The Lister Family Engaged Science Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition is open to all master’s and doctoral students in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Competitors present in English only.
The competition follows rules and regulations established by the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies.
Rules
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified
- Presentations must be spoken word (i.e. no poems, raps, or songs)
- Presentations must be given from the stage
- The clock starts when a competitor begins their presentation through either movement or speech
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted, with no slide transitions, animations, or movement of any description
- The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration
- No additional media (e.g. sound or video) or props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, lab equipment) are permitted
- The decision of the adjudicating panel is final
Judging
Judges should have diverse disciplinary backgrounds. They evaluate each competitor on the following categories:
Communication
- Did the presenter use non-verbal communication (i.e. eye contact, voice modulation, body language) effectively?
- Did the presenter use language and terminology that was clear, jargon-free, and understandable to a general audience?
- Did the presentation follow a logical sequence?
- Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation? Did they elaborate for too long on one aspect, or did the presentation feel rushed?
Comprehension
- Did the talk help you understand the scholarly research being undertaken?
- Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and purpose of their research?
- Did the presenter clearly indicate the fascinating or compelling aspects of their research?
- Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background and significance to the research question being addressed?
- Did the presentation clearly describe the impact and/or results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes?
Engagement
- Was the talk engaging?
- Did the presenter capture and maintain the audience's attention?
- Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?
- Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
- Did the talk inspire you to want to know more?
- Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation? Was it clear, legible, and concise?
Prizes
The judges determine first, second, and third place winners. The live audience votes for the People’s Choice Award. Thanks to the generous support of the Lister Family Engaged Science Initiative, their is a cash prize for each of the four winners.
Schedule
- September–October: Call for applicants
- October–November: Training for all competitors
- November: Competition
Training program
The training program includes a three-part workshop series, a group coaching session, as well as optional individual coaching sessions to help students prepare for the competition. All the training is provided through the Office for Experiential Learning and Community Outreach at Macdonald Campus.
McGill's 3MT/MT180
In the winter semester, McGill University holds the 3-Minute Thesis Competition (English) and Ma thèse en 180 secondes (French). This University-wide competition is open to all master’s and doctoral students at McGill. Winners of this competition represent McGill at the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies 3MT Eastern Regional Finals and concours Acfas (Association francophone pour le savoir) Ma thèse en 180 secondes.
History of the 3MT
Created by Professor Alan Lawson at the University of Queensland, Australia in 2008, the 3MT celebrates graduate student research while promoting communication, public speaking, and storytelling skills. The competition offers an exciting opportunity for graduate students to consolidate their ideas, crystalize their research discoveries, and explain their research in a clear and concise manner to a general audience. 3MT competitions enable students to showcase their research across disciplines within their university and to the broader public.
This program is automatically recognized on participants' McGill co-curricular record, a document recognizing students' learning outside the classroom.