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The Three Minute Thesis Competition, or 3MT®, first held at The University of Queensland in 2008, is an academic competition that challenges graduate students to present a compelling oration on their thesis/dissertation topic and its significance to a non-expert audience in just three minutes using a single, static slide.
Previous finalists and winners
Click on presentation titles to view videos of winning presentations.
2024 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place
Endy Lopez Kailer
PhD student in Agronomy
Rooting for Change: Soil Funji and the Future of Climate Resistance
2nd place
Kylee Jennings
Masters student in Regional and Community Planning
Are Mobile Homes the Solution to the Affordable Housing Crisis?
People's choice
Fei Xyza Asuncion
PhD student in Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Improving Effectiveness of Insect Control by Predicting the Motion of Insecticide Particles
Watch the full 2024 final competition
2023 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place
Abigail Kreznor
PhD student in Chemistry
Moving brain cancer: Studying cells in inexpensive ways
2nd place
Endy Lopes Kailer
PhD student in Agronomy
The hidden heroes – Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and the Future of Climate Mitigation
People's choice
Aspen Streetman
PhD student in Human Ecology, specialization in kinesiology
Does resistance training empower women? And should you care?
Watch the full 2023 final competition
2022 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place and People's Choice
Mehreen Iftikhar
MS student in Grain Science
Accelerated shelf-life study of rice with added nutrients
2nd place
Kiana Schulze
PhD student in Kinesiology
Pulmonary hypertension: Not just a lung disease?
Watch the full 2022 final competition
2021 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place
Manjot Kaur Rekhi
MS student in Agronomy
Sensing nutrient dynamics using soil-based microbial fuel cells
2nd place
Lara Dsouza
PhD student in Biology
Little Warrior vaccinia: Using Vaccinia virus to treat breast cancer
People's choice
Priyasha Fernando
MS student in Civil Engineering
Power of Pig Poop
Watch the full 2021 final competition
2020 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place
Cameron Osborne
PhD student in Entomology
Can a livestock pest control itself?
2nd place
Mikaela Rader
MS student in Geology
LA-ICP-MS zircon geochronology of granulite xenoliths from the Geronimo Volcanic Field, SE Arizona: implications for crustal evolution since 2.4 Ga
People's choice
Kristen Sikorsky
MS student in Horticulture and Natural Resources
Ready for takeoff: Using drones to protect our parks
Watch the full 2020 final competition
2019 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place
Chris Omni
Master's student in Public Health
Black Butterflyz: Making Black Women's Health a Capital Concern
2nd place
Grace Craigie
MS student in Entomology
Fantastic Pests and How to Find Them
People's choice
Narmadha Mohankumar
PhD student in Statistics
Is my advisor hiding in their office?
Watch the full 2019 final competition
2018 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place
Dave Hoffman
PhD student in Counseling and Student Development
Purple Stride: Prospective Engineering Students and First-Year Retention
2nd place and people's choice
Tennecia Dacass
Economics, PhD
Intergenerational Effects of Mass Incarceration
Watch the full 2018 final competition
2017 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place and people's choice
Tuyen Nguyen
PhD student in Chemistry
Tiny Superhero Fights against Cancer
2nd place
Anil Pant
PhD student in Biology
Vaccinia Virus Develops New Taste
Watch the full 2017 final competition
2016 Winners
Read a news release recognizing the winners.
1st place
Ryan Schmid
PhD student in Entomology
Hessian Fly Smart-Trap Design and Deployment Strategies
2nd place
Bondy Kaye
MS student in Mass Communications
Same Song, New Dance: Competition and Market Structure in the Digital Music Aggregation Industry
People's choice
Jere Noel
MS student in Animal Science
Utilizing Electromyography to Identify Causes of Fatigue in Pigs
Watch the full 2016 final competition
2025 K-State competition
The competition consists of two rounds. Graduate students from all disciplines are invited to participate in the first round. Up to 12 students will be selected to compete in the final round. Final round judges will select first and second place winners, and the audience will select a people's choice award winner. The first place presenter will represent K-State at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) 3MT® Competition on April 4.
Feb 3, 2025 - deadline to submit slide
Feb 19 - Final round - 5:30pm, Union Ballroom
Eligibility
- Must be enrolled in a master's or doctoral program at Kansas State University in the Spring 2024 semester.
- A student’s program of study must contain an original research project. The degree program need not formally require a thesis or dissertation. However, the 3MT® presentation topic must cover the original research project that is being conducted as part of the student's K-State graduate degree program.
- The presentation must address research the participant conducted during their graduate career at K-State (not undergraduate research or graduate research conducted at another institution).
- Students are not required to have reached a particular point in their research, but those who are further along in their research activity are likely to be more competitive.
- Graduate students must receive approval from their major professor prior to registering for the competition.
- The first place winners from previous competitions are not eligible to compete this year; previous second place and people's choice award winners are eligible to participate in this year's competition.
Rules and Requirements
- Present a compelling oration of your original research topic and its significance using language appropriate for a non-specialist audience
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, raps or songs)
- Time limit: 3 minutes. Competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified
- Prepare a single, static PowerPoint slide that represents the purpose and importance of your original research; no slide transitions, animations, or 'movement' of any type are allowed; the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration
- Props, sounds, and other materials may NOT be included in the presentation
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech
- The decision of the judging panel is final
Guidance for 3MT success!
Being successful in the 3MT involves much more than summarizing your research in three minutes. You need to be able to connect with your audience: explain your work in a way non-experts can understand and in a way that makes them interested in hearing what you have to say.
Explore tips for success
Judging Criteria
Presentations will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Comprehension and Content
- Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background and significance to the research question being addressed, while explaining terminology and avoiding jargon?
- Did the presentation clearly describe the impact and/or results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes?
- Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
- Was the thesis topic, research significance, results/impact and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
- Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation - or did they elaborate for too long on one aspect or was the presentation rushed?
Engagement and Communication
- Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
- Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
- Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
- Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience's attention?
- Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
- Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation - was it clear, legible, and concise?
Note that the common theme among the judging criteria is the impact of the presentation on the audience.
Contact
Questions about the Kansas State University Graduate School’s 3MT® competition may be directed to Dr. Megan Miller, Assistant Director of Graduate Student Success, mmmiller@ksu.edu or 785-532-6191.