3-Minute-Thesis (3MT) Competition

Since 2022, FEnEx CRC has hosted its three-minute thesis (3MT) Competition each year in conjunction with the FEnEx CRC Annual Conference. The 3MT Competition has become a cornerstone of the conference, revered by PhDs and loved by the audience.

The aim of the competition is for PhD students involved across all aspects of the FEnEx CRC to practice the effective dissemination of their research, and to communicate their ideas and results to the wider FEnEx CRC community, as well as to non-specialist audiences.

Successful submissions have the opportunity for PhD students to increase their research profile and to highlight their work internationally.

FEnEx CRC Conference

Hall of Fame

FEnEx CRC has proudly run its 3MT Competition since 2022, each year celebrating the exciting research conducted its PhD students.

3mt for web

About the 3MT Competition

The 3MT Competition was developed by The University of Queensland in 2008 and is now held in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide.

FEnEx CRC 3MT competition guidelines

Eligibility

All current FEnEx CRC PhD scholars are eligible to participate, and are expected to submit videos. While previous competition 1st place winners are welcome to enter submissions, unfortunately, they will not be eligible to be a finalist two years in a row.

Submission Process

Successful submissions to the FEnEx CRC 3MT competition will include the following:

  • A completed online registration form
  • Email the following to FEnEx CRC:
    • A Vimeo link to your edited 3MT presentation (for a guide to creating your submission, please see Creating your video submission)
    • A completed signed video release form, so that the FEnEx CRC can use your video on their webpage (download the form here and please submit this form as a PDF)

Important 3MT Documents and Templates

Judging process

The judging and selection process will proceed via two separate stages:

  • Initial selection:
    • The initial selection judging panel will review each submission according to the selection and assessment criteria detailed below. From this process, the judging panel will select three finalists from the submitted entries, with each receiving a certificate of achievement. These three entries will then proceed to the FEnEx CRC 3MT finals.
  • Finals:
    • The Finals of the FEnEx CRC 3MT competition will take place during the FEnEx CRC Annual Conference, where the conference participants will act as the judging panel. Presentations from the three finalists will feature within a dedicated conference session, following which the audience will be invited to vote anonymously for the 3MT competition winner. Audience participation will take place via the Slido polling software (www.sli.do) or similar. Conference participants will be instructed to follow the same selection and assessment criteria as used in the initial selection process.

Selection and assessment criteria

The judging panel will review each submission according to the following equally weighted selection and assessment criteria:

Comprehension & Content (50%)

  • Presentations should provide clear background and significance to the research question.
  • Presentations should clearly describe both the research strategy/design and the results/findings.
  • Presentations should clearly describe the conclusions, outcomes and impact of the research.

Engagement & Communication (50%)

  • The presentation should be delivered clearly, with language appropriate for nonspecialist audiences.
  • The PowerPoint slide should be well-defined and should enhanced the presentation.
  • The presenter should convey enthusiasm for their research, and capture and maintain the attention of the audience.

Please note submissions will not be judged on video/recording quality or editing capabilities. Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research, and the 3MT PowerPoint slide. Please note that the decision of the judging panels is final.

Initial selection judging panel

The initial selection judging panel will comprise CRC Foundation Fellows and Strategic Research Fellows, together with industry professional associated with the CRC.

In the case of a tie during initial selection, adjudicative assessment will be undertaken by senior members of the CRC leadership team. In the case of a tie during the competition finals, joint winners or second place entries will be announced.

Prizes

The first-place prize is $1,500 towards travel for the winner to attend an international conference.

Second place entries will receive a $200 voucher. Third place entries will received a $100 voucher.

Creating your video submission

Extensive details on how to create your submission are available by consulting the national 3MT guidelines: https://threeminutethesis.uq.edu.au/3mt-video-recording-competitor-guide

Details of how to upload your submission to Vimeo are available here.

Submissions from previous FEnEx CRC 3MT competitions can be found here.

A title slide for use in your submission can be downloaded here.

A conference poster presentation slide can be downloaded here.

Rules and Recording

Presentations are limited to three minutes in duration. Submissions exceeding three minutes will not be considered. Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through speech. Timing therefore does not include the 3MT title slide, and commences from when the competitor starts speaking rather than the start of the video.

Videos must meet the following criteria:

  • Filmed on the horizontal
  • Filmed on a plain background
  • Filmed from a static position
  • Filmed from one camera angle
  • Contain a 3MT title slide (at beginning)

Submissions must contain a 3MT PowerPoint slide (see further details in Creating your video submission). A single static slide is permitted during the presentation (no slide transitions, animations or movement should be included). This slide can be visible continuously, or ‘cut to’ (as many times as you like) for a maximum of 1 minute.

The three-minute audio must be continuous and contain no sound edits or breaks.

Additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment and animated backgrounds) are not permitted within the recording.

Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).

No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted within the video recording.

The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Submissions must be in video format (via Vimeo link). Files sent in other formats will not be accepted.