Three Minute Thesis
An 80,000 word thesis would take nine hours to present. Your time limit... three minutes!
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is returning to Sussex for 2024!
Are you up for the challenge? Check out the eligibility criteria if you'd like to get involved, then fill in the expression of interest form by Friday 3 May and we will get in touch once all the details are confirmed.
Participants must present in person, not virtually, and must attend the training and peer practice sessions as well as the semi-final and final itself.
About 3MT
3MT is an academic competition that challenges postgraduate researchers (PGRs) to deliver a compelling spoken presentation on their research topic and its significance in just three minutes. It started at the University of Queensland and competitions take place at institutions around the world each year.
Participants at Sussex compete for a chance to win £500 towards research and a place in the Vitae UK semi-finals. There are also prizes of £250 for the runner-up and People's Choice. Entrants are supported with a full day’s training and a peer practice session to help hone those presenting skills.
About the 2024 3MT competition
This year, to open the competition to more researchers, we're piloting local 3MTs in most Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences Schools (MAH, Global, ESW, LPS and IDS).
Researchers who participate locally will gain presenting experience in a more informal setting, and the winner of each School 3MT will go through to the Sussex final. These events will be organised by each School; contact your Research and Enterprise Coordinator for information.
Applications to our central competition will be open Monday 25 March - Friday 3 May. PGRs from all Schools are eligible for the central competition, and you can enter both School and central competitions if you wish.
The final will be made up of the five School 3MT winners plus the seven top presenters from the central competition, decided at a semi-final event in May.
Check out what our finalists from last year had to say about taking part in the 3MT.
Key dates
March-April: School 3MT competitions held
Monday 25 March: Central applications open
Friday 3 May: Central applications close
Monday 20 May: 3MT training day for central participants and School winners
Tuesday 21 May: central 3MT semi-final
Tuesday 28 May: peer practice day for finalists
Thursday 6 June: Sussex 3MT final
Previous 3MT competitions
Take a look at previous events to familiarise yourself with the competition, including details of the winners, abstracts from all the finalists, and photos from the day.
Watch a recording of Dominika Varga's 2023 winning presentation on our 3MT 2023 webpage, and visit the Vitae website for more on the UK national competition.