What: Three Minute Thesis (3MT)
Who: Students, staff, faculty and community
When: Wednesday, March 8 at 4 p.m.
Where: Ballroom, UNC200 University Centre, UBC Okanagan Campus
Here’s a challenge many grad students may struggle with: explain your thesis in three minutes.
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a competition for graduate students—many who have been working on their research for years—to present their work within a specific time frame.
The challenge is to present complex research in an engaging, accessible and compelling way, using only one static slide. On March 8, students at UBC’s Okanagan campus will compete in the annual event for a chance to win $2,500 in cash prizes and recognition.
Competitors present their research and its wider impact—why it’s important—in three minutes or less to a panel of non-specialist judges. This is not an easy task considering a full graduate thesis is the culmination of years of research, says Miriam Grant, dean of the College of Graduate Studies at UBC’s Okanagan campus.
“We have some of the best and brightest graduate students sharing their research with our students, staff, faculty and the Okanagan community,” says Grant. “The 3MT gives students a chance to hone their communication skills and show a potential employer that they can explain something very complex in simple terms.”
Developed in Australia by the University of Queensland in 2008, 3MT is a fun and challenging academic competition that enables students to showcase their research to a broad audience. In 2011, UBC was one of the first universities in North America to host a 3MT competition, and today 3MT competitions are held at more than 350 universities around the world.
The local winner will be eligible to participate in the 3MT Western Regional finals. Details about 3MT can be found by visiting 3mt.ok.ubc.ca or by contacting madalen.benson@ubc.ca.
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