3MT: Three Minute Thesis

3MT Final Competition

* 1st Place Award
** 2nd Place Award
*** People's Choice Award

Guest Judges

Dr. David Barker, member of the Board of Regents – State of Iowa, is a partner in Barker Companies, a real estate enterprise. He has been an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa and the University of Chicago, and his scholarship in academic journals has been highlighted in Time magazine, The New York Times, and The Economist. Dr. Barker holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago and was an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He serves on the Governor of Iowa's Rural Empowerment Initiative and is an honorary Colonel of the Iowa State Militia.

Dr. Jessica Horowitz serves as Director of Academic Relations (North America) for ProQuest Dissertation Publishing. In this role, Dr. Horowitz advocates for students and faculty at institutions like Iowa State University that engage with ProQuest for making the scholarship in theses and dissertations accessible worldwide. Previously, Dr. Horowitz served as Associate Dean of the Graduate School at Loyola University Chicago, and she has a long record of activity and leadership in the Council of Graduate Schools and the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools.

Ms. Becky Stadlman served as Global HR Parner for the IT, finance, procurement, and sales and marketing departments of Danfoss, a privately owned Danish company with a global reach. Becky supported global management across North America, Europe and Asia. She is a member of the Board of Governors of the Iowa State University Foundation, and a graduate of Iowa State University.

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In the fall of each year, the Graduate College sponsors a Three-Minute Thesis Competition to challenge Iowa State graduate students to clearly and concisely articulate their research to a non-specialist audience. Participants are provided three minutes and one static slide to convey their message. Each year, there are approximately 80 participants in eight preliminary heats and the final event consisted of a winner representing each heat. Timelines and guidelines for the 3MT are listed below. Enjoy the videos of award winners’ presentations or the entire final competition.

Participation Timeline

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• September 22, 2019: Application deadline to be considered for the 3MT competition.
• September 25, 2019: Applicants will be notified regarding their selection for the 3MT competition.
• September 26, 2019: 6:00 p.m. at 2125 Pearson: Information Session. Competitors must attend one of two Information Sessions.
• September 30, 2019: 6:00 p.m. at 2105 Pearson: Information Session. Competitors must attend one of two Information Sessions.
• October 15, 2019: Contestants need to have the exact titles of their presentations and their slides submitted to the Graduate College.
• October 23, 2019: 2:10 - 5:00 p.m.: Preliminary Heats. Rooms to be announced.
• October 29, 2019: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Gallery – Memorial Union: Final Competition
• April 1 - 3, 2020: Regional Competition for the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools. (Winner must be able to attend.)

What is 3MT?

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Three Minute Thesis (3MT) celebrates the exciting research conducted by master’s or Ph.D. students around the world. Developed by The University of Queensland, the competition cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Presenting in a 3MT competition increases students' capacity to explain their research in three minutes in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. Competitors are allowed one PowerPoint slide, but no other resources or props.

Eligibility

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Participants must be currently enrolled in a master's or Ph.D. degree program that requires students to conduct their own research (dissertation or thesis). Participants must be available to participate in the October 29th, 2019 final competition held on campus.

Prizes

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Each contestant who advances to the Final Round will receive a certificate. The Grand Winner will receive a $500 cash prize, an all-expense-paid trip to the annual conference of the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS), April 1 - 3, 2019, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and be entered to participate in the Regional 3MT Competition. A $250 Honorable Mention (decided by judges) and $250 People’s Choice Award will also be awarded.

Judging Criteria

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Winners will be determined by a panel of judges using the official 3MT competition rubrics. Judges for the initial heats will be invited from the Iowa State University faculty and staff and the local community. Judges for the final competition will be well-known Iowa constituents.

Comprehension and Content

• Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background to the research question being addressed and its significance?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the key results of the research including conclusions and outcomes?
• Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
• Were the thesis topic, key results, and research significance and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
• Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology, and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
• Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of the presentation, or was the presentation rushed? Did (s)he elaborate for too long on one aspect of the presentation?

Engagement and Communication

• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
• Did the presenter work to emphasize the significance and application of his/her research?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for his/her research?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain his/her audience's attention?
• Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range? Did the speaker maintain a steady pace and have a confident stance?
• Did the PowerPoint slide support the verbal message of the speaker and add clarity and impact to his/her words?

Presentation Feedback

Contact

3MT Committee (3mtcompetition@iastate.edu):
Sarah Huffman
Denise Vrchota
Judy Strand
Misty Treanor

Special thanks to following people who provided additional help with the event:

Technology support: Jack Polifka, Graduate College
Event promotion: Sarah Igram, Graduate College
3MT Final Heat filming: Eric Krueger and tech staff, Iowa State University Brenton Center

2019 3MT winners

Thank you to all the volunteers (3MT committee, judges, time keepers, door keepers, and food set up people) that made the Three-Minute Thesis competition possible!