History

Video courtesy of UQ's Office of Marketing & Communication

The first 3MT was held at UQ in 2008 with 160 RHD students competing. In 2009 and 2010 the 3MT concept was promoted to other Australian and New Zealand universities. Enthusiasm for the 3MT concept and its adoption in numerous universities led to the development of an international competition, with the Inaugural Trans-Tasman 3MT competition held at UQ in 2010. Research higher degree (PhD and MPhil) students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis topic and its significance. 3MT is not an exercise in trivialising or ‘dumbing-down’ research but forces students to consolidate their ideas and crystalise their research discoveries.
 

Eligibility

Anyone who is active in a *PhD or *MPhil program (including thesis under submission) will be eligible to participate in 3MT. Graduates are not eligible.

Competitors who are eligible on the date of their first presentation in their local competition shall remain so for the Trans-Tasman 3MT competition irrespective of subsequent changes to their status (e.g. those who subsequently graduate before the date of the Trans-Tasman 3MT competition).

* Note: degree must be at least two thirds research (definition drawn from Grant Guidelines 2006 for Higher Education Support Act (HESA) 2003)

Prizes

• Winner:  $5000 research travel grant
• Runner-up:  $2000 research travel grant
• People's Choice: $1000 research travel grant

Rules

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description, the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration).
• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (eg. no poems, raps or songs).
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Judging Criteria

• Communication style: was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?
• Comprehension: did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
• Engagement: did the oration make the audience want to know more? 

Progression

The following chart outlines the progression of students throughout the competition. Please note that the winner of each heat or final is expected to represent their School/Institute/Faculty/university at the next stage of the competition. If the winner is unable to attend the final, the runner-up will proceed to the next round of the competition.

2012 Competition

	Winner Amanda Pearce - read about Amanda | watch her presentation | Listen to ABC interview with Amanda Australian Institute for Bioengineering & Nanotechnology Prostate cancer - "Probing" for a solution Amanda will represent UQ in the 2012 Trans-Tasman 3MT competition on Thursday 11 October.
	Runner-up Wen Wu - watch her presentation School of Psychology Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences On discriminating people: Visual expertise in categorisation
	People's Choice Wilko Duprez - read about Wilko | watch his presentation Institute for Molecular Bioscience Making drugs, not war: the hippie medication

UQ 3MT Finalists

	Kerstin Braun - read about Kerstin | watch her presentation TC Beirne School of Law Faculty of Business, Economics and Law The role of the victim in criminal proceedings in Australia and Germany - a comparison
	Ali Habibi - watch his presentation School of Civil Engineering Faculty of Engineering, Architecture & Information Technology A new energy based design method for seismic retrofitting of structures with passive energy dissipaters
	Nahyun Kwon - watch her presentation School of Languages & Comparative Cultural Studies Faculty of Arts The Phonology of Sound Symbolism: A Cross-Linguistic Experimental Study
	Kathryn Plonka - read about Kathryn | watch her presentation School of Dentistry Faculty of Health Sciences Preventive Strategies for Early Childhood Caries (ECC) from Antenatal to Age 36 Months
	Catherine Tiplady - read about Catherine | watch her presentation School of Veterinary Science Faculty of Science Domestic violence and pets

2011 3MT Competition

2010 3MT Competition

2012 Trans-Tasman 3MT Competition

	Winner: Tim Paris (University of Western Sydney) Read about Tim Watch his presentation "Brain waves that predict the future"
	Runner-up: Lauren Hollier (University of Western Australia) Watch her presentation "Boys, girls and language: is testosterone the key?"
	People's Choice: Tristan Simons (Deakin University) Watch his presentation "Sun to socket: The Zinc-Air rechargeable battery"

 Trans-Tasman 3MT Honour Board

We have developed a number of resources to assist competitors and participating universities prepare for 3MT.

3MT Brand Guidelines

The University of Queensland has trademarked the use of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) logo and brand.  The consistent and coordinated use of the 3MT brand is essential to ensure it is protected and ultimately enhanced. Any institution that does not abide by these guidelines risks damaging the competition's credibility in the marketplace, while ultimately diluting its impact. Every participating institution is a stakeholder of the brand, and as such, it is incumbent upon them to fully understand their responsibilities while ensuring these guidelines are followed as set forth in this document. The designs and branding guidelines apply to all faculty, school, institute, centre and administrative divisions in each participating institution.

Read the 3MT Brand Guidelines.

Resources for UQ RHD Candidates 

3MT 2013 Student Handbook	Contains useful information for students interested in competing in the 3MT competition. It includes examples of previous slides and key points to remember when refining your 3MT oration.
Register your interest	If you are interested in participating in the 2013 UQ competition, please contact your School or Institute 3MT Event Coordinator for further information.  School, Institute and Faculty competition dates will be promoted on our website in mid-2013.

Resources for UQ Event Coordinators

3MT 2013 Event Coordinator Handbook

Contains information on the competition and promotional materials to help encourage RHD students to participate in the 3MT competition.

3MT supporting materials pack

Includes: Budget template Countdown timer Critical Path template Description Judging sheets Order of proceedings Participant Contact Details spreadsheet People's Choice Ballot PowerPoint template Promotional slide Runsheet 2013 3MT Logo - Please note this logo is trademarked and should not be altered. Please refer to the Brand Guidelines.  Email template - invitation and registration Reserved seating sign

Further information

If you have any questions please contact the UQ Graduate School via 3MT@gradschool.uq.edu.au or phone +61 7 3346 0508.

We have developed a number of resources to assist competitors and participating universities prepare for 3MT.

3MT Brand Guidelines

The University of Queensland has trademarked the use of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) logo and brand.  The consistent and coordinated use of the 3MT brand is essential to ensure it is protected and ultimately enhanced. Any institution that does not abide by these guidelines risks damaging the competition's credibility in the marketplace, while ultimately diluting its impact. Every participating institution is a stakeholder of the brand, and as such, it is incumbent upon them to fully understand their responsibilities while ensuring these guidelines are followed as set forth in this document. The designs and branding guidelines apply to all faculty, school, institute, centre and administrative divisions in each participating institution.

Read the 3MT Brand Guidelines.

Resources for participating universities

Further information

If you have any questions please contact the UQ Graduate School via 3MT@gradschool.uq.edu.au or phone +61 7 3346 0508.

Q - Can sound or video be used during a presentation?
A - No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) is permitted during a 3MT presentation.

Q - Can additional props be used during a presentation?
A - No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted during a 3MT presentation.

Q - Can palm cards or speech notes be refered to during a presentation?
A - Yes, palm cards and/or speech notes are acceptable, however this option may detract from the delivery of the 3MT and is not recommended.

Q – While presenters can’t deliver their 3MT as a poem or song, can they quote from a poem or song?
A - Yes, quotes can be included from a poem or song if it is relevant to the presenter's thesis topic. Poetry and song lyrics are not permitted to be used as a tool to deliver the 3MT as a whole and their use to be very limited.

Q - Who is eligible to enter the 3MT competition?
A - Students who are active in a PhD or MPhil program (including thesis under submission) are eligible to enter the 3MT competition. Graduates are not eligible.

Competitors who are eligible on the date of their first presentation in their enrolling unit (School or Institute) competition shall remain so until the Trans-Tasman Final (if they progress through to that stage of the competition) irrespective of subsequent changes to their status (e.g. those who have degrees conferred before the date of the Trans-Tasman Final).

In summary, in order to be eligible:
- students must be active / enrolled in a PhD or MPhil program;
- students can submit their thesis before they register to compete in 3MT;
- a students whose thesis is under submission is still eligible to compete;
- a student whose thesis is under submission, and whose degree is conferred while they are still competing in 3MT, is still eligible. In this case, the student must have competed in their first (enrolling unit) heat prior to their degree conferral;

Please note that a student whose degree is conferred before they compete in their enrolling unit heats, and who has therefore graduated, is not eligible to compete. Students become ineligible, in this case, upon receiving notification of degree conferral, even if they have not attended a graduation ceremony.

Major Sponsor

UniQuest is one of Australia’s leading research commercialisation companies, specialising in global technology transfer and facilitating access for all business sectors to world class university expertise, intellectual property and facilities. UniQuest's innovation portfolio includes Australia's first blockbuster vaccine Gardasil®, Australia's largest biotech IPO QRxPharma Ltd, the internationally acclaimed Triple P Positive Parenting Program, and UQ’s superconductor technology used in two-thirds of the world's MRI machines.

Official Sponsors

	The Co-op Bookshop has grown to become the largest provider of educational, professional and lifelong learning resources in Australia. With over 40 branches across Australia, numerous additional services and more than one million members, the Co-op is more than just a bookshop. You can find the Co-op Bookshop at the St Lucia, Gatton and Ipswich UQ campuses.
	Blue Star Go offers a full range of flexible and cost effective printing services featuring the latest high-speed mono and colour digital machinery. Conveniently located on UQ’s St Lucia Campus in the old UQ Printery Building, their range of services, speed and quality are second to none. University of Queensland Printery, Building 85 Telephone: 07 3346 3519
	Formed in 1967, the association's mission is to promote and further the interests of the University of Queensland and to foster mutually beneficial relations amongst UQ Alumni and those in the wider community with an interest in the University. Membership is open to everyone who has an interest in UQ. The University of Queensland Alumni Centre, Building 91C Phone: 07 3365 1561 Fax: 07 3365 1567 Email: alumni@uq.edu.au Web: http://uq.edu.au/alumni/
	Data#3 Limited (DTL) is an ASX listed company that provides market leading technology solutions across a wide range of industries throughout Australia and Asia Pacific. Headquartered in Brisbane, they operate from nine locations across Australia. The Data#3 business, structure and technology solutions are all designed to help customers meet their business objectives. Phone: 1300 23 28 23 Address: 67 High Street, Toowong QLD 4066 Website: http://www.data3.com/

 Official Broadcaster

	JACradio is UQ's School of Journalism and Communication’s very own student radio station that broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  JAC radio will broadcast both the 2012 UQ 3MT Final and the 2012 3MT Trans Tasman Final live.
	In 2012, both the 3MT UQ Final and the Trans-Tasman Final will be broadcast via audio and visual live streaming thanks to JACradio and JACtv. The links will be embedded in the 3MT home page one day before each competition.

Official Venue Sponsor - UQ Final 

Institute of Continuing & TESOL Education (ICTE-UQ) Auditorium Level 2 (entrance level), Sir Llew Edwards Building (#14 - view on map) ICTE-UQ has developed a reputation both domestically and internationally as a centre of excellence for onshore and offshore English language training, English language teacher training and professional development, continuing education, and language test administration services. Learn more about ICTE-UQ here.

Official Venue Sponsor - Trans-Tasman 3MT Competition

Venue: Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) Auditorium Level 7, QBI Building (#79 - view on map) QBI researchers work to discover the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the ability of the adult brain to generate new nerve cells and form functional connections. Learn more about QBI here.