Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)

WHAT IS 3MT®?

The 3MT competition challenges Ph.D. students' academic, presentation, and research communication skills, as they share their research with a non-specialist audience in just three minutes and one static PowerPoint slide. Founded by the University of Queensland, the competition now includes over 900 universities around the world, including Harvard University, Tsinghua University, and University of Cambridge. 

WHEN IS 3MT® AT USC?

3MT® is an annual event at USC Viterbi that takes place in the fall semester.  The Hub hosted a 3MT® for Viterbi Ph.D. students in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

HOW DO I APPLY?

To apply for the competition, students must

• submit a 100-word abstract about their research and one PowerPoint slide

• sign up to present at a preliminary round. The preliminary round will not include a public audience and will be judged by the Hub's co-directors using the criteria noted below. The top 8 applicants from the preliminary round will move on to the 3MT Finals.  

The application will be available in the fall semester.

WHO WILL BE JUDGING?

Judges will be Viterbi faculty and previous 3MT winners.

WHAT ARE THE PRIZES?

1st place: $1000

2nd place: $500

3rd place: $250

People's Choice: $250

All prizes are subject to payroll taxes and will be disbursed by Viterbi approximately 6-8 weeks after the event.

The People's Choice will be determined by people attending the 3MT finals in-person.  

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description; the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration; no AI-generated images or text permitted on slides).

• 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, raps or songs).

• Presentations are to commence from the stage.

• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through movement or speech.

• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

WHAT ARE THE JUDGING CRITERIA?

Comprehension and Content

• Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question.

• Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research.

• Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes, and impact of the research.

Engagement and Communication

• The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience.

• The PowerPoint slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation. 

• The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience’s attention.

WHO IS ELIGIBILE?

Currently enrolled doctoral students at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering who have completed their qualifying exams are eligible to participate. Work presented must have been conducted at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. 

WHERE CAN I GO FOR HELP? 

For a productive learning experience, students are strongly encouraged to work with instructors at the Hub to draft a compelling narrative, create a clear and impactful slide, and practice presentation skills. Students should also refer to the 3MT Competitor Guide and the Hub's 3MT Guide for tips and sample presentations. View the Caltech Three Minute Thesis competition and the Georgia Tech 3MT Library for engineering and science presentations. 

Read about 3MT® competitions in Science Magazine, Yale Daily News, and Carnegie Mellon news.