Texas State 3MT®
The 2021 Texas State 3MT® will be held in fall 2021. Stay tuned for event details!
Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Texas State 3MT® University Final!
First Place
Runner-up
People's Choice
What is 3MT®?
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ) in which graduate students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis/dissertation research and its significance. 3MT® is not an exercise in trivializing or "dumbing-down" research but instead challenges students to consolidate their ideas and research discoveries so they can be presented concisely to a non-specialist audience.
The first 3MT® was held at UQ in 2008 with 160 students competing. Enthusiasm for the 3MT® concept grew and it has now been adopted by numerous universities around the world. The Graduate College is excited about providing our students the opportunity to participate in the Texas State University 3MT® Competition.
Eligibility
Texas State University 3MT® Competition Eligibility
Graduate students currently enrolled in a Texas State University research Ph.D. or Ed.D. program and master's students on a thesis track are eligible to compete. The presentation must include findings/outcomes of research, i.e., you cannot present your proposal; you must have at least preliminary or pilot study findings. Read more about the presentation rules and judging criteria.
How it works
The purpose of the Preliminary Round is to advance the four top-scoring presentations in each group to the University Final. In each group, three presenters will be advanced based on official judges' scores, and the fourth presenter will be chosen by the university community through online voting (People's Choice Winner).
University Final Competition
The University Final is live and in person. Awards at the University Final Competition include first place and runner-up (awarded by judges) and People's Choice (awarded by the audience). First place and runner-up can also win the People's Choice because the latter is awarded separately by the audience in attendance at the University Final.
Registration
Stay tuned for registration for next year's competition!
How to Prepare
Prepare for your 3MT® talk by:
- attending the 3MT® Orientation and Tips session and reviewing the 3MT® Orientation and Tips Shop Talk PowerPoint
- reading about one of the past winner's experiences in our graduate student blog
3MT® Judges
Judges are selected from the Texas State and San Marcos communities. Learn more about judging criteria and presentation rules.
Previous Competitions
Need some inspiration? Watch students present their research in previous Texas State 3MT® Competitions:
- 2019 3MT® Competition
- 2018 3MT® Competition
- 2017 3MT® Competition
- 2016 3MT® Competition
- 2015 3MT® Competition
- 2014 3MT® Competition
You can also watch 3MT® winners from competitions at other universities.
The 3MT® was such a rewarding experience because, after spending so much time by myself researching and writing my dissertation, I finally had the opportunity to talk about my work in a way that resonated and connected with others. — Sydney Granger Saumby, 2015 First Place Winner
Questions?
Contact us at the3mt@txstate.edu.
If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512.245.2581 at least 72 hours in advance of the event.
Texas State is a tobacco-free campus.