What is 3MT?
The 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) is a university-wide competition for research-based master’s thesis and doctoral students at Old Dominion University. Competitors have one still slide and three minutes to explain the scope and significance of their research to a general audience.
The Three Minute Thesis competition cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills.
The competition also supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.
About 3MT
"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."
Why Participate in 3MT?
- Participation in the 3MT competition gives students the opportunity to hone their skills in public speaking and communication, and increase their research perspective.
- Students can improve their presentation skills.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be in good standing (3.0 GPA or higher; will be verified).
- Must be completing a thesis for a master's degree or a dissertation for a Ph.D. degree between the time of the event and summer of that year.
- Must be able to compete in person at the dress rehearsal and competition on the agreed dates.
3MT Rules
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animation or movement of any kind; 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).
- Zoom backgrounds are considered props. Please ensure your background is a blank screen or wall.
- Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
- Presentations are to commence from the stage.
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when presenters start their presentation through movement or speech.
- The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
3MT Judging Criteria
The judges in attendance base their decisions on the following questions.
- Provides understanding and avoided jargon?
- Describes the impact/results of research including conclusions and outcomes?
- Follows a clear and logical sequence?
- Communicates the thesis topic, research significance, results/impact and outcome in language for a non-specialist audience?
- Spent adequate time on each element of the presentation – or elaborate too long on one part of the presentation?
Engagement & Communication
- Makes audience want to know more?
- Careful not to trivialize/generalize research?
- Conveys enthusiasm for research?
- Captures and maintains audience’s attention?
- Provides sufficient stage presence, eye contact, vocal range, steady pace and confident stance?
- PowerPoint slide enhances presentation – ensuring it is clear, legible and concise?
How did ODU's 3MT Competition Start?
Within one year of founding the Graduate School in 2016, we added a 3MT competition to showcase our talented graduate scholars and to engage the community in their research. We had attended a regional 3MT competition, witnessed its excitement and energy, and experienced the joy it brought our peer institutions when they cheered on their representatives. We knew immediately that ODU should join the competition.
From the first year, the ODU 3MT was designed to build professional skills in community scholarship. The work to create a rigorous research presentation that engaged and entertained a general audience required months of work, hours of practice, shared feedback, students supporting each other, and plenty of fun along the way as competitors bonded. We knew immediately that the students' work deserved a high-profile event with extensive participation from local professionals and VIPs as much as the University community alone. To that end, students have competed in the University Theatre every year except during COVID when it was only a virtual event. We have added live streaming to the event as well. This resulted in more than 300 worldwide audience members watching the 2021-2022 3MT. Our emcees have been local media personalities; our judges have come from the local arts, military, engineering, legal, entrepreneurial, medical, and other communities. And, each and every year the event has produced amazing presentations that have brought to life scholarship that may not have ever been considered by the public outside of a discipline.
ODU's inaugural 3MT Competition was held in the fall of 2017. Eleven graduate students from nine disciplines set a high bar for which all competitions since have aimed to meet - and have they ever! Since that first event, forty-two students have competed with the first-place recipient representing ODU at that same regional competition which is hosted by the Council of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS). In 2021, our winner won 2nd place overall at the CSGS event which involved more than 40 competitors from as many as 15 states.
3MT Photo & Video Archive
Coming Soon!