Three Minute Thesis 3MT®
Monash 3MT Winners 2020
Congratulations to our 2020 winner Erin Brodie, from the Faculty of Engineering, with her presentation "Human-Plane Bits: New Alloys for Implants". Erin also won the MGA People's Choice Award, so an amazing effort all round! Erin will go on to represent Monash at the Asia-Pacific Finals which begin in September. Stay tuned for further information on this event.
Congratulations also to our runner up Angela Schumann, from the Faculty of Arts, with her presentation "Confessing Shakespeare: Uncovering the structures of confession in Shakespeare's plays".
Well done to all finalists and competitors in this year's Three Minute Thesis competition, and thank you to everyone who helped to make it such a success.
Monash 3MT Finals 2020
The Monash Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Final 2020 is coming up on Tuesday 18 August. It's been an incredibly challenging and very unique event this year - but our participants have done an amazing job with their virtual entries!
This year, we welcomed participants from the IITB-Monash Research Academy in India for the first time, which was very exciting, and we were overwhelmed all round by the high level of entries received from everyone.
Join us (virtually!) on Tuesday 18 August at 3pm, as we view this year's finalists' presentations and announce the winner, who will then go onto represent Monash at the Asia-Pacific finals in October.
We will also be announcing the winner of our Visualise Your Thesis (VYT) competition, which Monash have taken part in for the first time this year.
Master of Ceremonies and Judging Panel
Thank you to our Master of Ceremonies and Judging Panel. You can read more about them below!
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Professor Sharon Ricardo - Master of Ceremonies
Professor Sharon Ricardo is the Academic Director of the Monash Graduate Research Office, and works alongside the Vice-Provost (Faculty and Graduate Affairs) to make decisions and provide guidance on a range of complex academic matters related to graduate research. Professor Ricardo obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne in 1994. She completed a post doctorate at Pennsylvania State University for six years before commencing at Monash University in 2000. She has received numerous awards for her research contribution in the field of kidney disease and regenerative medicine, and is currently a research group leader in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
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Professor Matthew Gillespie
As Vice-Provost (Faculty and Graduate Affairs), Professor Matthew Gillespie provides strategic leadership to support the continuing improvement of Monash’s academic reputation. Trained in microbiology and immunology, he is known for his works as a bone cell biologist and cancer researcher. He has served on a number of research committees and has held editorial roles in global scientific communities.
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Professor Marc Parlange - Judge
Professor Marc Parlange is the Provost and Senior Vice- President of Monash University. Prior to Monash, he served as Dean in universities in Canada and Switzerland. He is a highly regarded scientist in environmental fluid mechanics. An active researcher in hydrology and climate change, his research addresses water resource challenges in remote communities.
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Dr Nurin Veis
As the Director for Research and Collections at Museums Victoria and a Monash alumna, Dr Nurin Veis has expert knowledge of science and the scientific environment with an establish reputation in audiences and public communication. She made significant breakthrough in establishing Scienceworks as an innovator in STEM-based learning experiences. Nurin has a background in biochemistry, immunology and cell biology, having worked as a medical researcher in both Melbourne and New York.
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Professor Jacinta Elston
Professor Jacinta Elston, an Aboriginal woman from Townsville in North Queensland is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at Monash University. Previous to Monash Professor Elston was Professor of Indigenous Health, and Associate Dean (Strategy and Engagement) in the College of Medicine and Dentistry at James Cook University (JCU). Professor Elston has a Masters of Public Health and Tropical Medicine from James Cook University, and is a Fellow of the Australian Rural Leaders Foundation. She is currently serving as the Deputy Chair of the Breast Cancer Network Australia, and the Chair of Cancer Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group.
An 80,000 word PhD would take 9 hours to present
You have 3 minutes.
About the competition
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland, and celebrates the exciting research conducted by PhD students in Australia and around the world.
Do you think you could present your entire PhD thesis to a general audience in just 3 minutes?
Beginning in 2008, the first 3MT® competition was held at UQ with 160 Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates competing.
Just one year later in 2009, the 3MT® competition was promoted to other Australian and New Zealand universities and enthusiasm for the concept grew.
Now, 3MT® is held in over 900 universities across more than 80 countries worldwide.
3MT FINALS WILL BE HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT
As a result of the current COVID-19 restrictions, The University of Queensland (UQ) has moved the 2020 Asia Pacific Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition to a virtual format. Competitors will be required to enter via a pre-recorded video submission.
UQ also require that the Monash final be judged by pre-recorded video submission in order to ensure consistency and avoid disadvantages that might occur as a result of technical issues in a live feed.
Why participate?
- Develop your academic, presentation and research communication skills
- Develop your ability to effectively explain your research in language appropriate to a general audience
- Great professional development opportunity - participants receive two graduate education hours towards the MDP Professional Development requirement
- Celebrate your research and raise your public profile
- Have the chance to win great prizes, and the chance to represent Monash at national and international 3MT virtual competitions
Thank you to the Monash Graduate Association (MGA) for their generous support once again this year, with both faculty rounds and Monash final prizes.
| Competition | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Monash Final - Virtual | Winner | - $5000 - Represent Monash at virtual Asia Pacific Final |
| Runner Up | $2000 | |
| MGA People's Choice Award | $500 | |
| Asia Pacific Final - Virtual | Winner | $5000 |
| Runner Up | $2000 | |
| People's Choice | $1000 |
Virtual Rules and Eligibility
Virtual Rules
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through speech (timing does not include the 3MT title slide and commences from when the competitor starts speaking, not 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;
- Contain a 3MT PowerPoint slide (top right corner/right side/cut to)
- A single static slide is permitted in the presentation (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description). This can be visible continuously, or ‘cut to’ (as many times as you like) for a maximum of 1 minute or submitted via email if not included in the presentation.
- The 3 minute audio must be continuous – no sound edits or breaks.
- No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment and animated backgrounds) are 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 via video format (only video link provided to Event Coordinators). Files sent in other formats will not be accepted.
- Entries submitted for final adjudication to Wildcard or University Final are to be submitted from the School/ Faculty/Institute 3MT Event Coordinator. Competitors should not submit their videos directly to 3MT.
Please note: competitors *will not* be judged on video/ recording quality or editing capabilities (optional inclusions). Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide.
Please note: After each competition round competitors have the option to either submit their current presentation or rerecord and submit a new presentation for entry into the next round.
Eligibility
- Active PhD and Professional Doctorate (Research) candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone (including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the date of their first presentation are eligible to participate in 3MT competitions at all levels, including the Asia-Pacific 3MT competition.
- Graduates are not eligible.
- Professional Doctorate (Research) (program composed of at least 2/3 research) funded via the Research Training Program are not eligible
- Masters (Mphil and coursework) are not eligible
- Professional Doctorate (coursework) are not eligible
Useful Links
Key dates 2020
Please note; As a result of the current COVID-19 restrictions, The University of Queensland (UQ) has moved the 2020 Asia Pacific Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition to a virtual format. Competitors will be required to enter via a pre-recorded video submission.
UQ also require that the Monash final be judged by pre-recorded video submission.
| March | Registrations open |
| April - May - June | Faculty rounds |
| 16 July | Wildcard nominations due |
| 21 July | Wildcard winner announced |
| 18 August | Monash University Virtual Final |
| 14-20 September | Asia-Pacific Semi-Final |
| 21-27 September | Asia-Pacific Final Showcase |
| 1 October | Asia-Pacific Virtual Final - Meet the Finalists Q&A and Winners Announced |
If you have any questions please contact the Monash Graduate Research Office
2019 Competition
See how last year's winners performed