Three Minute Thesis Competition
Registration Open November 9 - December 4
Your research is important, don't keep it a secret! Three Minute Thesis is the opportunity to share your research story: the significance, innovation and impact.
Eligibility
- Be a degree seeking graduate student
- Be registered for graduate credit in spring semester 2027
- Have advisor approval to participate
Key Dates
| November 9 - 10:00 a.m. | Information Session | Grad Hub |
| November 16 - 3:00 p.m. | Information Session | Online |
| November 13 - 2:00 p.m. | Find Your Story - Strategy and Practice Session | Grad Hub |
| November 18 - 1:00 p.m. | Find Your Story - Strategy and Practice Session | Grad Hub |
| November 23 - 10:00 a.m. | Find Your Story - Strategy and Practice Session | Grad Hub |
| December 4 | Registration Closes | |
| January 21 - 5:00 p.m. | Preliminary Round Videos Due | |
| February 5 | Finalists Announced | |
| February 18 - 2:00 p.m. | Championship Round | Anishinaabe Theater |
The Competition
Preliminary Round: Video Submission
For the 3MT 2027 preliminary round, you will create and submit a video presentation of your research before the deadline.
The video must follow the competition rules, such as not exceeding three-minutes and incorporating only a single static image (for example, a PowerPoint slide or graphic).
- Submitted videos are randomly assigned into six groups for evaluation by panels comprised of faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
- The judges score the research presentations based on the two key areas: Subject Comprehension & Content and Engagement & Communication.
Each of the six preliminary round winners receives $250 and advance to the championship round.
Championship Round: Live Event
The Championship round takes place in person at the Anishinaabe Theater in the Memorial Union and is open to the public. A new panel of judges will evaluate the research presentations live based on the same criteria as the preliminary round.
The winner is named the Champion, earning $1,000 (for a total of $1,250 including the preliminary prize) and represents NDSU at the regional 3MT competition.
Innovation Awards: At the Championship, the recipients of the two Innovation Awards ($500 each) will be announced. The NDSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business will present the awards to the preliminary round competitors whose research was identified as demonstrating innovation for community impact.
Time Limit
- Maximum Presentation Time: 3 minutes. Competitors exceeding the 3-minute limit will be immediately disqualified.
- The 3-minute clock begins the moment the competitor starts speaking (the audio must be continuous, with no sound edits or breaks). The 3MT title slide is not included in the timing.
Presentation Slide
- Your presentation is permitted only a single static slide.
- The slide must not contain any transitions, animations, or 'movement' of any description.
- The slide can be visible continuously throughout the presentation.
- The slide can be 'cut to' (shown on screen) as many times as you like.
- The following are not permitted in the presentation or recording:
- No costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment, or animated backgrounds.
- No additional electronic media (e.g., sound or video files).
- Presentations must be spoken word (no poems, raps, or songs).
Video Filming Specifications
- The video recording must meet these technical criteria:
- Orientation: Filmed on the horizontal (landscape).
- Background: Filmed on a plain background.
- Camera: Filmed from a static position and a single camera angle.
At every level of the competition, competitors will be assessed on two key areas, equally weighted:
Comprehension and Content
- Presentation provided clear motivation, 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
The Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition was developed by The University of Queensland in 2008.
NDSU hosted its first 3MT on February 4, 2015. At the first competition, twenty-five graduate students delivered their research talks. Since that inaugural competition, the NDSU 3MT has become an annual event with more than 200 graduate students competing over the years. The competition has is a chance for the NDSU research community to celebrate the impact and innovation of the research by NDSU’s graduate students.
If you have questions about 3MT, please contact the Graduate School at ndsu.gsa@ndsu.edu.