What is it?

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition is an academic research communication competition that challenges graduate students to explain their research project and its significance to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes.  During the presentation, students must explain and summarize their research using only speech and one static PowerPoint slide. 

The 3MT competition was developed by the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, and is designed to cultivate graduate students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Additionally, students increase their capability to effectively communicate the importance of their research to a non-specialized audience. 

 

About the 3MT® Competition

The 3MT competition rules and guidelines are based on the criteria set forth by the University of Queensland.

• Students will compete in a preliminary round(heat), with no more than 10 students per heat. The top three from each heat will move on to the Finals.
• The finalists from the preliminary round will compete again in the final round. Judges will select First, Second, and Third Place winners.
• The overall winner (first place) will continue on to the regional competition hosted by the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools. 

 

Fall 2022 Competition

Champion: B. Celia Cui, Pharmaceutical Sciences
1st Runner-Up: Gelareh Rezvan, Chemical Engineering
2nd Runner-Up: Taylor Larison, Chemistry

 

When is it?
 

The 3MT competition is held once per year. The Fall 2022 competition was held on November 11, 2022. The date for the Fall 2023 competition will be announced in September 2023.

 

Eligibility

Any current USC graduate student in any program is welcome to present.

 

Questions?

Email us at culpeppa@mailbox.sc.edu.