Months of work . . . 180 seconds to explain it.
Congratulations to all presenters who competed in the 2026 3-Minute Paper Competition!
2026 Prize Winners
Diego Siblal (Durham-GTA, Psychology), Investigating Hearing Health in Young Adults: Linking Anxiety and Confidence with Audiological Measures
- Overall Prize, sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
- Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Shannon Learoyd (Otonabee College, Biology), Just Keep Skimming: Pools as an Overlooked Cause of Mortality in Urban Wildlife
- First Runner Up Prize, sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Services
- Best Visuals Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Marie Kowdrysh (Durham-GTA, Psychology), Examining Mental Health and Perfectionism in Female Competitive Gymnasts: Are Gymnasts Already Vulnerable to Maltreatment?
- Second Runner Up Prize, sponsored by the Trent Teaching Commons
Anna Hykawy (Lady Eaton College, Sociology), Behind the Helping Hand: Addressing Barriers to Volunteerism in Peterborough
- Social JUST-ice Prize, sponsored by the Journal of Undergraduate Studies at Trent (JUST)
3-Minute Paper Competition 2026 Video
- What is 3MP?
- Why is it exciting?
- Eligibility and Application
- Competition Rules
- Judging criteria
- Prizes
- 3MP Videos
- Program Sponsors
- Contact Us
What is 3MP?
3-Minute Paper (3MP) is an exciting competition for undergraduate students developed in collaboration by the colleges of Trent University and the Academic Skills; this initiative was sparked by the success of the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition where Trent graduate students explain their highly specialized research to a general audience in a short three minutes with the support of a single PowerPoint slide.
Open to Trent students completing an honours seminar, an honours thesis, or a major project in any discipline, the 3MP competition challenges undergraduates to present their work to others, in a clear, concise, and engaging manner. Participants have three minutes to explain their research from one major assignment in an upper year course. 3MP challenges students to balance complexity and depth with clarity and concision as they explain their research question, their findings, and its relevance to the Trent community; participants can use up to three PowerPoint slides as visual aids to support their talk.
Read more about the 2024 3-Minute Paper Competition
Why is it exciting?
Students develop essential communication skills in the planning, preparation, and performance of their talk. These skills are important as undergraduates move on to professional careers or graduate school, where they need to be able to describe their research, and its larger importance, in language that is accessible and engaging to a non-specialist audience.
Participation in 3-Minute Paper supports undergraduate students in the development of valuable skills for job interviews, networking, professional education, or graduate studies. The event provides students with opportunities to expand their resumes and portfolios.
This event showcases the wide range of undergraduate research opportunities at Trent and encourages students to learn about work beyond their own disciplines. Learn more from past participants:
Testimonial from 2016 3MP Participant, Kelly McLean:
"I participated in the 3MP competition last year, and it was very difficult to condense my honours thesis work into 3 short minutes. I currently work for the Canadian Wildlife Service and am representing my office this weekend at a climate change conference for youth. Once again I have to talk about my work in 3 short minutes! I will definitely use the skills I learned in the competition to prepare."
Eligibility & Application
Applications for 3MP 2026 are now closed.
- Participants must be currently registered in the 3rd or 4th year of a Trent undergraduate degree program. The competition is open to students from Peterborough and Durham; further, spaces are available for students from all of Trent's colleges (Champlain, Eaton, Gzowski, Otonabee, Traill). The 3MP committee works to ensure balanced representation between campuses, colleges, and programs of study.
- Presentations must be based on original research that is directly related to the student’s undergraduate thesis, major research project, or major research paper. Research does not need to be complete for a student to participate, but research should be in progress during the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Participants may individually present research from a group project with the permission of all group members.
- Presenters must agree to be photographed and video-taped and allow photos/videos to be shared publicly.
- All applicants must complete a written application and submit a short video by 11:59pm EST February 1, 2026.
- All participants must have approval from the faculty supervisor/course professor for which the research is assigned.
- Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum. Any competitor that exceeds the time limit will be disqualified.
- Presenters may use no more than three slides. Slides cannot include animations or transitions. No additional props or electronic media are permitted. All slides and presentation materials must be submitted according to deadlines set by the 3MP organizational committee.
- Presenters may use notes or cue cards.
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. No songs, poems).
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
- Presentations are to commence from the stage.
- The decisions of the 3MP committee and the 3MP competition judges are final.
Judging Criteria
The judging panel for the 3MP competition will be comprised of members of the Trent community.
(Judging criteria adapted from 3MT®, University of Queensland)
2026 Prizes
- Office of Research Overall Prize: $250
- Alumni Engagement and Services First Runner Up: $100
- Trent Teaching Commons Second Runner Up: $75
- President’s Office Audience Choice Prize: $150
- President's Office Best Visuals Prize: $150
- Journal of Undergraduate Studies at Trent (JUST) Social JUST-ice Prize: $100
Top prize winners also win publication of their script in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Undergraduate Studies at Trent.
Watch Past 3MP Competition Videos
2025 Competition Event Video
2025 Prize Winners
Elana Moeini-Azad (Gzowski College, Forensic Science), Shining a Light on Death Investigations: The Role of Reflectance Spectroscopy in Determining Time Since Death
- Overall Prize, sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
- Best Visuals Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
- Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Will Riopelle (Gzowski College, Psychology), No Need for an Encore: Does Lifelong Musical Practice Make Listening Easier in Older Adults?
- First Runner Up Prize, sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Services
Lucy van Haaften (Lady Eaton College, Conservation Biology), Blinded by the Flight: Investigating Fluorescence in Flying Squirrels
- Second Runner Up Prize, sponsored by the Trent Teaching Commons
Ashley Smith (Lady Eaton College, English and History), Adam and Eve, or Adaline and Eve? Queering Women in Renaissance Literature
- Social JUST-ice Prize, sponsored by the Journal of Undergraduate Studies at Trent (JUST)
2024 Competition Event Video
2024 Prize Winners
Samantha Caudle (Gzowski College; Biology), Extending Life in the Common Water Flea
- Overall Prize, sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
Haley Grieve (Gzowski College; Conservation Biology), The Secret Night-life of Salamanders: The Factors Impacting Nocturnal Salamander Foraging Patterns
- First Runner Up Prize, sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Services
- Best Visuals Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Anissah Rajpatee (Gzowski College; Indigenous Studies & Teacher Education), Land Based Learning: Reimagining Environmental Education
- Second Runner Up Prize, sponsored by the Centre for Teaching and Learning
John Smith (Durham-GTA; Child and Youth Studies & Psychology), Dungeons, Dragons, & Neurodiversity: Fighting Demons for Friendship
- Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
- Social JUST-ice Prize, sponsored by Journal of Undergraduate Studies at Trent (JUST)
3MP 2023 - In-Person Event
2023 Prize Winners
Diya Shah (Otonabee College), To be or not to be - CRHR2 in Stress response
- Overall Prize, sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
- Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Lindsay Young (Champlain College), The deep end of the dating pool: Transgender exclusion in dating/sexual activity
- First Runner Up Prize, sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Services
- Best Visuals Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Abbey Politeski (Lady Eaton College), Cardiac cachexia: Do females do it better?
- Second Runner Up Prize, sponsored by the Centre for Teaching and Learning
Mehmood Kohistani (Durham-GTA), Refugee Youth Participation: Paving the Path to an Equitable Education
- Social JUST-ice Prize, sponsored by the Journal of Undergraduate Studies at Trent (JUST)
Read more about the 2023 3-Minute Paper Competition
3MP 2022- Virtual Edition
2022 Prize Winners
Kieran Freitag (Champlain College, Biomedical Science), The curious case of the missing TATA boxes in this waterborne parasite
- Overall Prize, sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
Mckenna Lowrie (Otonabee College, Biology – Psychology), A Memory Trace in Two Systems: The HPC and Memory
- First Runner Up Prize, sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Services
- Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Suruthe Janakan (Otonabee College, Chemistry), Animal Neurotransmitters in Plants?
- Second Runner Up Prize, sponsored by the Centre for Teaching and Learning
Erin Giroux (Gzowki College, Forensic Science), The Key to Unlocking Solutions to SARS-CoV-
- Best Visuals Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Trent News Story, 2022: Astounding Research, Innovation and Passion Take the Screen
3MP 2021 - Virtual Edition
2021 Prize Winners
Ayan Niazi, Lady Eaton College: Proteins Behaving Badly! (Biology)
- Overall Prize, sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
- Best Visuals Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Nicole Leach (Gzowski College, Chemistry), Why Is Choosing A Sunscreen Still an Enigma? A Chemical Approach To Effective Decision Making
- First Runner Up Prize, sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Services
Linda El-Ayday (Lady Eaton College, Psychology) Working out a Solution: Exercise Therapy for Anxiety in Parkinson’s Disorder
- Second Runner Up Prize, sponsored by the Centre for Teaching and Learning
Arlene Ononiwu (Lady Eaton College, Biology) Building Technologies for Disease Detection
- Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
3MP 2020 - In-Person Event
2020 Prize Winners
Sam Blondeau (Durham-GTA/Traill, Child & Youth Studies/Sociology), "Squeegee Kids are Not Broken Windows!"
- Overall Prize, sponsored by the Office of Research and Innovation
Katherine Nocera (Durham-GTA, Psychology), We're All in This Together: The Influence of Family-Based Treatment on Adolescent Substance Use
- First Runner Up Prize, sponsored by Alumni Engagement and Services
Alissa Sallans (Gzowski College, International Development Studies), Can "Poverty Alleviation" Sustain Poverty?
- Second Runner Up Prize, sponsored by the Centre for Teaching and Learning
Danielle Harper (Traill College, Biology), Spice Up Your Life: Blood Vessel Formation and Cellular Stress
- Audience Choice Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
- Best Visuals Prize, sponsored by the Office of the President
Contact Us
Email 3mp@trentu.ca with your questions
3-Minute Paper Sponsors
Thanks to Champlain College, Gzowski College, Lady Eaton College, Otonabee College, Traill College, Trent Durham, and Academic Skills.
Thank you to prize sponsors: The Office of Research and Innovation, the Office of the President, Alumni Engagement and Services, Trent Teaching Commons, and the Journal of Undergraduate Studies at Trent (JUST).