COLLEGE OF

Education and Human Development

Three minute thesis (3MT) competition

Think of 3MT as a way to prepare your elevator speech--a method to narrow down tens of thousands of words of research to a three-minute presentation, while effectively explaining your research project in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Presenting in a 3MT competition will enhance your ability to communicate the "bottom-line-why"-- why your research matters and why it makes a difference. You may win some money along the way, too.

The purpose of 3MT is to:

  • Celebrate the exciting research conducted by PhD students in CEHD
  • Cultivate students' academic, presentation, and research communication skills
  • Develop students' online professional presence via filmed presentations that will be shared on YouTube and can be addedto their portfolio

Prizes

  • 1st Place = $1,000
  • Runner-up = $500
  • People's choice = $500

Rules

  • Single static PowerPoint slide. No slide transitions, animations, or “movement” of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from beginning of oration.
  • No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
  • No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, lab equipment) are permitted.
  • Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum, and participants exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
  • Presentations are to commence from the stage.
  • Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps, or songs).
  • Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts her presentation through either movement or speech.
  • The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Preliminary

Rather than holding the preliminary rounds in person, we will be accepting online submissions, which will then be reviewed by a panel of judges. Please be aware that you will be presenting in person if you are chosen to move on to the final round.

No longer accepting proposals for 2025.

Final

The final round of 3MT will be held on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in the Heritage Room at McNamara Hall, as part of CEHD Research Day.

For more information, please email Michael DallaValle, Assistant Director of Graduate Education, at mdallava@umn.edu.

Resources