2012 3MT winners with Professor John-Finlay Jones and Professor Kerry O. Cox
Three Minute Thesis (3MT™)
Three Minute Thesis (3MT™) is a research communication competition where Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates have three minutes to explain their research and its significance to an intelligent but non-specialist audience with the use of one PowerPoint slide. 3MT provides a unique opportunity to profile and celebrate the innovative research conducted by research candidates at ECU and from around the world.
The exercise develops skills students will need when pitching to government and industry, as well as in explaining their research to their friends and families. 3MT is not an exercise in trivialising or 'dumbing-down' research, but challenges candidates to consolidate their ideas and research discoveries so they can be presented concisely.
Registration for the ECU competition opens Thursday, 11 April 2013.
ECU 3MT Competition Final
Date: Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Honours Final: 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Higher Degree by Research Final: 2.00pm - 4.00pm
Venue: Edith Cowan University, Mount Lawley Campus, B10 Room 131
Followed by refreshments from 4.00pm in the Kurnongkurl Katijin Gallery.
3MT Trans-Tasman Competition Final
Date: Friday, 18 October 2013
Venue: University of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus
Why do it?
Skills training for Higher Degree by Research Candidates
The exercise develops academic, presentation and research communication skills, while developing research candidate’s ability to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to any audience. Translating research into 'everyday' speak is an important skill. The Graduate Research School provides research training workshops for all participants.
Building research culture in Schools and Faculties
3MT provides a valuable opportunity for HDR students to come together, get to know one another and talk about their research. It also provides a supportive environment for Schools and Faculties to provide presentation skills training.
ECU prizes
The ECU HDR Finalists will receive the following prizes:
- First prize = $2,000 plus an all expenses paid trip to the University of Western Sydney, to represent ECU at the 3MT Grand Final.
- Second Prize = $1,250
- Third Prize = $750
- People’s Choice = $500
- First prize = $1,000
- Runner Up = $750
- Third Prize = $500
Eligibility for Trans-Tasman 3MT Competition
- Active PhD or Master by Research Candidates (thesis under submission, no graduates)
- The ECU Finalist must be available to represent ECU at the Competition Grand Final.
Rules
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description)
- 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
- The decision of the judging panel is final
Judging criteria
- Communication style: was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?
- Comprehension: did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
- Engagement: Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
3MT history
The first 3MT was held at UQ in 2008. Since its inception the Three Minute Thesis has experienced significant growth, with 43 universities from Australia and New Zealand now participating. The 3MT concept has been adopted internationally with competitions now being held in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Vietnam. ECU joined the competition in 2010.