Three Minute Thesis 2012
 

2012 UOW Finals - When and Where? 

27 June 2012 - Building 67

What is 'Three Minute Thesis'?

The Three Minute Thesis Competition supports the development of research students’ capacity to communicate ideas effectively to a range of non-specialist audiences and to the wider community.
It is an exercise in developing academic and research communication skills. Selected Higher Degree Research Students (PhD and Masters Research) have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis topic and its significance, in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience.

What it is not

It is not an exercise in trivialising or ‘dumbing-down’ research. The oration should engage the audience without reducing research to entertainment value alone.

Why do it?

• Competitors commonly report the experience helped them ‘crystallize’ thoughts about their thesis and how they communicate their research;
• Internal and external promotion of the value of PhD and Masters Research;
  Can be mapped onto PhD and Masters Research progress/skills development;
  It’s a lot of fun and generates public and media interest in what researchers do.
  
    

Register to attend as a Spectator

This is a great opportunity to network and for information sharing.  Please come along and support our HDR students presenting exciting talks on their innovative research topics.  Remember, these students will become our future experts in their chosen field of research – who knows, they may even make international headlines one day, and you’ll be able to say you saw it here first!  To register as a spectator please fill in the online form. .

 
Judging Criteria

Each of the three judging criteria has equal weight. Note what each criterion has in common: an emphasis on audience.

1.        Comprehension: Did the presentation help the audience understand the research?

• Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and aims of research?
• Do you know what is significant about this research?
• Did the presentation follow a logical sequence?

2.     Engagement: Did the oration make the audience want to know more?

• Was the presenter careful not to trivialise or dumb down their researcher?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience's attention?
• Would I like to know more about the speaker's research?

3.     Communication Style: Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?

• Did the presenter use sufficient eye contact and vocal range, maintain a steady pace and a confident stance? Did the presenter avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology that needed to be used, and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
• Did the presenter spend the right amount of time on each element of their presentation - or did they elaborate for too long or were rushed?
• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance, rather than detract from, their presentation - was it clear, legible and concise?

Rules

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description, the slide is to be displayed 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 three minutes maximum and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g no poems, raps, songs).
• Presentations are to commence from the stage.
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when the student commences via movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Who is eligible to enter?

Anyone who is active in a PhD or Masters Research program* (including thesis under submission). Graduates are not eligible.
The candidature of entrants will be between 1.5 and 4 years EFTSL for Doctoral Students, and 1.5 and 3 years EFTSL for Masters Research Students.
* Note: degree must be at least two thirds research (definition drawn from Grant Guidelines 2006 for Higher Education Support Act (HESA) 2003).

Competitors

Each Faculty will be conducting their own 3 Minute Thesis heats and the winner from each Faculty will compete against each other to be the UOW representative at the Grand Final Competition. Dates of Faculty heats are:
 

Contact your faculty office if you wish to participate in the heats.

The Prizes

UOW Winners will be announced at the Cocktail Party following the presentations.  The UOW winner and will receive $1,500, runner-up $750 and peoples choice prize $750.

2012 Trans-Tasman 3MT Competition

The University of Queensland are holding the 2012 Trans-Tasman 3MT Competition on Thursday 11th October.
The UOW Winner will automatically be entered into the National/Trans-Tasman competition at the University of Queensland, Travel and Accommodation costs will be covered by the Research Student Centre.  
Note:  It is a condition of entering this competition that the winner will compete in the National-Tasman Competition at the University of Queensland.

> 2011 UOW Winners  |  Watch the 2011 Grand Final Winner

> 2010 UOW Winners  |  Watch the 2010 Grand Final Winner