Â鶹AV

The Lister Family Engaged Science Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition is open to all Master’s and Doctoral students from the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Competitors present in English only. 

The following are rules and regulations established by the .

Rules

• 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 must commence from and remain on the stage.
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
• 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.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Judging

Judges should be selected from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. They evaluate each competitor on the following categories:

​â¶Ä‹Communication

• Did the presenter use non-verbal communication (i.e. eye contact, voice modulation, body language) effectively?
• Did the presenter use language and terminology that was clear, jargon-free, and understandable to a general audience?
• Did the presentation follow a logical sequence?
• Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation? Did they elaborate for too long on one aspect, or did the presentation feel rushed?

Comprehension

• Did the talk help you to understand the scholarly research being undertaken?
• Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and purpose of their research?
• Did the presenter clearly indicate the fascinating or compelling aspects of their research?
• Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background and significance to the research question being addressed?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the impact and/or results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes

​Engagement

• Was the talk engaging?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain the audience's attention?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?
• Was the presenter careful not to trivialise or generalise their research?
• Did the talk inspire you to want to know more?
• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation - was it clear, legible, and concise?

Prizes

The judges determine the winners for 1rst place, 2nd place, and 3rd place. The audience will vote for the People’s Choice Award during the live event. Thanks to the generous support of the Lister Family Engaged Science Initiative, their will be a cash prize for each of the 4 winners.

Schedule

September - October: Call for applicants
October - November: Training for all competitors
November: Three Minute Thesis Competition

Training Program

The training program includes a 3-part workshop series, a group coaching session, as well as optional individual coaching sessions to help students prepare for the competition. All the training is provided through the Office of Student Academic Services.

Â鶹AV's 3MT/MT180

In the Winter Semester, Â鶹AV holds the 3-Minute Thesis Competion (English) and Ma thèse en 180 secondes (French). This Â鶹AV competition is open to all Master’s and Doctoral students. Winners in the final competition represent Â鶹AV at the CAGS (Canadian Association of Graduate Studies) 3MT Eastern regional finals and concours Acfas (Association francophone pour le savoir) Ma thèse en 180 secondes. Learn more about Â鶹AV's 3MT/MT180

History of the 3MT

Created by Professor Alan Lawson at the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2008, the 3MT celebrates exciting and innovative graduate student research while promoting communication, public speaking, and storytelling skills. The competition offers an exciting and thought-provoking opportunity for graduate students, forcing them to consolidate their ideas and crystalize their research discoveries. Presenting in a 3MT competition increases the capacity of graduate students to effectively explain their research in a clear and concise manner, and in a language appropriate to a general audience. The competitions are open to the public and advertised within the community, which enables students to showcase their research across disciplines within the university and to the broader public. 

This program is automatically recognized on your Â鶹AV co-curricular record (CCR),  a document recognizing students' learning outside the classroom. Learn more about the CCR