Can you condense and refine your research project to quickly and succinctly explain it to your peers and the wider community? And can you do it in less than 180 seconds? The 3MT competition can teach you how!
Flinders University PhD students are invited to compete to promote their research, develop their communication skills, boost their career and be in the running to win the Asia-Pacific 3MT prize of a $5,000 research travel grant.
This year’s Flinders 3MT Competition is well underway with the Final coming up on Friday the 8th September from 2:30-4:00pm. The Heats and Semi-Final have been wonderful demonstrations of the amazing and diverse research being undertaken by Flinders PhD researchers. If you missed these events, we encourage you to watch the recordings (heat 1, heat 2, heat 3, semi-final).
In the most recent competition round, our Semi-Finalist competitors did an incredible job of incorporating the Judges feedback from the Heats – sharpening both their abilities to describe their research methods and articulate the significance of their research. The final is shaping up to be tough competition, with the topic six competitors in the Semi-Final separated by just a few points! You can learn more about these finalists here. Join us in person or online to vote for your favourite competitor as these finalists compete for the chance to represent Flinders at the Asia Pacific final.
Friday 8 September
2.30pm-4.00pm
Health Science Lecture Theatre Complex (HSLTC 1.01)
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) celebrates the exciting research conducted by PhD students around the world. Developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), the competition cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Presenting in a 3MT competition increases their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Competitors are allowed one PowerPoint slide, but no other resources or props.
Every year, Flinders University students compete in the competition, throughout heats, semi-finals and finals, and our winner then competes at the Asia-Pacific Final in Brisbane.
Students currently undertaking a PhD who have successfully passed their confirmation of candidature.
The competition is streamlined centrally with students presenting their research to cross-disciplinary peers.
The competition runs as follows:
Flinders University will award the prizes up to the University final, and the winner for Flinders University will be in the running to win the Asia-Pacific 3MT prize of $5,000, held in Brisbane, Australia.
Heat | Winner | Runner-up | People's choice |
---|---|---|---|
First round heats | $100 | $50 | |
Semi-final | $250 | $100 | |
University final | $2,000 | $1,000 | $500 |
Asia-Pacific | $5,000 Research travel grant | $2,000 Research travel grant | $1,000 Research travel grant |
Competition dates are detailed below:
Date |
Session |
Location |
Time |
Thursday 15 June 2023 |
Registration Deadline |
|
|
Wednesday 21 June 2023 |
Heat 1 – CBGL + CHASS |
HSTLC 1.01 |
10.00am-12pm |
Thursday 22 June 2023 |
Heat 2 – CEPSW + CNHS |
HSTLC 1.01 |
1.00pm-3.00pm |
Friday 23 June 2023 |
Heat 3 – CMPH + CSE |
HSTLC 1.01 |
10.00am-12.00pm |
Friday 25 August 2023 |
Semi Final |
HSTLC 1.01 |
2.30pm-4.30pm |
Friday 8 September 2023 |
University Final |
HSLTC 1.01 |
2.30pm-4.00pm |
Wednesday 18 October 2023 | Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition Final | Virtually |
There are 3 judging criteria through which each three minute thesis presentation will be judged:
Each judge will score contestants on a numerical scale designed around the above criteria.
“So, what’s your PhD about?” is the most common question I get. The 3MT has given me an opportunity as well as challenge, to communicate my research to a wider non specialist audience. The interaction with other PhD students reminded me that while the journey is one undertaken independently, it is not a lonely one. The 3MT has also helped hone my presentation skills and is one of the most enjoyable experiences thus far in my PhD!
“The 3 Minute Thesis competition was a timely and valuable experience that will remain one of the most memorable of my PhD. I was mid-candidature and waist deep in the first of three studies. The competition gave me the opportunity to return to the purpose of my project and develop a clear narrative. This focussed my writing and made the remaining stages of my PhD clearer, contributing to my first PhD publication and a successful seed grant application to fund my final study. The competition itself was thoroughly enjoyable, and taught me the value of conveying my research message in a way that is concise and connects with the audience on a personal level. I would highly recommend all PhD candidates take part at some stage during their candidature.”
"Participating in the 3 Minute Thesis has been one of the highlights of my PhD. Doctoral studies can be very lonely, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you have to process every day. The 3MT training sessions were a fun, relaxed opportunity to experiment with ideas and get a fresh perspective on my research. I discovered that I was part of a community of passionate scholars who were all doing amazing work in their respective fields. Condensing my research down to three minutes and finding engaging ways to explain its value to a non-specialist audience helped me to clarify my thinking and re-connect with my data in a new way. As this year’s trainer, I’m really excited to share what I’ve learned with you. So, I hope you’ll consider giving it a go. You might win some cash – you might even get to travel overseas representing Flinders University in the finals – but more importantly, by participating in the 3 Minute Thesis you will take the first step towards sharing your research with the world. And after all, as emerging researchers, isn’t that what we're all here for?”
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