Three minute thesis competition
This year's 3MT Competition is going DIGITAL
What is 3MT?
They say that, on average, it would take nine hours to present an eighty thousand-word thesis to an audience. You have three minutes.
3-Minute Thesis (3MT) is an annual competition held between PhD and MPhil candidates at faculty, university, Asia Pacific levels. In only three minutes, using only a single static slide, participants stand before a live audience and present their research – what they’re doing, how they’re doing it, and why.
However, in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, 3MT is moving online: now, competitors will record their three-minute talk as a video presentation and upload it to social media, where both the judges and the public will cast their votes.
This change presents exciting new opportunities. For those who are wary of public speaking, this year’s 3MT is a chance to get some presenting experience in a less-confronting environment, while building critical skills in digital self-promotion, media production and communicating with a non-specialist audience (all of which have never been more attractive to an employer).
And of course, an online 3MT means that – for the first time in the competition’s twelve-year history – off-campus research candidates will be more easily able to enter and compete alongside their on-campus peers, gaining valuable skills, prizes and academic exposure.
But otherwise, the requirements of 3MT remain unchanged. You’ll still be called upon to extract the deepest essence of your work – what makes it exciting, compelling and important to mankind – reflect on why it’s meaningful to you personally, and develop a speech that plays to your strengths and preferred presentation style.
Competing in 3MT not only enhances your confidence and communication skills, but affords you a vital opportunity to publicise your research (and yourself) to both academia and industry, and the wider public.
Your 3MT Guide including the rules, judging criteria and recording tips can be found here.
Your faculty will provide details of your heat and the registration form can be found here.
Further details of the University's 3MT Final will be provided in due course.
NUPSA’s 3MT Training Sessions
NUPSA’s role in the competition each year is to provide training to research candidates – to familiarise you with the rules and requirements of 3MT, give you tips on structuring your talk and finding your own presentational style, and opportunities to practice.
3MT Training, Part 1: Rules, Criteria and Writing Your Speech
Tuesday, June 2, 2pm
Online Clubhouse (via NUPSA website)
3MT Training, Part 2: Recording, Editing and Uploading Your Speech
Tuesday, June 9, 2pm
Online Clubhouse (via NUPSA website)