The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition sees brilliant postgraduate researchers bring their entire research to life in just 180 seconds. Just a single static slide, a healthy dose of enthusiasm and a ticking clock.

Ahead of the 3MT final on Tuesday 3 June, we caught up with the Bristol Doctoral College to explore how this fast-paced, inspiring competition is shining a spotlight on the groundbreaking work of our postgraduate community and how we should all be proud of them. It’s one not to miss!

What is the 3MT competition?

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland, Australia. It challenges PGRs to present their research topic in only 180 seconds using a single static slide. To give some context - an 80,000-word PhD thesis would take approximately 9 hours to present!

Over 200 universities take part globally, and this marks the seventh year the University has hosted this unique competition, offering a platform for students to showcase their innovative work to a wider audience.

We chatted to Pippa Sloan, Communications and Engagement Coordinator at the Bristol Doctoral College (BDC) and Mia Arundel, 2024 winner, to find out more.

Pippa, what do you like most about working on 3MT?

It’s always exciting to see what presentations are going to be on. During the try-outs and semi-finals, we’ve seen a whole range of research topics – from how football can help promote gender equality, to how particle shape can affect the climate of a planet. It's really nice to see the enthusiasm postgraduate researchers have for their research topics.

Mia, what opportunities does 3MT provide postgraduate researchers?

3MT offers 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.

The art of communication…

Communicating complex ideas clearly is essential in this competition but is also a useful skill for researchers, that can help them progress through the different stages of their research degree or explain their work to friends and family. The winner from the University of Bristol will also have the chance to compete in the UK Vitae competition and the Coimbra Group 3MT in Europe. Last year, we were incredibly proud to see Rachel Hare, the 2023 winner, compete in the Coimbra 3MT final held in Turku, Finland.

What can we expect to see from this year’s competition?

This year’s final promises to be engaging, featuring insightful presentations and lively discussions about the vital work being done by PGR students at Bristol. Judges will award two prizes at the final: the overall winner (£250 Love2Shop voucher) and runner-up (£75 Love2Shop voucher). A People's Choice Award (£75 Love2Shop voucher) will also be determined by audience votes.

Where can we learn more about the final?

This year’s 3MT competition final will take place on Tuesday 3 June, from 3 to 5:30pm in the Arts Complex. You can book tickets to attend on Eventbrite.