Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland. The competition develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of students' and scholars' capacities to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience.
During each competition, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars will have three minutes to present a compelling discussion on their research topic, including its significance and relevance, to the general public. 3MT® is not an exercise in trivializing or "dumbing down" research, instead, it forces competitors to consolidate their ideas and crystallize their research discoveries. This is a fast-paced competition where the top 10 finalists compete by summarizing their two to three-plus years of research in only three minutes with only one slide. Cash awards are given to the winner, runner-up, and People's Choice Award winner.
3MT® at Purdue
Enrolled graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in all disciplines at Purdue University are eligible to participate in 3MT®. All research presented must have been conducted at Purdue University, not from a previous degree, and should be in the final stages so students and scholars have some sound conclusions and impacts to present. Purdue Alumni are not eligible to participate.
Purdue holds its annual 3MT® competition early each spring. It is a celebration of the discoveries made by graduate students and will allow the broader community to learn about ongoing research at Purdue. It is free and open to the public. Cash awards are given to the winner, runner-up, and People's Choice Award winner.
2025 Competition Timeline
- Friday, February 7, 11:59 PM - Faculty Nominations Due
- Monday, March 3, 11:59 PM - Video Submissions Due
- Thursday, March 13, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm - Semi-finals - YONG B 83
- Monday, April 14 - Rehearsal, Fowler Hall 5:00 p.m. EST - mandatory
- Tuesday, April 15 - Competition, Fowler Hall, 7:00 p.m. EST
Cash Awards
- 1st place $5,000
- 2nd place $3,000
- People's Choice $2,000
A panel of judges will select the first and second-place winners, while the People's Choice Award will be selected by the audience.
2024 Winners
First Place: Kevin Alessandro Bautista, Engineering
Graduate Student Submissions
The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars welcomes submissions from all Purdue University disciplines.
Please read the 3MT® competition rules in the drop-down button below.
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Active PhD and Professional Doctorate Research (program composed of at least 2/3 research and eligible for RTP) candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone/progress review (including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the date of their first presentation are eligible to participate in 3MT competitions at all levels.
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Please Note: Students enrolled in any of the following programs are not eligible to enter the 3MT Competition: Masters (coursework only), Professional Doctorate (less than 2/3 research)
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A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or "movement" of any description).
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No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
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No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments or laboratory equipment) are permitted.
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Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
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The decision of the judging panel is final, and People's Choice voting results will not be released.
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All presentations will be videotaped and will appear on the graduate school 3MT® website.
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Students who are over the cost of attendance allowance may not be eligible for prizes.
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For students who receive gift aid/free money from the university, including prizes, the total amount of aid they are receiving cannot exceed the total cost of attendance. Cost of attendance is set by the team in the Division of Financial Aid according to federal financial aid regulations. There are five components in Cost of attendance—tuition and fees, housing and food, books, personal/miscellaneous expenses, and transportation. Cost of attendance for each program at the university is calculated, and the AVERAGE cost is used to award all aid (gift aid and loans, work study, etc.) to a student in that program. The total of all aid a student is receiving cannot exceed the total of that average Cost of attendance.
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Each 3MT® presentation will be judged based on communication style, comprehension, and engagement. Please view our archive of video presentations made by past winners.
Please email the program administrators at 3MT@purdue.edu if you have any questions!