UW Virtual Three Minute Thesis 2022
2022 Competition Winners | Theme | Eligibility Criteria | Proposal Guidelines | Proposal Selection Criteria | Proposal Form | Preliminary Rounds | Past Winners | FAQs | Contact
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 Core Programs—Office of Graduate Student Affairs in The Graduate School and the UW Libraries Research Commons. Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition originally developed by the University of Queensland, Australia.
This year, we are hosting online preliminary rounds. Successful presenters from these rounds will be selected as finalists to compete at the virtual competition day scheduled for May 5, 4-5:30 p.m.
Send questions to uw3mt@uw.edu.
2022 Virtual Competition Winners
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
First Place | $2,500
Enrique M. Saldarriaga, PhD Candidate in Health Economics & Outcomes Research
School of Pharmacy
Runner Up | $1,500
Julia Dreifus, PhD Candidate in Microbiology
School of Medicine
People’s Choice | $1,000
Douglas E. Wagoner, Master’s Candidate in Public Administration
Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
We acknowledge all of the outstanding graduate students who presented their capstone and research projects at this year’s virtual event! Take a look at the presenter bios.
2022 competition recording coming soon!
Relive the 2021 Virtual Competition
Access the livestream recording
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 capstone or research project demonstrate impact for the public good? We’re excited to celebrate the influence our graduate students have on the world.
Eligibility Criteria
- You are a University of Washington master’s or doctoral student from any UW campus.
- You 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.
- Your degree will be granted during AY 2021–2022.
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.
Timeline
| Competition Process | Date, Time & Location |
| Proposal submission deadline for preliminary rounds | April 14, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. |
| Virtual preliminary rounds. Presenters will be selected as finalists for competition day. |
April 25, 2022 |
| Virtual 3MT Competition | May 5, 2022, 4–5:30 p.m. |
Proposal Submission Guidelines for Preliminary Rounds
This year, we are hosting preliminary rounds on April 25-26, 2022. Successful presenters will be selected from these rounds to compete during the May 5 event. Below are the proposal guidelines for the preliminary rounds:
Capstone or Research Project Summary
In 300 words or less, please describe your capstone or research project for a general reader (without discipline-specific jargon or technical language).
Your summary:
– Must be concise and coherent
– Does not include a lot of disciplinary jargon
– Is understandable to a general, public audience
Theme
Impact is the theme for this year’s UW Three Minute Thesis competition. Briefly (300 words or less) describe how your capstone or research project demonstrates impact.
Proposal Selection Criteria
Successful proposals for preliminary rounds are based on the following:
Capstone or Research Project Summary
– Is the capstone or research project summary concise and 300 words or less?
– Does the summary include a lot of disciplinary jargon?
– Is the summary understandable to a general, public audience
Theme: Impact
Does the proposal include how the capstone or research project demonstrates impact in 300 words or less?
Submit Your Proposal
Access the proposal submission form. Requires log in with UW NetID. The deadline is April 14, 2022 by 11:59 p.m.
Preliminary Rounds
If your proposal is selected, you will have an opportunity to present your capstone or research project in an online preliminary round on April 25 or 26. Successful presenters will be selected as finalists to present at virtual 3MT competition day, scheduled for May 5.
Guidance and Resources for Preparing Your 3MT Presentation
Review the following tips and resources:
- Watch the 2021 UW Virtual 3MT Competition recording
- Preparing for Your Virtual 3MT Presentation (pp.1-4), University of Queensland
- Tips for Effective Design and Use of the 3MT Slide, Indiana University
- Elevator Pitch: An Effective Way to Communicate Your Work, Office of Postdoc Affairs, University of Washington
- How to Write a PhD Elevator Pitch, Academic Positions
- What Is an Elevator Pitch? (video), Southern New Hampshire University
- The Elevator Pitch, Career Network for Student Scientists and Postdocs at Yale University
- Communication: Two Minutes to Impress, Nature Jobs
Competition day finalists will be selected from the preliminary rounds, based on the following presentation criteria:
| Content | The presentation sufficiently described the project topic, significance, and background—as well as key findings, implications, or recommendations. |
| Clarity | The presenter rarely used disciplinary jargon. If terminology was used, they were clearly defined for the lay audience. |
| Oral communication | The presenter had an engaging virtual 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 electronic media (e.g. sound, music, and video files) are permitted. |
| Theme | The presentation clearly and sufficiently described how the project demonstrates the theme of Impact. |
Past Winners
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 Sciences & Human Development)
People’s Choice
Arianne Caudal, doctoral student in Biochemistry
We recognize all of the outstanding presenters who also competed this year! Download their bios.
Watch the 2021 UW Virtual 3MT Competition recording
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to submit a proposal for UW 3MT?
To be eligible to submit a proposal, you must meet the following criteria:
- You are a University of Washington master’s or doctoral student from any UW campus.
- You 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.
- Your degree will be granted during AY 2021-2022.
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.
What happens during the preliminary rounds?
If your proposal is selected, you will have an opportunity to present your capstone or research project in an online preliminary round on April 25 or 26. Successful presenters will be selected to present at the virtual 3MT event, scheduled for May 5.
What happens on 3MT Competition Day?
UW Virtual 3MT Competition
May 5, 2022, 4-5:30 p.m.
In front of an online general audience and a panel of esteemed judges, up to 15 presenters will each compete by doing a three-minute presentation for First Place, Runner Up, and People’s Choice.
Prize awards total $5,000! Many thanks to Bruce and Joanne Montgomery for their generous sponsorship.
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 or animations are permitted).
Can I use sound or video files?
No additional electronic media (e.g. sound, music, and video files) is permitted during the competition.
Is there a dress code?
Business formal or casual is suggested. Costumes are not allowed.
Can I have props (a 3D printed model, a soccer ball, a microscope, etc.)?
No.
Can I win in more than one category on competition day?
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?
The virtual audience is often a mix of graduate students, faculty, staff, and University leadership. There will also be supporters of graduate education in attendance online, as well as presenters’ family and community members.
Contact
Send questions to uw3mt@uw.edu