2026 UW Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

UW Three Minute Thesis. May 21, 2026. 4 - 6 pm. HUB Lyceum, Seattle campus.

Register to attend

UW Three Minute Thesis Competition (In-person)
Thursday, May 21, 2026, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. / Doors open at 3:30 p.m.
Event starts promptly at 4 p.m.
HUB Lyceum, UW Seattle campus
This free event will not be livestreamed or recorded.

In front of a general audience and a panel of esteemed judges, graduate student presenters will compete by doing three-minute presentations about their capstone or research projects, using only one static slide each. The theme this year is Impact. Organized by The Graduate School and UW Libraries Open & Interdisciplinary Research Support. Send questions to uw3mt@uw.edu.

Learn about this year’s outstanding graduate student presenters!

Event judges will select First Place and Runner Up winners and the in-person audience will vote for People’s Choice winner.

Prizes sponsored by The Graduate School:

First Place: $2,500
Runner Up: $1,500
People’s Choice: $1,000

After the presentations, there will be a reception with free light foods and refreshments.

Please note: 3MT is not a drop-in event for presenters. There is an event process. Graduate students who successfully competed in the online preliminary round on April 22 will be presenting at the event.

Graduate Student Presenters

Manu Agni – How Deliveries Shape Our City
Concurrent degrees: Master’s Student, Urban Planning & Civil Engineering
College of Built Environments & College of Engineering, Seattle

Leah Anderson – Microbial Evolution: Live in the Classroom
PhD Student, Genome Sciences
School of Medicine, Seattle

Tamara Aránguiz-Rago – When Climate Turns Off, But Tectonics Do Not
PhD Student, Earth & Space Sciences
College of the Environment, Seattle

Satria Ardianuari – Can Prosthetic Leg Features Help Reduce Knee Stress?
PhD Student, Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering, Seattle

Héctor E. Delgado Díaz – To Look at Another Earth
Dual-Title PhD Student, Astronomy & Astrobiology
College of Arts & Sciences, Seattle

Youngshang Han – Don’t Waste Heat, Use It!
PhD Student, Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering, Seattle

Connor Krolak – Ultrasound and Microbubbles: Imaging & Changing Tumor Blood Flow
PhD Student, Bioengineering
College of Engineering & School of Medicine, Seattle

Paul Morgan – Damability Maps Can Help Prevent Landslide Dam Disasters
PhD Student, Earth & Space Sciences
College of the Environment, Seattle

Momo Song Suzuki – What Do Trans Educators Make Possible?
Master of Education Student, Special Education & Multilingual Education
College of Education, Seattle

Emily Teets – Parkinson’s Disease Genes Control Glial Pruning of Neurons
PhD Student, Molecular & Cellular Biology
The Graduate School, Seattle

About

UW 3MT® is a professional development competition that celebrates the exciting capstone and research experiences of master’s and doctoral students at the University of Washington from all three campuses. The competition supports graduate students’ capacity to effectively explain their research or capstone project in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a public audience. This event is a partnership between The Graduate School and UW Libraries Open & Interdisciplinary Research Support.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition originally developed by the University of Queensland, Australia.

Past 3MT competitions: 2022

Theme

The theme for this year’s competition is Impact. Impact can be defined as the positive outcome of a critical intervention, social policy, service provision model, legal framework, or technological innovation. How does your graduate research demonstrate impact for the public good? We’re excited to celebrate the influence our graduate students have on the world.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to submit a proposal for UW 3MT, you must meet the following criteria:

Your master’s or doctoral degree must be granted from any University of Washington campus during AY 2025-2026 (Autumn 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026, Summer 2026).
You at least have a draft of your final project (e.g. capstone, thesis, or dissertation), including findings and conclusions.
Only one member of a capstone project team may submit a proposal. If the proposal is selected, the same student who submitted the proposal must be the presenter at the online preliminary round. The same applies to the in-person competition.

3MT competitions are intended for graduate students who are ready to present their capstone, thesis, or dissertation work, rather than for works-in-progress. If you are at an earlier stage with your research, we encourage you to submit a proposal to Scholars’ Studio to present your work.

Prizes

Prizes for the May 21 event are sponsored by The Graduate School:

First Place: $2,500
Runner Up: $1,500
People’s Choice: $1,000

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Timeline

Competition Process	Date, Time & Location
Online information sessions	March 2, 2026, 5 – 6 p.m. (PST) / Registration closed March 16, 2026, 5 – 6 p.m. (PDT) / Registration closed
Proposals are due for the online preliminary round. We will not accept proposals via email.	Deadline extended to March 27, 2026 by Noon (PDT)
Virtual preliminary round: Successful presenters will be selected as finalists for competition day.	April 22, 2026, 1 – 3:30 p.m. (PDT) Please note that we are unable to schedule additional preliminary round times due to staff capacity.
In-person competition	May 21, 2026 4 – 6 p.m. (Doors open at 3:30 p.m.) UW Seattle campus

Proposal Guidelines for the Online Preliminary Round

The proposal must address the following components:

Capstone or Research Project Summary

In no more than 200 words, please describe your capstone or research project for a general reader (without including a lot of academic or technical jargon).

Theme: Impact

Impact is the theme for this year’s UW Three Minute Thesis. In no more than 300 words, describe how your capstone or research project demonstrates impact (without using a lot of academic or technical jargon).

Proposal Selection Criteria

Successful proposals for preliminary rounds are based on the following two components:

1. Capstone or Research Project Summary

– Is the capstone or research project summary concise and coherent?
– Does the summary include a lot of academic or technical jargon?
– Is the summary understandable to a general, public audience?

2. Theme: Impact

– Is the impact section concise and coherent?
– Is there a lot of academic or technical jargon?
– Does this section highlight specific ways that the capstone or research project demonstrates the theme of impact?

Submit Your Proposal

The proposal form is closed. We will not accept proposals via email.

The deadline was extended to March 27, 2026 by Noon (Pacific time).

Virtual Preliminary Round

If your proposal is selected, you will have an opportunity to present your capstone or research project in an online preliminary round on April 22, 2026, 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (PDT). Successful presenters will be selected to present at the in-person competition, scheduled for May 21, 2026, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Seattle campus.

Guidance on Preparing Your 3MT Presentation

Review the following tips and resources:

Practicing your presentation several times will help you look confident and sound prepared. Practice in front of friends, family, and colleagues to get feedback. Your presentation needs to be understandable to a broad, general audience, without the use of a lot of academic or technical jargon.

Preparing for Your 3MT Presentation, University of Queensland
Tips for Effective Design and Use of the 3MT Slide, Indiana University
Time to Perfect Your Elevator Pitch, University of Pennsylvania
How to Write a PhD Elevator Pitch, Academic Positions
Communication: Two Minutes to Impress, Nature Jobs

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Successful presenters from the online preliminary round will be selected to compete as finalists on competition day, based on the following guidelines:

Comprehension	The presenter expressed a deep understanding of the topic.
Content	The presentation sufficiently described the project topic, significance, and background – as well as key findings, implications, or recommendations.
Clarity	The presenter rarely used academic or technical jargon. If terminology was used, they were clearly defined for the general audience.
Oral communication	The presenter had an engaging oratory presence.
Visual communication	The presentation slide was clear, legible and concise. One single static PowerPoint slide is allowed. No slide transitions or animations are allowed. No props or additional media (e.g. sound, music, animation, and video files).
Theme	The presentation clearly and sufficiently described how the project demonstrates the theme of Impact.

Past Winners

2025

First Place – Kevin Jiang, doctoral student in Bioengineering
Runner Up & People’s Choice – Grace Umutesi, doctoral student in Global Health Metrics & Implementation Science

2024

First Place – Sarah Pollack, master’s student in Quantitative Ecology & Resource Management
Runner Up – Niveditha Kalavakonda, doctoral student in Electrical & Computer Engineering
People’s Choice – Sherry Gu, master’s student in Applied Bioengineering

2023

First Place – Mayuree Binjolkar, doctoral student in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Runner Up – Ekta Samani, doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
People’s Choice – Megan Maerz, doctoral student in Molecular Medicine & Mechanisms of Disease

2022

First Place – Enrique Saldarriaga, doctoral student in Health Economics and Outcomes Research
Runner Up – Julia Dreifus, doctoral student in Microbiology
People’s Choice – Douglas Wagoner, master’s student in Public Administration

2021

First Place – Beth Halsne, doctoral student in Rehabilitation Science & master’s student in Mechanical Engineering
Runner Up – Jackie Otting, master’s student in Education (Learning Science & Human Development)
People’s Choice – Arianne Caudal, doctoral student in Biochemistry

2020

Event canceled due to COVID-19

2019

First Place – Barbara Rodriguez Droguett, doctoral student in Built Environment
Runner Up – Junyue Cao, doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
People’s Choice – Junyue Cao, doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology

2018

First Place – Amey Khanolkar, doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering
Runner Up – Evan Schuster, master’s student in Mechanical Engineering
People’s Choice – Amey Khanolkar, doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering

2017

First Place – Molly Grear, doctoral student in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Runner Up – Gabby Barsh, doctoral student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
People’s Choice – Zheng Li, doctoral student in Bioengineering

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens on 3MT Competition Day?

Event judges will select First Place and Runner Up winners and the in-person audience will vote for People’s Choice winner.

Prizes sponsored by The Graduate School:

First Place: $2,500
Runner Up: $1,500
People’s Choice: $1,000

After the presentations, there will be a reception with free light foods and refreshments.

Who is eligible to submit a proposal for UW 3MT?

To be eligible to submit a proposal, you must meet the following criteria:

Your master’s or doctoral degree must be granted from any University of Washington campus during AY 2025-2026 (Autumn 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026, Summer 2026).
You at least have a draft of your final project (e.g. capstone, thesis, or dissertation), including findings and conclusions.
Only one member of a capstone project team may submit a proposal. If the proposal is selected, the same student who submitted the proposal must be the presenter for the online preliminary round. The same applies to the in-person competition.

3MT competitions are intended for graduate students who are ready to present their capstone, thesis, or dissertation work, rather than for works-in-progress. If you are at an earlier stage with your research, we encourage you to submit proposals to Scholars’ Studio to present your work.

Is 3MT a drop-in event for presenters?

No. Graduate students who successfully compete during the virtual preliminary round will move forward and present during the competition on May 21.

What is allowed on my 3MT slide?

One single static PowerPoint slide is permitted.

In preparing the slide, remember that ‘less is more.’ It does not have to include text. Visual cues are very effective in assisting the presenter’s explanation of their research. (No slide transitions, video, or animations are permitted).

Can I use sound or video files?

No additional media (e.g. sound, music, animation, and video files) is permitted during the competition.

Can I use notes during the final competition?

Using notes during your presentation is allowed. Be mindful to stay engaged with the audience and not appear as if you are constantly looking at your notes.

Practicing your presentation several times before the competition will help you look confident and sound prepared. Practice in front of friends, family, and colleagues to get feedback.

Can I have props (a 3D printed model, a soccer ball, a microscope, etc.)?

No.

Is there a dress code?

Business formal or casual is suggested. Costumes are not allowed.

Can I win in more than one category during the competition?

Yes, it is possible to win a place (First or Runner Up) and also win the People’s Choice Award.

Who will be in the audience during the competition?

The audience is often a mix of graduate students, faculty, staff, and University leadership. There will also be supporters of graduate education in attendance, as well as presenters’ family and community members.

Contact

uw3mt@uw.edu

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