Competitions Overview

Purdue's Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars holds two unique annual competitions for its graduate students and other qualifying University members, including the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition and the Say It In 6® competition. Both come with cash prizes.

Say It In 6®

Say It In 6® is a competition that challenges you to tell a story about your graduate experience — in a clear, concise and most importantly, creative way — by using only six words and a visual aid. The competition is open to all graduate and professional students, non-degree students, and postdoctoral fellows at Purdue.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) 

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition aimed at developing academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Graduate students will have three minutes to present a compelling presentation on a chosen research topic, its significance, and its relevance to the general public. 

Work presented must have been conducted at Purdue University, not from a previous degree, and should be in the final stages so you have some sound conclusions and impacts from your research. Currently enrolled graduate students in all disciplines at Purdue University are eligible to participate. Graduates are not eligible. 


Purdue University - Virtual Three Minute Thesis® 2020 winning entry by Julianna Ge