After a hiatus in 2021, the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition for research-based master’s and doctoral students is returning this winter, but with one key change. Unlike in previous years, both the competition’s preliminary heats and final round will be held virtually rather than in-person and on-campus.
Organized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, 3MT rewards brains and brevity. Students in PhD or research-based master’s programs prepare an engaging three-minute presentation that describes their research for an audience of laypeople, with only one PowerPoint slide permitted as a visual aid. After the competition’s preliminary heats, the field will be narrowed to a group of finalists who will compete live for $4,000 in cash prizes. Â
“I’m thrilled to have the 3 Minute Thesis return this year,” says Marty Leonard, dean of Graduate Studies. “It’s always a showcase event that brings together the Dalhousie community and allows our graduate students to highlight the brilliant research they’re doing. It’s too bad we can’t all be together on campus like in years past, but I’m confident this year’s event will be an enjoyable experience for everyone. We want to see a broad range of participants from across programs and degree levels, so I encourage all graduate students to consider taking part.”
2020 3MT victor, Tareq Yousef
Want to see 3MT in action? Visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ to view presentations from previous years, including Medical Neuroscience PhD student Tareq Yousef’s winning performance from 2020.
Of course, this year’s 3MT will look different. Instead of striding across a stage in front of an audience of fellow students, faculty, family and friends, participants will be presenting from their living rooms.
How it works
The preliminary heats will not take place live. Students will submit recordings of their presentations, which will be available to watch on a dedicated Brightspace site. Competitors will be randomly placed in small groups, and judges will determine a winner from each group. Voting from the Dal community will also determine one finalist to accompany those picked by the judges.
3MT’s final round will take place on the evening of Thursday, April 21 via Zoom. Finalists will deliver their presentations live, and judges will select the top three finishers. The audience will have a chance to vote for the “People’s Choice” award winner.
How to participate
Here’s how to get involved in this year’s 3MT:
Students
·      Want to participate? Self-enroll in the 3MT Brightspace site for complete details on the competition and instructions on how to record and submit your video. Visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies website for complete details on how to self-enroll.
·      Haven’t yet made up your mind about participating, or want to brush up on your skills? Workshops from NATIONAL Public Relations, Dalhousie Libraries, the Writing Centre and Studying for Success will introduce you to 3MT, help you prepare your presentation and provide coaching and feedback. Sessions will be held later in February and in March – visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies website for a complete list of workshops.
Faculty and staff
·      Judging for the preliminary heats will take place during the week of April 4. If you’re interested in serving as a judge, please email ThreeMT@dal.ca.
Members of the Dalhousie community (everyone)
·      Mark your calendars for the evening of Thursday, April 21 when the 3MT finals will be held live via Zoom. Virtually cheer on your favourite competitors and cast your vote for the “People’s Choice” award winner.
Key dates:
·      February 17: 3MT Brightspace site opens
·      April 4: Deadline to submit videos for the preliminary heats
·      April 12: Finalists to be announced
·      April 21: Live 3MT finals event
Stay up-to-date on all things 3MT by visiting dal.ca/grad/3mt and following the Faculty of Graduate Studies on or . Have a question? Email ThreeMT@dal.ca.