Three Minute Thesis

An 80,000-word thesis or dissertation would take 9 hours to present. Your time limit...3 minutes.

2024/25 3MT University-Wide Level Competition

2023/24 3MT University-Wide Level Competition

2022/23 3MT University-Wide Level Competition 

These finalists will compete at the 3MT University-Wide Competition event on Feb 5, where we select the university finalist who will move on to compete at the regional level. We will also select the runner-up, and the audience will have an opportunity to vote on the People's Choice Award.

• Bahar Balaban—College of Education and Human Ecology
• Ariunaa Bayanjargal—College of Medicine
• Electra Coffman--MCDB [IGP]
• Dina Eissa—College of Arts and Sciences
• Xinyue Fan--College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
• Carter J. Fietek—2024 Edward F. Hayes Advanced Research Forum Winner
• Elise Frazee—College of Optometry
• Courtney C. Jewell—2024 Edward F. Hayes Advanced Research Forum Winner
• Samantha Mendez--College of Engineering
• Andrew Mitchell—College of Pharmacy
• Pedro Antonio Ortiz Ramirez—2024 Edward F. Hayes Advanced Research Forum Winner
• Balaji Ramesh—College of Public Health
• Alexis Sauer—College of Veterinary Medicine
• Wynne Turner—2024 Edward F. Hayes Advanced Research Forum Winner

Registration Form for 3MT Participation

Registrations will be accepted at Ohio State from 10-13-2025 to 12-10-2025 for invited 2025 Hayes winners (graduate professional students conducting their own research) as well as graduate students (conducting their own research) from colleges that do not hold a college wide 3MT® competition.
In addition, this year the 3MT® will have a special Three Minute Thesis/Dissertation postdoc (3MTpd) competition as part of this annual event that is dedicated for postdoc 2025 Hayes Forum winners to compete for 1st place 3MTpd winner and 2nd place 3MTpd winner. Postdocs are not eligible to move on to the regional, national or international level, as per the University of Queensland guidelines. These levels are reserved solely for graduate students. 
At The Ohio State University (OSU), adding to the annual 3MT® competition the 3MTpd creates an opportunity for postdocs, just like graduate students to:

• develop: strong presentation skills for academic and professional settings
• develop research communication abilities
• enhance public speaking skills
• develop the capacity to effectively explain complex research to a wide audience
• develop the ability to communicate their research clearly, concisely and competently

The 3MT® and the 3MTpd are prestigious research competitions, providing an opportunity for graduate students and postdocs to present their research to a non-expert audience and showcase the research that they are conducting.

Important: Winners of college-level 3MT® competitions will automatically be invited to participate in the final Ohio State University 3MT® competition on February 4, 2026.

This year marks the 2nd year that the Ohio State University 3MT® competition will also be open to graduate students in colleges who do not hold college-wide 3MT® competitions and can register to participate in the 3MT® competition by following the directions below. This is also the 2nd year that graduate student winners of the 2025 Hayes Forum will be invited by the Graduate School to register for the 3MT® research competition by following the directions below. Once registered, graduate students from these two groups will participate in an asynchronous video competition, and up to 10 students will be selected to compete in the live final competition along with the college 3MT winners.

This year, we will also host the 3MTpd giving 2025 Hayes Forum postdoc winners an opportunity to participate in the 3MT. The Postdoc Office will choose up to 6 postdocs to compete in the live final 3MTpd competition along with the finalists for the 3MT® competition.
 

Important: Graduate students will compete among each other (other graduate students) and postdocs will compete among each other (other postdocs).
 

Eligibility

3MT®

Only enrolled graduate students (Ph.D., professional and master’s students) in good standing with the Graduate School are eligible to compete in the 3MT® at The Ohio State University. Students interested in being a contestant in the 3MT® competition will present their research project that they are currently pursuing in their programs. Doctoral candidates are eligible to compete either in the preliminary part, or after their comprehensive exams and/or when they are at the dissertation phase. Master’s students should be in the second year of their program and have made significant progress on their thesis or independent research.

3MT^pd

Only postdocs who (1) will be at The Ohio State University throughout the 2026 Spring term (post 3MT^pd Competition), (2) presently conducting their own research, (3) were 2025 Hayes Forum winners, and are (4) in good standing at the university and were chosen by the Postdoc Office to participate in the university wide 3MT competition, are eligible to compete in the 3MT^pd at Ohio State University. Postdocs interested in being a participant in the 2025/2026 3MT^pd competition will present their research project that they are currently pursuing.

Participation reminder

3MT® and 3MT^pd

Graduate students and postdocs that are most successful in the 3MT® and 3MT^pd research competitions understand how to conduct research and are engaged in enough research so that they can speak about: 

• the purpose/goals of their research project
• the research strategy/design and results/findings
• explain the potential significance and/or application of their work to a broad audience

Eligibility Note

3MT^pd

Alums, and those who will no longer serve as postdocs at the time of the in-person competition are not eligible to participate in this competition.

Awards

3MT®

• Winner: $500 (graduate students and postdocs)
• Runner-up/2^nd Place Winner: $400 (graduate students and postdocs)
• People’s Choice: $500 (graduate students)

3MT^pd

• Winner: $500
• Runner-up: $400
• People’s Choice: $500

Competition Rules

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, rap, songs, etc.).
• Presentations are to commence from the stage (or designated area in front of their PowerPoint static slide).
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
• Do not turn to or point at your single static PowerPoint during your presentation

Judging Criteria

Graduate students and postdocs will be assessed on the judging criteria listed in the 3MT® Competition-Rubric. Each criterion is equally weighted.

Important: The decisions of the judging panel at any stage are final.

3MT® Competition-Rubric

PowerPoint Template

Please use the below PowerPoint for your final competition slide.

Graduate School Ohio State Branded PowerPoint Template

Asynchronous Video Competition Guidelines

This section is specifically video guidelines for the asynchronous video competition (for graduate students from colleges that do not hold a college-wide 3MT competition and invited Hayes Forum graduate students and postdoc winners)

• Record horizontally
• Record from a static position
• Record from one camera angle
• Display your single static PowerPoint – any other background should be plain
• Audio must be continuous and understandable – Please no sound edits
• All recordings must be submitted in an X-P4 format

Important: Video recordings are not judged on video quality or editing capabilities. The judging panel will use the Rating Rubric (see link above) focusing on the student presentation. Judging will focus on the presentation, communicating their research to a non-specialist audience, and the single static PowerPoint slide.

Things to Remember

• Review the rubric above so you know what your presentation and single static PowerPoint slide will be evaluated on.
• If you want to see how the 3MT® and 3MT^pd are done, see what others have done, search the internet for past 3MT® competitor videos. Be sure to review their single static PowerPoint slide. Also check out MAGS and see Ohio State’s 2025 3MT® 1^st place winner video (add link).
• Make sure you provide information about the background of the research question you are going to address and its significance in your presentation.
• Be clear in reporting about the key result(s) (even if you presently have only preliminary results) and significance of your research and identify the conclusions/implications.
• Make sure your presentation is structured logically and clearly.
• Remember that you are presenting to a non-specialist audience. Provide an adequate background, avoid professional/scientific jargon and/or abbreviations and define terminology.
• Grab the audience’s attention early on, make them want to know more.
• Be aware not to minimize or over generalize your results (get mentor feedback).
• Convey your passion and enthusiasm about your research (verbally and non-verbally).
• Get feedback from your advisors and others about your stage presence. Are you engaging, enthusiastic, have eye contact, keep a steady pace and have a vocal range?
• Be confident, this is your research study. You know this information well.
• Assure that the single static PowerPoint slide enhances your presentation. Is it clear, legible and not text-heavy? Nor should it have complicated graphs that can distract your audience. (Remember less is more). Are the graphics clear?
• Practice, Practice, Practice, so you can present your information with confidence and ease (no note cards are allowed).
• Stay within your 3-minute time limit. 

View MAGS 3MT presentations on their website

View 3MT presentations on the University of Queensland's 3MT website

3MT®

Phase 1: 3MT® and 3MT^pd Training

Graduate students interested in participating in their College Wide 3MT® competition should participate in the workshop and online resources provided in the fall semester to hone their three-minute research pitch. The workshop and resources include topics such as:

• Single static PowerPoint slide
• Developing your presentation
• Your public speaking skills (oration)

Phase 2: 3MT® and 3MT^pd Participation in Preliminary Competition

There are three ways that graduate (master’s and doctoral level) and professional students can get involved and participate in The Ohio State University 3MT® research competition

Option 1

• College Wide Competition

Note: College Wide Competitions can be held any time in Fall term or the first few weeks in Spring term - it is the College’s Choice.

Option 2

• Individual Student (Self Nomination) Video Competition – only for students in colleges that do not host a college wide competition

Option 3

• 2025 Hayes Forum graduate student (regardless of whether their home college holding/or not hold a college wide 3MT competition) asynchronous Video Competition – by invitation of the Graduate School

Registration and Pre-Competition Format for Graduate Students in Option 2 and 3

Open call to Ohio State master’s and/or doctoral students (Option 2) and the Graduate School invitees 2025 Hayes winners (Option 3), who are conducting their own research, to complete a 3MT® registration form between Oct. 13, 2025, to Nov 2, 2025, via the web portal. Connect with Dr Jordan, Assistant Dean for Graduate Development and Engagement. Submit your 3MT® video and single static PowerPoint via the web portal between Nov. 13, 2025, to Dec.10, 2025. For the asynchronous 3MT® competition. A selection committee will select up to 10 student finalists to advance to Phase 3.

3MT^pd

During this 1^st year, there is one way that postdocs can get involved and participate in The Ohio State University 3MT^pd distinguished research competition:

• 2025 Hayes Forum postdoc winners that have been selected by the Postdoc Office– by invitation
• up to 6 postdoc finalists will be selected to compete in the 1^st 3MT^pd to advance to Phase 3.

Important: The graduate student’s faculty adviser(s) must approve of the student’s participation in the competition. The principal investigator of postdocs appointments must approve of the postdoc participation in the competition.

Phase 3: Final round - In-person format

The final round will be in-person and include the (1) College Wide Competition finalists and the up to 10 finalists from the (2) Individual Graduate Student (Self Nomination) Video Competition, and (3) 2025 Hayes Forum Graduate Student Winners Video Competition will compete against other graduate students in the in-person university wide 3MT® Competition. 

In addition, the up to 6 finalists from the 2025 Hayes Forum Postdoc Winners will compete against postdocs in the in-person university wide 3MT^pd.

This event is scheduled for February 4, 2026. in front of an audience. A committee of judges will select one first-place winner and one runner-up/2^nd place winner for both the 3MT® and the 3MT^pd. The audience will vote for the People’s Choice Winner for the 3MT® (graduate students only).

3MT® and 3MT^pd winners (1^st place, runner -up, and People’s Choice winners will be recognized at the Graduate School’s Annual Award Ceremony in April. Their advisors/principal investigators are also invited to attend.

IMPORTANT: The graduate student first-place 3MT® winner will advance to Phase 4. (Postdocs are not eligible to advance.)

Phase 4: Regional - In-person format

The first-place 3MT® winner of The Ohio State will move on to compete in-person at the regional level at the Mid-Western Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) competition in March 2026 at their annual conference. 

The winners of the regional competitions are invited to compete in the national competition hosted by the Council of Graduate Schools.

Important: The Graduate School will register the university wide/first-place 3MT® winner with MAGS. However, travel and hotel registration, as well as the cost to attend and compete at the regional (MAGS) conference, and if successful the national (CGS) conference is covered by either the student’s’ department or the student’s college.

• 3MT Competitor Guide by The University of Queensland (2017)
• 3MT Single Slide Design
• 3MT Slide design 3MT - Slide Design - Part 3/5
• 3MT: The Three Most Common Mistakes, a video featuring Inger Mewburn, director of research training at Australian National University
• Tips and Techniques for more Confident and Compelling Presentations, by Matt Abrahams, Stanford University
• How to Write a Winning 3MT Script 3 minute thesis template-free download - Google Search
• 3MT: Three Tips to Help You Prepare a Winning Presentation, video featuring Rosanna Stevens, 2014 winner of the Australian National University 3MT competition.
• How to Talk about Your Thesis in Three Minutes, a Prezi presentation by Inger Mewburn (2012).
• Making the Most of Your Three Minutes (pdf), a guide by Simon Clews
• Winning Tips for Preparing a Three-Minute Thesis Presentation, video by Sean McGraw

Feb.4, 2026