Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) at Trent

Trent graduate students present years of research in just three minutes

What is the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)?

The Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT®) presents Masters and Ph.D. students with the ultimate challenge: to explain their complex and highly specialized research and ideas to a general audience in just three minutes, using only one Power Point slide.

3MT® was begun at the University of Queensland in 2008 as part of an effort to encourage graduate students to develop their skills in communicating their research. It has spread to universities throughout the world with students participating in a wide range of university, regional, and international competitions.

This event is presented by Traill College and Trent Academic Skills. Read more about 3MT 2024

Why Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)?

The skills developed while preparing for and competing in 3MT® are central to graduate students' growth as professionals. From job interviews, to networking with colleagues at conferences, to conversations with family and friends, graduate students are often in situations where they must describe their research, and its larger importance, in language accessible and engaging to a non-specialist audience. Forcing participants to balance complexity and depth with clarity and concision, 3MT® hones skills that will benefit graduate students as they move toward professional careers.

3MT® also provides an excellent opportunity for conversation across disciplines. Participants will share key insights from their research and polish their presentation skills.

Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, as well as the Audience Choice Prize, will be awarded. Dollar value of the prizes to be determined.

Eligibility

  • Students must be registered in a Trent Masters (Thesis or MRP) or PhD program at the time of the 3MT® competition, and must have made substantial progress on their research and analysis.  Course-based Masters students are ineligible.
  • PhD and Masters students who have defended but have not yet graduated are eligible to participate.
  • Presentations must be based on research that is directly related to the student’s graduate program thesis, dissertation or MRP. The 3MT® presentation must represent the research of the presenter.
  • Presenters must agree to be recorded on video and allow the video to be shared publicly.
  • Presenters must consent to 3MT® confidentiality/intellectual property guidelines.

Rules

  1. A single static Power Point slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or "movement" of any description). The slide must remain in view for the entire presentation.
  2. No additional electronic media (such as sound and/or video files) are permitted.
  3. No props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
  4. Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
  5. Presentations are to be spoken (for example, no poems, raps or songs).
  6. Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts the presentation through movement or speech.
  7. No notes are allowed during the presentation.
  8. The decision of the judges' panel is final.

Applications for 2025 3MT are closed.

How To Apply to Participate in 3MT

  • Review the eligibility and confidentiality information and ensure that you are able to participate in Three Minute Thesis.
  • Once the applications open, you will be able to access a form that will ask you for information about your program and thesis. You should be prepared to provide a tentative title (we promise you can change it later), a three-sentence description of your proposed 3MT talk, as well as a brief summary of how you have completed a significant portion of your research and analysis for your thesis.
  • Your application will be reviewed by the Graduate Program Directors Committee.
  • The application committee will review your application and allocate spots in a manner that a) ensures that a diverse range of Trent's graduate programs are represented b) gives priority to students who have completed a significant portion of their research and analysis.

Important: Depending on the number of applications received, all applicants may be required to participate in a preliminary heat the week of March 10th. If this is the case, the heat participants with the highest scores, along with several wildcard participants, will move on to the 3MT final.

Judging Criteria

Trent's 3MT® Competition will be decided by 3- 5 esteemed judges, including members of the Trent and Peterborough communities and Trent Alumni. Together, the panel represents a diverse range of perspectives.

Each competitor’s presentation will be assessed according to the criteria listed below. Please note that each criterion is equally weighted.

Communication

  • Did the presenter use language and terminology that was clear and understandable?
  • Was the pace of the talk effective?
  • Did the presenter use non-verbal communication (i.e. eye contact, voice modulation, body language, etc.) effectively?
  • Did the slide enhance, rather than detract from, the talk – was it clear, legible, and concise?

Comprehension

  • Did the talk help you to understand the scholarly research and creativity?
  • Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and purpose of the scholarly research?
  • Did the presenter clearly indicate what is interesting about the scholarly research?
  • Did the talk follow a logical sequence?

Engagement

  • Was the talk engaging?
  • Did the talk inspire you to want to know more?
  • Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?
  • Did the presenter capture and maintain your attention?

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Guidelines

  1. The information presented during 3MT must represent the work of the presenter.
  2. Judges and audience members are not asked to sign non-disclosure agreements. If participants' research is being/has been conducted under contract with an outside sponsor, they should discuss the related contractual terms of confidentiality and intellectual property with their supervisor(s) before presenting the research project.
  3. All public sessions of the competition, including, but not limited to, video streaming of the presentations, are open to the public at large. These public sessions may be broadcast to interested persons through media which may include the Internet.
  4. Any data or information discussed or divulged in public sessions by presenters should be considered information that will likely enter the public realm, and presenters should not assume any right of confidentiality in any data or information discussed, divulged, or presented in these sessions. This means if your research includes confidential or culturally sensitive material you should think very carefully about how you can present this information. We advise that you discuss your competition entry with your supervisor(s) before entering 3MT.
  5. Traill College, The School of Graduate Studies, and Trent University may make photographs, videotapes, and/or audiotapes of the presentations. The digital representations may be used in future marketing of the event or may be used for future educational purposes.

Resources for Participants

Resources to Help You Create Your 3MT presentation

Trent 3MT Presentation to Participants

Presenters to attend one of the following sessions: 

  • Monday, February 24 at 2:00 to 4:00 pm Bagnani Hall, Traill College
  • Tuesday, February 25 at 2:00 to 4:00 pm Bagnani Hall, Traill College

These sessions will provide detailed information to participants and offer tips to create a successful 3MT® presentation. Get to know the rules of the competition, what the judges are looking for, the items that you are required to submit for your presentation, and effective strategies for drafting your 3MT® talk and designing your 3MT® slide. 

Book an appointment with an Academic Skills Instructor

Academic Skills Instructors can help you to craft your script for the 3MT® and help to focus your message for your 3MT® slide. As well, they can act as an audience to help you practice your presentation.

Book an appointment with Academic Skills: Student Experience Portal

Dress Rehearsal for 3MT®

 A dress rehearsal prior to the competition will be held 2 – 3 days prior to the final event to familiarize you with the logistics of your performance and the 3MT® format. Date and time to be determined.   

Outside of Trent Resources 

There are many resources online to help you to create an excellent 3MT® presentation. Here are few examples:  

Video Archive of Past Competitions

2025 Trent University 3MT Competition

 

The School of Graduate Studies Grand Prize and Office of Research and Innovation Audience Choice Award Winner

Dylan James (Psychology) - Not Just right: Exploring Interoception and Incompleteness in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Catharine Parr Traill 2nd Place Winner

Stephanie Aultman (Anthropology) - Trees & Bushes & Shrubs Oh My! Traditional Ecological Knowledge in North-Central Belize

Trent Graduate Student Association (TGSA) 3rd Place Winner

Oscar Šiler (History) - The Trent-Severn Waterway: Drowned Lands and Shifting Lifeways

2024 Trent University 3MT Competition


The School of Graduate Studies 1st Place Winner and Office of Research and Innovation Audience Choice Winner

Jenna Bolzon (Psychology) - Standing up for Science: Paying Attention to Replication Issues can Unearth a Ton of Problems

Catharine Parr Traill 2nd Place Winner

Stephanie Aultman (Anthropology) - Memories of the Forest: Traditional Ecological Knowledge in North Central Belize

Trent Graduate Student Association (TGSA) 3rd Place Winner

Christian Bihun (Environmental and Life Sciences) - Solving the Bioenergetic Equation for Walleye in the Great Lakes

2023 Trent University 3MT (R) Competition

 

The School of Graduate Studies 1st Place Prize

Jordan Till (Psychology) - Paint Me a Picture:  Longitudinal Symptoms Stability and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Trent Graduate Student Association 2nd Place Prize

Sandra Klemet-N'Guessan (Environmental and Life Sciences) - Brown or Green in Your Tea Affects Your Pee: A Wet Critters Tale

Catharine Parr Traill College People's Choice Award

Jordan Till (Psychology) - Paint Me a Picture:  Longitudinal Symptoms Stability and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

2022 Trent University 3MT (R) Competition 

Watch the 2022 Trent University 3MT Competition Video

The School of Graduate Studies 1st Place Prize

Sasha Newar - The Nocturnal Gliders: Ultrasonic Communication across Gliding Mammalia

The Catharine Parr Traill 2nd Place Prize

Tristan Baecklund – Fungus and the Bat: Temporal Analysis of Host Genetics in Response to an Invasive Pathogen

The Trent Graduate Students Association 3rd Place Prize

Simal Iftikhar – The Lie we Tell: Educational Barriers of Refugee Students in Canada

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia. Trent University would like to thank the University of Queensland and Queen's University for use of language and images included on this site.

Trent University respectfully acknowledges it is located on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishnaabeg. We offer our gratitude to First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.

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