useful tool if your research involves a topic that strikes a strong emotional response. The following example executed this well, where the speaker refers to a photo of an adorable young infant with a feeding tube:

Excerpt from 3MT example. Text reads: “I bet you’re wondering who this little cutie is. This is James. James has cerebral palsy and dysphagia. My PhD is testing which treatments best help babies like James to eat and drink.” (Amanda Khamis, 2022 Asia-Pacific Runner-Up, University of Sydney)

This is so effective because it encourages us to empathise with the character and persuades us to see the importance of the presenter’s research. Whether it’s analogies, humour, or the creation of a character, there are lots of ways to make your story relatable and more easily understood.

Now that we’ve got some ideas from our storytelling toolkit, let’s move on! 🙌

#4 : Goodbye technical jargon 👋

Open trash can surrounded by flies and examples of technical jargon.

Imagine being in a different country, where you don’t speak the native language. You’re chatting with a local, but they can’t speak your language very fluently. The conversation is interspersed with foreign words that you can’t quite understand, so the meaning of the exchange ultimately becomes lost.

Confused woman surrounded by mathematical expressions meme..

That’s what it’s like trying to understand complex research when it’s filled with terminology and jargon only an expert in that field would know. 🤓

Remember that the 3MT is for a non-specialist audience, which is very different to a conference presentation that’s mostly filled with experts in the field. As scientists, it’s our job to make sure that we are speaking the same language as our audience, and for the 3MT, that means avoiding the use of language that’s too niche or technical. We can still explain complex concepts using language that’s easy to understand!

But how do you do that, when you’ve spent years in academia doing the opposite? 😅

The best way to avoid the overuse of jargon is to simply seek the help of a non-specialist. Ask someone that’s not in your field of research to listen to your presentation and provide feedback. Perhaps this is a friend, family, or fellow student from a completely different department. Does your story make sense to them? If not, it probably won’t make sense to many people in the 3MT audience.

I remember when I was preparing my 3MT script, I went through this exact process! Reading it aloud to my mum, sister, and pretty much anyone who would listen, to make sure each sentence was easy to follow and understand. It’s actually what helped me come up with the idea of the car- analogy in the first place! So, keep iterating and tweaking your presentation until it makes sense to the mailman, the bus driver, and the neighbour down the road.

Also, make sure to keep your story focused on the big picture, rather than getting bogged down in the details and data. Not only will this make your presentation hard to understand, but it’s also more likely to make it B.O.R.I.N.G. and lead to blank stares !

When you’ve ticked all these boxes – great! You’re ready to move on.

#5 : The finisher: Coming full circle

Good job! You’re almost done. Time to add the finishing touch. We can all agree that a strong finish makes for a more memorable presentation. One trend that’s very common amongst winning 3MT presentations is the way that they finish: by bringing their story full circle. As the name suggests, this essentially means that the presenter refers back to the beginning of the story, especially if a particular character, scenario, or analogy is used.

A circular diagram describing the 3MT story structure.

For instance, in this winning 3MT example, the presentation begins with:

Excerpt from 3MT example. Text reads: “I love the moon. Wouldn’t it be cool to live there? I want to build a house, with a deck, and a decent view… the Earth.”

Then, as the presentation comes to a close, the final segment ends by referring back to the opening sentence:

Excerpt from 3MT example. Text reads: “So… next time you’re out at night, I want you to look for the. moon. It’s normally up,  sometimes slightly sideways, and just think about what you’re seeing… Think about the intense sunlight up there, the lack of air, the vacuum… and the fact that despite those things, maybe we could live there. Maybe in a house, maybe with a deck, with what is, let’s be honest, a pretty awesome view.” (Matthew Shaw, 2021 Asia-Pacific Winner, Swinburne University of Technology

Full video: Matthew Shaw

By bringing the story full circle, the audience gains a sense of satisfaction and closure as the cycle returns to its beginnings and the status quo is restored.

Take-away messages

The thought of distilling years of research down to just 3 minutes can be daunting, especially when it’s a competition. 😰 However, if you:

Create an attention-grabbing hook

Tell a captivating story using the ABT template

Use tools such as analogies, humour, and characters

Get rid of technical jargon, and

Bring your story full circle

You’re well on your way to writing a fantastic 3MT script! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s tell your story. Time is ticking. 😉⏰

And remember – if you want to further master your storytelling and public speaking skills, we’d love to show you how in one of our online or in-person science communication workshops .

Feel free to contact us to find out more!

Cintya Dharmayanti

Dr Juan Miguel Balbin

Dr Tullio Rossi

Illustration

Alvin Yanga

presentation these en 3 minutes

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Wayne State University

Graduate school graduate school, three-minute thesis (3mt) guidelines.

Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland in 2008. Participants present their thesis work in a short presentation using a single slide. The competition challenges students to distill their research ideas and discoveries into a concise, compelling presentation that can be understood by a general, non-specialist audience.

The 2024 3MT will take place during the Feb. 28, 2024, Graduate Research Symposium. After three years in a virtual environment, the GRS will return to its original in-person format in 2024 at the Student Center. GRS attendees will score the presentations and select a winner, who will move on to compete at the  Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools  April 4-6, 2024 in Clayton, MO.

The submission window is now closed.

Eligibility

The competition is open to Ph.D. students completing a thesis or a dissertation.

  • Participants can use only one static PowerPoint slide. (No transitions, animations, or movement are allowed.)
  • No additional electronic media are allowed. 
  • No props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, models, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
  • Presentations are limited to three minutes; competitors who exceed the time limit will be disqualified.
  • Presentations must be spoken word. No poems, raps, or songs are allowed.
  • Participants must deliver their remarks from the stage.
  • Presentations are considered to have begun when participants begin speaking or moving.
  • The winners of the 3MT competition at the GRS will be selected by popular vote and the decision will be final.

Presentations will be judged by the participating audience.  Every member of the audience will vote for their top three presentations according to the criteria listed below. (Each audience member can vote only once for a specific competitor.)  The scores from all audience members will be compiled to determine the winners.

Comprehension and content

  • Did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
  • Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?

Engagement and communication

  • Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
  • First place - $1000 plus the registration fee to attend the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools competition  
  • Second place - $500 award
  • Third place - $300 award 
  • 3MT Competitor Guide by The University of Queensland (2017)
  • 3MT: The Three Most Common Mistakes , a video featuring Inger Mewburn, director of research training at Australian National University
  • 3MT: Three Tips to Help You Prepare a Winning Presentation , video featuring Rosanna Stevens, 2014 winner of the Australian National University 3MT competition
  • How to Talk about Your Thesis in Three Minutes , a Prezi presentation by Inger Mewburn (2012)
  • Making the Most of Your Three Minutes , a guide by Simon Clews
  • Winning Tips for Preparing a Three-Minute Thesis Presentation , video by Sean McGraw  

Presentations

  • 2017 People's Choice Award  winner, Nisansala Muthunayake, Chemistry
  • 2017 First Place (tie), Xavier Swiecki, Art and Art History
  • 2017 First Place (tie), Daniel Harrison, History
  • View 3MT presentations on the University of Queensland's 3MT website

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Three Minute Thesis/Ma thèse en 180 secondes FINALS

Register to join us in person or online on April 3 from 3:00 - 5:00pm!

Meet the finalists and judges , what is 3mt/mt180.

In the University-wide 3MT/MT180 competition, graduate students have the chance to showcase their leading-edge research before a live audience. With only three minutes and a single slide, students must engage their audience and convey the complexities of their work to a diverse, non-expert audience. Participants may present their research in English or in French and winners will advance to regional and national competitions.

3MT/MT180: 2022 edition

Watch the McGill's 2022 3MT/MT180 Competition where more than 150 graduate students accepted the Three Minute Thesis challenge. Chasing glory and cash prizes, 15 finalists advanced to the final competition. Check out the recording to see their presentations and learn more about their research.

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/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="presentation these en 3 minutes"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Three minute thesis.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a competition for doctoral students to develop and showcase their research communication skills.

3MT Competition

Could you present your 80,000 word thesis or dissertation in three minutes? Do you want the excitement of competing with other graduate students for a total of $2,500 in prizes and the opportunity to participate in the Northeastern (U.S. and Canadian) round or even to showcase your research at the annual Council of Graduate Schools meeting?

 3MT is an annual competition sponsored by the Cornell Graduate School. 3MT challenges research-degree students to present a compelling story on their dissertation or thesis and its significance in just three minutes, in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. All enrolled doctoral students at the research stage (with at least some results to share) are eligible. In 2024, the Graduate School 3MT is also open to research master’s students. The next competition will take place in Spring 2025.

Learn more about the 2024 Graduate School 3MT competition.

Email [email protected] with any questions.

All newly created videos on this website are accessible. Closed captions are available for the video on this page, and selecting the option to watch in YouTube will provide a transcript for the video. For an accommodation for this archival video, please contact [email protected] .

The first 3MT was held at The University of Queensland (UQ) in 2008 with 160 graduate students competing. Enthusiasm for the 3MT concept grew, and its adoption by numerous universities led to the development of an international competition in 2010. Today students from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Asia-Pacific region take part in their own regional and national events.

Cornell Graduate School hosted its ninth 3MT competition final round event on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Video submissions for the preliminary round was due on March 1, 2024, and was reviewed by a panel of volunteer judges using a common scoring rubric to select the finalists.

At the final round event, held in person on the Ithaca campus, a panel of judges scored presentations and selected the top two finalists. Additionally, audience members were able to vote for their favorite presenter for the People’s Choice Award.

3MT Resources

  • Watch videos of finalists from Cornell’s 3MT contests .
  • Learn more about the 2024 3MT winners and finalists .
  • Learn more about the 2023 3MT winners and finalists .
  • Learn more about the 2022 3MT winner and finalists .
  • Learn more about the 2021 3MT winner and finalists .
  • Learn more about the 2019 3MT winner and finalists .
  • Learn more about the 2018 3MT winner and finalists .
  • Learn more about the 2017 3MT winner and finalists .
  • Watch a video of the inaugural 2019 Ivy 3MT event . Read more about the 2019 Ivy 3MT event .
  • Watch videos of winning presentations from around the world .
  • Read more about the Three Minute Thesis in Science Magazine .
  • Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
  • Presentations are to be spoken word (i.e. no poems, raps, or songs).
  • Presentations are considered to have commenced when presenters start their presentation through movement or speech.
  • Presentations are to commence from the stage.
  • A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any kind) and 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.
  • Zoom backgrounds are considered props. Please ensure your background is a blank screen or wall. 
  • The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Judging Criteria

Each of the judging criteria has equal weight. Note what each criterion has in common: An emphasis on audience.

Comprehension and Content

  • Did the presentation provide a clear background and significance to the research question?
  • Did the presentation clearly describe the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research?
  • Did the presentation clearly describe the conclusions, outcomes, and impact of the research?

Engagement and Communication

  • Was the oration delivered clearly, and in language appropriate for a non-specialist audience?
  • Was the PowerPoint slide clear and did it enhance the presentation?
  • Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research, and capture and maintain the audience’s attention?

For more information about the Cornell competition, email  [email protected] .

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The Pipette Gazette

11 tips for the 3 minute thesis competition.

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After coaching both the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and 3-minute post doc competitions at the University of Buffalo, here are my 10 tips for taking 1st   place in the competition:

presentation these en 3 minutes

Start with “Why,” end with “Why.”

As researchers interacting with our peers, we develop a methods-centric style of speaking. This style is based on the assumption that the person you are speaking with already understands the larger context of your research, an assumption which is often incorrect when speaking to a layperson. Instead, start by explaining the problems you are solving so the significance of your work can be clearly understood. Then, end your talk by reiterating this point and offer a “vision of the future” – a world which is different (presumably better) because of your work today.

presentation these en 3 minutes

Lose the details.

There is no such thing as a research subject that is too boring or obscure for 3MT. It’s the challenge of this competition that you must find what is interesting and exciting about your work and convey it succinctly. This information should be in your opening lines so you can hook the audience in. Many students will instinctively start by offering a detailed lecture on their research subject, citing case numbers and describing mechanisms – this is guaranteed to confuse the layperson who will be unable to put these facts and figures into their pre-existing understanding of the world. Start with broad, accessible ideas, work slowly towards the general details of your work, and then finish with more broad, accessible ideas. It should be apparent to the audience at every point what you are saying and why it makes sense. This will make the listener feel all the smarter for having understood you and, consequently, they will be excited for your research.

presentation these en 3 minutes

Tell a story.

You are the storyteller. You need to enthrall your audience so they can understand your research and its significance. Use drama to your advantage. Establish the scene and present the struggle which your research hopes to understand or resolve. A brilliant example of this comes from a student I coached for the 2018 3MT finals at UB, Camila Consiglio, in her talk on sex difference in immune responses. She begins by explaining healthy immunity as a finely tuned “thermostat.” As she explains, “a healthy immune system is strong enough to fight infections and prevent the development of cancer but not so strong that it can attack the body.” She then points out an unexpected finding: “Men are thought to be the stronger sex… but, when it comes to immune responses, men have weaker immune responses and develop more cancer and more infections than women… And women have too strong of an immune response and they develop autoimmunity.” These contrasting ideas of strength vs weakness in immunity between men and women creates a dramatic tension: “why does immunity differ between the sexes?” She then excitedly resolves the tension, saying that “the hand which controls the thermostat is sex hormones .” However, this leads to a new mystery: “which sex hormones? And how do they influence immunity?” The cycle of posing and answering questions through research keeps the listener interested and engaged throughout the remainder of the talk. In my experience, most science-based 3MT talks can implement a similar pattern to enthrall the listener with their research.

presentation these en 3 minutes

The PowerPoint slide is a trap. Do not fall for it.

The PowerPoint slide has long been the downfall of 3MT competitors because it plays upon the most basic instinct of the researcher: the desire to convey complex technical information in PowerPoint form. You must resist this urge. Watch the international 3MT competition – notice that the finalists have little or no information on their slides. That is because they know that, in 3MT, the speaker is the ultimate source of information. When a slide is overloaded with information (especially any significant amount of text), it is a distraction from the speaker. A typical slide on a winning presentation uses the slide to set a mood or tone or to convey a main talking point from which the speech draws upon. An example of this can be found in the slide used by another student I coached, Naila Sahar, in her talk on the contradictions between depiction and reality for Muslim women. Her PowerPoint shows 6 prominent Muslim women who have been depicted as deranged or downtrodden by various media sources. She points out the stark contrast between these “false narratives” and the reality of their inner strength and great accomplishments. The noble and dignified images of these women highlight this point succinctly.

presentation these en 3 minutes

Use The Slide As A Prop.

Additionally, some speakers use their slide as a prop in their talk. My favorite example of this comes from another student I coached, Anne Marie, in her presentation for the 2018 3MT finals at UB. She uses the slide to present a complex and confusing work of modern art in order to generate dramatic tension and mild discomfort for the listener. But, as she talks, the audience actively gains great appreciation for the art and comes to understand its value.

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Take the listener on a journey.

Good 3MT talks are interesting. Great 3MT talks are a revelation. The former conveys ideas to the listener. The latter transforms the listener’s world view.  I again return to Anne Marie’s 3MT talk . She challenges the listener’s preconceived notions about modern art, teaches them to understand and appreciate it like she does, and, by the end, the listener has embodied a new outlook on art which will serve them for the rest of their lives. Another superb example comes from another student I coached, Philip Odonkor, with his 1 st place 3MT talk on his research in electrical sensors. His provocative title, “Is your house smarter than a mud hut?,”  encapsulates his challenge to the listener: to recognize that, despite our immense technological advances, our homes are typically as “dumb” as a mud hut. He paints a vision of the future for his audience in which they see themselves living a life of pampered luxury in their smart home. By the end of his talk, the listener believes deeply in the future Phil’s research will create.

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Breathe and speak slowly.

Every time you practice your speech, take a few seconds to breathe deeply before you begin. In the competition, the clock does not start until you begin speaking – so you have time to catch your breath and center yourself. If you practice breathing every time, you will remember to do it when you are in the real competition. Also speak slowly – about 50%-65% of your typical speaking speed. In the competition, you will speed up naturally because of anxiety. If you have practiced talking slowly, then you will not speed up too much when under pressure. Additionally, you may forget a line or stumble during the competition. If you have given yourself plenty of breathing room, you can take a moment to re-center without any fear of going overtime.

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Don’t tell.

An interesting facet of human learning: we are generally much better at understanding and retaining visual information than information which we hear. If you want to win 3MT, the audience has to see your ideas, not just hear them. That is why the restriction to one slide is there – it forces you to make people see your ideas using only your words, your tone, and your body language. Once you have a final script for your talk, start styling it. Techniques you can easily employ involve pausing, speeding up/slowing down, and getting louder/quieter. These verbal cues add a layer of additional context that helps your audience understand the picture you are painting. Additionally, use your body language to indicate concepts. Your hands and the orientation of your face are the strongest cues. Phil’s 3MT talk is again a wonderful example of all these techniques executed masterfully. At one point, he says “make sense of the world around them, and the people living within ”. On the word “around” he gestures in a wide circle with his hands and then on the syllable “-in” he brings them back into his chest. While the audience is unlikely to consciously notice the motions, they are painting a deeply vivid picture all the same.  Again, notice the hands as he says “as you crawl out of bed , the light automatically adjusts to complement the natural light coming in ” – for each of the italicized words in that sentence, Phil essentially mimed out the concept using his hands and head orientation. See if you can find ways to similarly mime out aspects of your speech as well.

presentation these en 3 minutes

Practice. Win.

Some of you might be thinking you can speak extemporaneously and win 3MT. Think again. A great 3MT presentation combines three layers: (1) the words, (2) the way in which the words are spoken, and (3) the gestures and facial expressions used to help convey meaning. All three must be polished. The words and tone can both be polished by speaking them aloud, recording yourself, and playing it back so you can adjust. When you feel the urge to say “Um” or “Uh”, pause instead. The facial expressions and gestures can be practiced in the mirror or by video recording yourself. In my experience, before you can truly master the tone, timing, and gestures, the words must be committed to memory entirely. Then, once you have your final words, speaking style, and gestures, you can begin to practice over and over until you can consistently do your speech perfectly within the target time limit. 3MT winners often practice at least 50 times over the span of several days before the competition.

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Stand on the shoulders of giants.

Watch previous year’s 3MT finals at Queensland University. Emulate aspects of these talks which you like within your own speech. TED talks are another great resource (though few are 3 minutes or less). Additionally, check out great books such as Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” and Chris Anderson’s “TED Talks: The Official Guide to Public Speaking”. I have personally read both books and found them to be immensely valuable resources for prepping for competitions like 3MT.

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Remember that you have the opportunity in 3MT to tell your audience about your awesome, exciting research so they can get just as jazzed up about it as you are. Ultimately you are giving them a gift, one that will improve their lives and bring them the joy which comes with learning something new and understanding something complex. A strategy employed by many professional presenters before they begin to speak is to say to themselves “I love my audience, and they love me”. While perhaps a bit egotistical, such rituals are centering for 3MT presenters too because it helps them get into the right headspace: you are here to give the gift of knowledge and understanding, so your audience is going to enjoy hearing your talk and learning about your research.

While 3MT can feel daunting and scary, the simple act of participating and doing your best will make you a better scientist and communicator regardless of whether you win. Also, do not forget that there are many resources to get help if you want it. You can schedule an appointment to speak with me by emailing me at [email protected]  and there are many resources available online for learning the skills to win 3MT such as those provided by Queensland University .

Best of luck!

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Higher Degrees by Research...Start your 3MT journey here

An 80,000 word phd thesis would take 9 hours to present. your time limit... 3 minutes..

  • What is 3MT?
  • Why Participate?

The Three Minute Thesis competition celebrates the exciting research conducted by Doctor of Philosophy students. Developed by The University of Queensland, 3MT cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

The idea for 3MT came about at a time when the state of Queensland was suffering severe drought. To conserve water, residents were encouraged to time their showers, and many people had a three minute egg timer fixed to the wall in their bathroom. The then Dean of the Graduate School, Emeritus Professor Alan Lawson, put two and two together and the idea for the 3MT competition was born.

The first 3MT competition was held at UQ in 2008 with 160 Higher Degree by Research candidates competing. In 2009 and 2010 the 3MT competition was promoted to other Australian and New Zealand universities and enthusiasm for the concept grew. Due to its adoption in numerous universities, a multi- national event was developed, and the Inaugural Trans- Tasman 3MT competition was held at UQ in 2010. Since 2011 the popularity of the competition has increased and 3MT competitions are now held in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide. In November 2013, the first Universitas 21 (U21) 3MT competition was held with several universities from around the world competing in a virtual competition. 2016 bought about an expansion of the Trans-Tasman 3MT competition to include universities from South-East and North Asia regions. The competition is now called the Asia-Pacific 3MT competition and is hosted annually by UQ.

In 2020 3MT moved to a temporary virtual format due to COVID-19 and has continued to be held around the word in either a virtual or live format (depending on local COVID-19 restrictions).

2008 - The first 3MT competition was held at UQ  with 160 Higher Degree by Research candidates competing.

2009 - The 3MT competition was promoted to other Australian and New Zealand universities and enthusiasm for the concept grew.

2010 - A multi- national event was developed, and the Inaugural Trans-Tasman 3MT competition was held at UQ.

2013 - The first Universitas 21 (U21) 3MT Competition was held with several universities from around the world competing in a virtual   competition.

2016 - The Trans-Tasman 3MT competition expanded to include universities from South-East and North Asia regions and was renamed the Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition and is hosted annually by UQ.

2020 - 3MT moves to a temporary virtual format due to COVID-19.

2021 - 3MT continues to be held around the world in either a virtual or live format (depending on local COVID-19 restrictions)

Now - 3MT is held in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide .

Skills development for research candidates Participating in 3MT develops academic, presentation and research communication skills, while developing research candidates’ ability to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Building research culture in universities 3MT provides a valuable opportunity for HDR candidates to come together (live or virtually), get to know one another and talk about their research. It also provides a supportive environment in which schools, institutes and universities can provide presentation skills training. Building external relations for the university 3MT winners may go on to represent their university at national and international 3MT competitions which provides an excellent networking and professional development opportunity. Previous 3MT finalists have benefited from invitations to a variety of other networking events following their participation in the competition. Winner of the 2014 UQ 3MT Dr Megan Rossi talks about how the 3MT competition helped her career.

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3-Minute Thesis Competition for Research Postgraduate Students

Three Minute Thesis (3MT ® ) is a competition for research students to develop and showcase their research communication skills through 3-minute presentations. This year, the final at HKUST will take place on 20 June.

What is 3MT ® ?

Having originated at the University of Queensland in 2008, the 3MT® competition was gradually promoted to other universities in Australia, New Zealand and then around the world. It is now held as an annual competition in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries. In addition to 3MT® at individual universities, there are also regional competitions around the globe:

  • The Asia-Pacific 3MT for universities from across Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, North-East Asia and South-East Asia.
  • MENA 3MT for universities from 19 Middle East and North Africa regions (will commence soon)
  • U21 3MT for member universities of Universitas 21
  • Vitae 3MT for UK universities

As the name suggests, it challenges doctoral students to compress their research into an engaging 3-minute speech. The 3MT® event aims to:

  • cultivate PhD students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills; and
  • increase their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialists audience.

3MT ® at HKUST – Final on 20 June 2022

3MT® competition at HKUST has been around since 2014. Due to the pandemic, 3MT was suspended in 2020 and the 2021 competition was switched to video recording presentation plus live Q&A via Zoom in 2021. The 2022 Final will take place online on 20 June 14:30-16:00 . You can find the Zoom link to the event at https://3mt.hkust.edu.hk/info#tabs-2 .

If the champion awardee is a PhD student, s/he will represent HKUST to compete at the 2022 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT. Otherwise, the opportunity will go to the awardee who ranks the highest among all the PhD finalists.

Judging Criteria & Rules

3MT presentations will be evaluated based on set judging criteria related to the comprehension, content, engagement and communication. There are also several rules that participants should follow, such as:

  • Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum.
  • Only 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 to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).

Prepare Yourself with 3MT ® Resources

The deadline for entering the 2022 3MT competition has passed, yet it is never too late to prepare yourself for the next round.

Whether you are a final year research student or only a few months into your PhD candidacy, 3MT competition is a good learning experience where you could hone your presentation skills and continue to further your research ideas along the PhD journey.

“My first impression of 3MT® was that it required you to trivialize your research so that people can understand it better. However, as a participant, I realized it’s definitely not the case. In fact, it helped me put in perspective three very important things: Why? What? How? A simple answer to these three questions is what 3MT® is all about, and that is what helped me realize the purpose of my PhD and helped me maintain focus all these years.” – Usman Bin Shahid, Runner-up of HKUST 3MT 2019 & 2021, sharing on how 3MT benefitted him ( Source ).

For ideas and inspiration on how to develop your own, please see the below links for many examples of previous 3MT finalists from a broad range of disciplines:

  • Examples of 3MT presentation s (Official Website)
  • Collection of 3MT presentations (Vimeo) 
  • Three tips to help you prepare a winning presentation (YouTube)

– By Eunice Wong , Library

  • HKUST Research

Tags: 3MT , research showcase , science communication , thesis presentation , three minute thesis

published May 26, 2022

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Concours "3 minutes pour une thèse"

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L'IRSN organise un concours d'éloquence destiné aux doctorants de l'Institut et intitulé "3 minutes pour une thèse". Il se déroule pendant les Journées des thèses, séminaire des doctorants de l'IRSN. Les trois première éditions ont eu lieu en 2015, 2017 et 2019. L'objectif des doctorants : résumer trois années de thèse en trois minutes, de la façon la plus intéressante et claire possible, face au public des Journées des thèses.

Ce concours est inspiré du concours "Ma thèse en 180 secondes" (MT180) organisé en France par des regroupements d'universités volontaires avec l'appui du CNRS et de la Conférence des présidents d'universités (CPU). Il est issu d'un concept de l'Université australienne du Queensland, Three minutes thesis (3MT) , créé en 2008 et repris en 2012 par l'Association des savoirs francophones (Afcas), qui a souhaité l'étendre à l'ensemble des pays francophones.

Édition 2022

Neuf doctorants ont participé au concours qui s'est déroulé à La Colle sur Loup en mars 2022. La lauréate Marie Frèrejacques a été élue par un jury composé du public ainsi que des coordonnateurs de la formation par la recherche des Pôles Sûreté nucléaire et Santé-Environnement de l'IRSN.

Voir les vidéos des prestations

Prix 2022 : La BD  Un crime toxique presque parfait

Édition 2020

Neuf doctorants ont participé au concours qui s'est déroulé à Fontenay-aux-Roses en octobre 2020. Le lauréat Loïc Quevarec a été élu par un jury composé du public ainsi que des coordonnateurs de la formation par la recherche des Pôles Sûreté nucléaire et Santé-Environnement de l'IRSN.

Prix 2020 : La BD  Théorie de l'évolution : info ou intox ?

Édition 2019

Douze doctorants ont participé au concours lors des Journées des thèses en avril 2019. Le lauréat Mathias Roger a été élu par un jury composé du public ainsi que des coordonnateurs de la formation par la recherche des Pôles Sûreté nucléaire et Santé-Environnement de l'IRSN.

  • La BD :  Ô marge ! Ô mémoire ! Ô rationnel esprit ! N'avez-vous donc vécu que pour cette industrie ? sur la thèse de Mathias Roger
  • Les strips :  Lire

Édition 2017

Dix doctorants ont participé au concours lors des Journées des thèses en mars 2017. La lauréate Sabine Hoffman a été élue par un jury composé du public ainsi que de l'Adjoint au Directeur de la stratégie de l'IRSN et d’un représentant du Directeur scientifique. En fin d'année 2016, deux doctorants s'étaient déjà prêtés à l'exercice, hors concours.

Édition 2015

Dix doctorants ont participé au concours lors des Journées des thèses en mars 2015. La lauréate Élodie Mintet a été élue par un jury composé du public ainsi que du Directeur de la stratégie de l'IRSN et d’un représentant du Directeur scientifique. En fin d'année 2014, deux doctorantes en fin de thèse s'étaient prêtées à l'exercice, hors concours.

​ En savoir plus sur les thèses en cours

En savoir plus sur les thèses soutenues

IMAGES

  1. 3 Minute Thesis Presentation Boost Academic Skills

    presentation these en 3 minutes

  2. 50 3 minute presentation topics to get you started

    presentation these en 3 minutes

  3. how to make a 3 minute powerpoint presentation

    presentation these en 3 minutes

  4. 13 modèles présentation soutenance pfe, stage et mémoire en powerpoint

    presentation these en 3 minutes

  5. Module se présenter en 3 minutes

    presentation these en 3 minutes

  6. Learn how to give a 3 minute presentation in under 3 minutes

    presentation these en 3 minutes

VIDEO

  1. Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2010 presentation by Danau Tanu

  2. 2018 Three Minute Thesis Finalist

  3. MA THÈSE EN 180 SECONDES

  4. 2016 University of Waterloo

  5. Did You Know? -- These 2 minutes can change your life

  6. Ma thèse en 180 secondes

COMMENTS

  1. How to design an impactful 3MT slide (with examples!)

    Tip #3: Choose an eye-catching visual… or make one 👀. In the same way that 'the hook' in your 3MT script helps to pique the audience's attention, the slide is another important tool to capture their attention and keep them engaged. But to do this, it needs to be eye-catching and interesting.

  2. Preparing your 3MT presentation : Three Minute Thesis : ... : Sussex

    How to win the 3 minute thesis - By Dr Inger Mewburn (aka @thesiswhisperer) Making the most of your 3 minutes - Simon Clews, University of Melbourne. Talk nerdy to me - Melissa Marshall's TED talk. Vitae's 3MT webpages . These guidance pages are part of the University of Queensland's official 3MT competitor resources

  3. Tips for a successful 3MT presentation

    Being successful in the 3MT involves much more than summarizing your research in three minutes. You need to be able to connect with your audience: explain your work in a way non-experts can understand and in a way that makes them interested in hearing what you have to say. Your talk is the focal point of your presentation. Most of your ...

  4. How to write a winning 3MT script

    How to write a winning 3MT script. 80,000. That's how many words are in a typical PhD thesis. Years of gruelling research, sleepless nights, and history-making breakthroughs… culminated into one VERY thick book. To present something of this scale would take you approximately 9 hours. 🤯.

  5. Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) guidelines

    Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) guidelines. Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland in 2008. Participants present their thesis work in a short presentation using a single slide. The competition challenges students to distill their research ideas and discoveries into a concise ...

  6. PDF Crafting a winning 3-minute thesis presentation

    Crafting a winning 3-minute thesis presentation. Three-minute thesis presentations require a 3-minute presentation for a general audience accompanied by one PowerPoint slide. In this presentation, we'll cover: Planning the presentation. Preparing the presentation. Delivering the presentation.

  7. Winning Tips for Preparing a Successful Three-Minute Thesis 3MT

    Advice for anyone wanting to share their specialty with a general audience!Astrophysics PhD student Sean McGraw provides an introduction to the Three-Minute ...

  8. Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)

    The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland. Ph.D. researchers have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance. The idea behind it is to increase researchers' academic, presentation, and research communication skills, capacities ...

  9. PDF 3 Minute Thesis

    Do not write your presentation like an academic paper. Try to use shorter words, shorter sentences and shorter paragraphs. You can use humour, however be careful not to dumb down your presentation. Revise Proof your 3MT presentation by reading it aloud, to yourself and to an audience of friends and family. This allows

  10. PDF 3 Presenter'S Guidebook Minute Build Skills. Thesis Promote Your Research

    3 MINUTE THESIS Pacing Speak at a reasonable pace (average roughly 150 words/minute) Avoid "ums", "ahs" and "ers" Silent Pauses Why you should use them: o To collect your thoughts o You appear in control and confident o To give the audience time to process your message How to use them: o Before starting your talk o When you transition from one point to the next

  11. Three Minute Thesis / Ma thèse en 180 secondes

    With only three minutes and a single slide, students must engage their audience and convey the complexities of their work to a diverse, non-expert audience. Participants may present their research in English or in French and winners will advance to regional and national competitions. 3MT/MT180: 2022 edition Watch the McGill's 2022 3MT/MT180 ...

  12. 3MT competitor guide

    3MT competitor guide. Even the world's best public speakers prepare before important presentations. To assist you with your preparations, please find a few suggestions below that will help you in writing your presentation, creating your slide and practising your presentation. Avoid jargon and academic language.

  13. Three Minute Thesis : Graduate School

    3MT is an annual competition sponsored by the Cornell Graduate School. 3MT challenges research-degree students to present a compelling story on their dissertation or thesis and its significance in just three minutes, in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. All enrolled doctoral students at the research stage (with at least some ...

  14. Your thesis, in 3 minutes

    Last week, after 3 months of regional competitions, France ran its own version of a national 3-minute thesis competition. Twenty-seven finalists, chosen from almost 680 participants from across the country, presented their work at the final of the " Ma thèse en 180 secondes " competition (MT 180) , organized by the French Conference of ...

  15. 11 Tips For The 3 Minute Thesis Competition

    After coaching both the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and 3-minute post doc competitions at the University of Buffalo, here are my 10 tips for taking 1st place in the competition: Start with "Why," end with "Why." As researchers interacting with our peers, we develop a methods-centric style of speaking. This style is based on the assumption that the person you are speaking with already ...

  16. Higher Degrees by Research...Start your 3MT journey here

    The Three Minute Thesis competition celebrates the exciting research conducted by Doctor of Philosophy students. Developed by The University of Queensland, 3MT cultivates students' academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a ...

  17. How to make a great presentation

    The secret structure of great talks. From the "I have a dream" speech to Steve Jobs' iPhone launch, many great talks have a common structure that helps their message resonate with listeners. In this talk, presentation expert Nancy Duarte shares practical lessons on how to make a powerful call-to-action. 18:00.

  18. UCO: Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)

    There will be a visible timer and a signal when 15 seconds remain. Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified. Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs). Presentations are to commence from the stage. Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter ...

  19. 3-Minute Thesis Competition for Research Postgraduate Students

    3MT ® at HKUST - Final on 20 June 2022. 3MT® competition at HKUST has been around since 2014. Due to the pandemic, 3MT was suspended in 2020 and the 2021 competition was switched to video recording presentation plus live Q&A via Zoom in 2021. The 2022 Final will take place online on 20 June 14:30-16:00. You can find the Zoom link to the ...

  20. Concours Ma thèse en 180 secondes: conseils de présentation

    Thomas Gervais, professeur titulaire en génie physique à Polytechnique Montréal, et Viviane Lalande, diplômée à la maîtrise et au doctorat à Polytechnique et...

  21. Concours "3 minutes pour une thèse"

    27/04/2023. . L'IRSN organise un concours d'éloquence destiné aux doctorants de l'Institut et intitulé "3 minutes pour une thèse". Il se déroule pendant les Journées des thèses, séminaire des doctorants de l'IRSN. Les trois première éditions ont eu lieu en 2015, 2017 et 2019. L'objectif des doctorants : résumer trois années de ...

  22. The Secret To A Successful 3-Minute Presentation

    The beauty in doing this is that it's easy to time yourself. All you do is write the text you plan to say when presenting, and read it out loud while timing yourself. You keep doing this until ...

  23. Ma thèse en 3 minutes

    Le 22 mai 2019, dans le cadre du 57e congrès annuel de la SQSP à l'Université de Montréal, le comité scientifique a organisé le concours « Ma thèse en 3 minu...