Three Minute Thesis competition
The annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition challenges competitors to be clear, compelling, and, above all, concise as they deliver a spoken presentation on their research topic in a mere 180 seconds with one static slide. The semi-final and final are in-person competitions, with an audience and judging panel.
Prizes
There are three prizes on offer for the winners of our 3MT competition as follows:
Overall winner (as chosen by the judging panel) wins £250 of Love-2-Shop vouchers
People's Choice wins £75 of Love-2-Shop vouchers
Runner up wins £75 of Love-2-Shop vouchers
Dates for the 2025 competition
Applications:
Close 28 March
Compulsory:
24 April - Try-outs, 40-minute bookable slots between 10 am and 2 pm (2.22 PGR Hub)
16 May - Semi-final, 11 am to 1 pm (2.22 PGR Hub) Under competition rules
*23 May - Individual rehearsal session with Piero for finalists (Arts Complex B.H05 LT) *Not compulsory but highly recommended
3 June - Final, 3 pm to 5:30 pm (Arts Complex B.H05 LT) Under competition rules
I thoroughly enjoyed every stage of the 3MT competition. It offered a rare opportunity to discuss research with individuals from various disciplines across the university, from Psychology to Engineering, each offering unique perspectives. The experience enabled me to view my research through a new lens and forced me to consider the key questions I'm tackling - all while being really good fun.
FAQs
The following information is from the official 3MT handbook provided by the University of Queensland, However, if you want to ask a question that isn’t covered, please email bdc-engagement@bristol.ac.uk.
Am I eligible to take part in the competition?
The University of Queensland's official 3MT guidance states that you're eligible if you're an active PhD or Professional Doctorate (Research) candidate who has successfully passed your confirmation milestone by the date of your first presentation. (This includes candidates whose thesis is under submission.) Graduates and MRes students are not eligible.
In practice, this means you'll be eligible to take part in our 3MT contest if you're undertaking one of the following research degrees:
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
- Doctor of Education (EdD)
- Doctor of Educational Psychology (DEdPsy)
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Doctor of Social Science (DSocSci)
- Engineering Doctorate (EngD)
If you have any questions about eligibility, please email bdc-engagement@bristol.ac.uk.
What are the rules of the competition?
The official rules, as outlined by the University of Queensland, are as follows:
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
- No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) is permitted.
- No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
- Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
- Presentations are to commence from the stage.
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
- The decision of the judging panel is final.
Previous 3MT finals
Watch Bristol 3MT finals from previous years on YouTube.
About Three Minute Thesis
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia.
Find out more about its origins on the Three Minute Thesis website.