Three Minute Thesis Competition hosted by ISEK
The ISEK Student Local Organizing Committee will be hosting Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition ahead of the Congress.
The 3MT® is an academic research communication competition where students present their research and its wider impact in 3 minutes or less to a panel of judges. The challenge is to present complex research in an engaging, accessible, and compelling way, using only one static slide.
The two presenters with the best video presentations will have the chance to present live during the ISEK General Assembly. This is a unique opportunity to present your project in front of researchers from around the world and a great way to gain international exposure.
Eligibility
- Participant must be registered to the ISEK Congress
- Participants be registered in a master’s (Thesis or MRP) or PhD program at the time of the 3MT® competition, and could be at any stage of progress (i.e., proposal, data collected, etc.) on their research and analysis.
- PhD and master’s students who have defended, but have not yet convocated, are eligible to participate.
Application process
All students interested to participate will be required to register their 3-minute presentation on Zoom and upload it as a private YouTube video 1 month before the Congress (May 27th).
To be considered, please send the link to your video to along with key information such as name and level of study.
All presentations will be judged by a group of 3 evaluators (Local student committee, Early Career Committee, Local Scientific Committee) based on a set evaluation grid.
Video upload deadline: May 27, 2022
Evaluation criteria
The panel will assess the speaker’s talent and engagement on the following criteria:
1. Did the presenter sustain the interest of the audience?
2. Did the presenter demonstrate qualities of strong oratory?
3. Did the presenter spark the public’s curiosity about the subject?
4. Did the presenter use language and terminology that was clear and understandable?
5. Did the presenter use non-verbal communication effectively?
6. Did the presenter clearly explain the research he or she conducted?
7. Did the structure of the presentation and the ordering of ideas facilitate understanding of the subject?
8. Was the time for presentation used effectively?
9. Was the slide clear and easy to understand?
10. Did the slide enhance, rather than detract from, the talk?
Important notes
- 3MT® presentations must represent the primary research the student conducted in his/her graduate program.
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description are allowed. The slide is to be displayed at the beginning of the presentation.
- 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 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.