Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition
2020 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® (3MT)
Overview
Founded by The University of Queensland in 2008.
Competitions are now held at over 600 institutions in 60 countries.
Competitors have three (3) minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance.
Competitors must consolidate their ideas and research discoveries so they can be presented concisely to a non-specialist audience.
Deadlines
Registration Deadline - Friday, January 31, 2020
- Registration Deadline - Friday, January 31, 2020 at the following website: 2020 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition Registration
- Slide Submission - Friday, February 7, 2020 at the following website: 2020 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition PowerPoint Slide Submission
Eligibility
Any doctoral candidate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) enrolled at Ohio University that has been admitted to candidacy (e.g., passed comprehensive exams) and whose culminating project is a research-based dissertation.
- Must be enrolled as a student during the semester in which the competition takes place
- Cannot already have defended his or her dissertation
Any master's candidate enrolled at Ohio University that has completed significant work toward his or her culminating project
- Must be enrolled as a student during the semester in which the competition takes place
All participants must be available to participate in one of the semi-final rounds (either Monday, February 10, 2020 OR Wednesday, February 12, 2020) AND the final round, Wednesday, February 19, 2020.
Rules
- A single, static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animation, or ‘movement’ of any kind); the slide must be presented from the beginning of the oration.
- No additional electronic media is permitted.
- No additional props are permitted.
- Presentations are limited to three (3) minutes; competitors exceeding this time limit will be disqualified.
- Presentations are spoken-word only.
- The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
Judging Criteria
Comprehension & Content
-
Did the presentation:
- Provide an understanding of the background of the research question being addressed and its significance?
- Clearly describe the key results of the research including conclusions and outcomes?
- Follow a clear and logical sequence?
- Were the thesis topic, key results and research significance and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
- Did the presenter:
- Avoid scientific jargon?
- Explain the terminology?
- Provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
- Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of the presentation, or did he or she elaborate for too long on one aspect, or was the presentation rushed?
Engagement
- Did the oration make the audience want to know more? Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize the research?
- Did the presenter:
- Convey enthusiasm for the research?
- Capture and maintain the audience’s attention?
- Have sufficient stage presence, eye contact, and vocal range?
- Maintain a steady pace and have a confident stance?
- Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation? Was it clear, legible, and concise?
Awards and Prizes
Cash prizes* awarded to:
- 1st place ($300)
- 2nd place ($200)
- 3rd place ($100)
- People’s Choice ($100)
All participants will receive a t-shirt.
Format
Semi-finals
- Monday, February 10, 2020 at 7 P.M. AND
- Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 7 P.M.
Finals
- Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at 7 P.M.
Useful Resources
Videos of the 2019 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition winning presentations can be viewed on the Ohio University YouTube site. To view, click here.
Videos of the 2018 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition winning presentations can be viewed on the Ohio University YouTube site. To view, click here.
Videos of the 2017 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition winning presentations can be viewed on the Ohio University YouTube site. To view, click here.
To help you prepare your slide, watch a short video prepared by Sean McGraw, the 2016 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition winner. To view, click here.
| Award | Name | Title of Presentation | College | Program |
| 1st Place |
Michelle Michael |
Framing Terrorism and its effect on Islamophobic Attitude: An Experiment |
Scripps College of Communication | Journalism |
| 2nd Place | Anne Sternberger |
Figuring out flowers: Insight into the mixed breeding system of violets |
College of Arts and Sciences | Environmental and Plant Biology |
| 3rd Place | Proma Basu |
A tale of two proteins: Spaceflight proteomics sheds light on |
College of Arts and Sciences | Molecular and Cellular Biology |
| People's Choice - Doctoral Student | Rebecca Keogh |
Combating the weapons of Staphylococcus aureus |
College of Arts and Sciences | Biological Sciences |
| People's Choice - Master's Student | Michelle Michael |
Framing Terrorism and its effect on Islamophobic Attitude: |
Scripps College of Communication | Journalism |
| Finalist | Master's or Doctoral Student | Title of Presentation | College/Program |
| Proma Basu | Doctoral Student |
A tale of two proteins: Spaceflight proteomics sheds light on how a plant decides which way is up |
College of Arts and Sciences/Molecular and Cellular Biology |
|
Tess Herman |
Master's Student | Turning Wastes into Energy using Bio-digesters |
Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs/Environmental Studies |
| Rebecca Keogh | Doctoral Student |
Combating the weapons of Staphylococcus aureus |
College of Arts and Sciences/Biological Sciences |
| Angela Mendez | Master's Student |
Church leaders and conflict in Colombia |
Center for International Studies/ |
|
Michelle Michael |
Master's Student | Framing Terrorism and its effect on Islamophobic Attitude: An Experiment |
Scripps College of Communication/Journalism |
| Mahboubeh Noori | Doctoral Student |
Identification of a novel GSK-3 Inhibitor with therapeutic potential for cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and sepsis |
Russ College of Engineering and Technology/Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering |
|
Rachael Pickens |
Doctoral Student |
Photoactivation of Metal Complexes to Release Therapeutic Agents |
College of Arts and Sciences/ |
|
Anne Sternberger |
Doctoral Student | Figuring out flowers: Insight into the mixed breeding system of violets |
College of Arts and Sciences/ |
Videos of the 2019 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® Competition can be viewed on the Ohio University YouTube site. To view, click here.
2018 Ohio University Three Minute Thesis® (3MT) Winners
Silvana Duran Ortiz
Withering Waters and Teetering Temperatures: How one frog copes with pool permanency
Effectiveness of Online Portal for Climate Adaptation Knowledge Diffusion
Can we extend life- and health-span by decreasing Growth hormone action?
Effectiveness of Online Portal for Climate Adaptation Knowledge Diffusion
| 3 MT Finalist | Master's or Doctoral Student | Title | College and Program |
| Silvana Duran Ortiz | Doctoral Student | Can we extend life- and health-span by decreasing Growth hormone action? |
College of Arts and Sciences Molecular and Cellular Biology |
|
Basil Masri Zada |
Doctoral Student | Practices of Everyday Life and the Syrian Body in Syrian art of the Syrian Crisis since 2011 |
College of Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Arts |
| Mersad Raeisi | Doctoral Student |
Chemistry that Self-assembles |
College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry |
| Ali Rafiei Miandashti | Doctoral Student | Small Gold Structures for Treatment of Cancer |
College of Arts and Sciences Chemistry |
|
Pratik Shriwas |
Doctoral Student | Glucose-uptake inhibition: A novel way to starve cancer to death |
College of Arts and Sciences Biological Sciences |
|
Sk Abu Talha |
Master's Student |
Evaluation of Bond Strength of Micro-surfacing Mixes with and without Tack Coat |
Russ College of Engineering and Technology Civil Engineering |
|
Cassandra Thompson |
Master's Student | Withering Waters and Teetering Temperatures: How one frog copes with pool permanency |
College of Arts and Sciences Biological Sciences |
|
Sharif Wahab |
Master's Student | Effectiveness of Online Portal for Climate Adaptation Knowledge Diffusion |
Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs Environmental Studies |