Three Minute Thesis (3MT) will return to Washington State University’s annual Showcase, on March 29 at 1 p.m. in The Spark Atrium. This year’s 3MT will also be streamed online. Prizes, in the form of travel awards for research conferences, will be $3,000 for the winner, $1,500 for second place and $500 for third.
James Asare, a doctoral student from the College of Education, won last year’s contest, in which doctoral students present their research/scholarship concisely — in no more than three minutes — to a non-specialist audience.
Provost and Executive Vice President Elizabeth Chilton said 3MT is a highlight of Showcase.
“It’s critical that researchers everywhere, particularly WSU graduate students, can communicate their work in a way that is understandable and compelling to a wide audience,” Chilton said. “This unique competition allows our doctoral candidates to practice taking their complex research and translating it into a concise and easily understandable message. I encourage our university community to attend this year’s 3MT event to hear our student’s impactful work.”
Each college, or campus, that wants to send a representative to the main event, hosts its own event first. The winners from the respective events then qualify for the university-wide competition. This year, the following committed to participating:
- Carson College of Business
- College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Education
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
- WSU Tri-Cities
- WSU Vancouver
3MT began at the University of Queensland (Australia) in 2008. In spring 2014, the WSU College of Education hosted the first 3MT event at WSU; in 2015, the contest expanded to all colleges.
