3 Minute Thesis Competition

The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) invites graduate students from all units (chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics and statistics, and physics) to participate in our College 3 Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition.

What is 3MT®?

3MT® is a competition for graduate students to present their research in 3 minutes or less to a panel of non-specialist judges. The challenge is to present complex research in an engaging, accessible, and compelling way, using only one slide. The 3MT® Competition is not an exercise in over simplifying research. It asks students to consolidate their ideas and discoveries, to share inspiration and gain valuable skills for post graduate careers.

For the 2023 3MT® Competition, each college is holding an internal competition to decide upon two finalists who will advance to the U of G 3MT® Final Competition. The winner of the U of G 3MT® competition will move on to the 2023 Provincial Finals.

Am I Eligible to Participate?

• To participate in 3MT® students must currently be registered in a Masters (thesis or MRP only) or PhD program at the University of Guelph and have made substantial progress on their research and analysis.
• PhD and Masters students who have defended but have not yet graduated are eligible to participate.
• Presentations must be based on research that is directly related to the student’s graduate program thesis.
• Presenters must agree to be recorded.

What are 3MT® Prizes?

All presenters in the CEPS 3MT® Competition will be eligible for 1st and 2nd place awards and the opportunity to represent CEPS in the University of Guelph 3MT® Final Competition.

Winners of the CEPS 3MT® Competition will receive the following cash prizes:

1st Place $500

2nd Place $250

Winners of the University of Guelph 3MT® Competition will receive the following prizes (to be paid against tuition):

1st Place $1,000

2nd Place $500

3rd Place $250

How to Register for 3MT®

1. Register at https://forms.office.com/r/41QQ4UFNGJ by March 10, 2023.
2. Download and complete the registration form in the Documents section of the University of Guelph 3MT® SharePoint.
3. Email the completed form to the CEPS 3MT Coordinator (Bethany Davidson-Eng, CEPS Acting College Research Manager, bdavieng@uoguelph.ca) by March 10, 2023.

Want help? Come to our 3MT® Workshops!

The colleges are jointly offering two 3MT® Competition workshops to help prepare students to compete.

Workshop 1: An Introduction to 3MT®

Tuesday February 28, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Zoom.

Register for the workshops on Qualtrics

• learn about the principles of good 3MT® slide design

Workshop 2: 3MT® Practice 

Tuesday Friday March 10, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., MacKinnon 019 or online (Zoom).

• bring your work-in-progress
• workshop your script and receive feedback from pitch experts
• get advice on your slide design

If you would like to attend the workshops please register with Bethany Davidson-Eng, Acting College Research Manager (bdavieng@uoguelph.ca).

Further information on the 3MT® Competition, available workshops and presentation resources can be found on the U of G 3MT® SharePoint.

Contact Bethany Davidson-Eng, Acting College Research Manager (bdavieng@uoguelph.ca).