UCF Graduate Students Face the Challenge to Present Their Research in Under Three Minutes

 Communicating complicated concepts in simple terms can be quite a challenging task —especially when you only have 180 seconds to do it. Explaining the complexities of a research or creative project to someone unfamiliar with the subject is difficult enough, imagine doing it under pressure.

Each year, the College of Graduate Studies hosts the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, inviting students to present their research or creative scholarship to a non-expert audience in under three minutes, using only one PowerPoint slide.

This year, the competition was restructured into two rounds. All eligible applicants competed in the first round on Oct. 28 and 29 in the Graduate Student Center. The top finalists from each category will advance to the live final on Nov.14 in the UCF Student Union, Cape Florida Ballroom. The event is free and open to everyone. 

Master’s and doctoral students will compete in their respective categories for a chance to win $4,000 in scholarship awards. Judges will select the winners based on three criteria: communication style, comprehension and engagement. In addition, audience members will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite presentation in the “People’s Choice Award” category. 

The judges for this year’s competition are as follows:

Master’s Category Judges

• Tamara Garabus, director, Research Initiatives, Office of Research
• Robert Littlefield, founding director and professor, Nicholson School of Communication
• Beatriz Reyes-Foster, interim associate dean, College of Graduate Studies

Doctoral Category Judges

• Timothy Letzring, vice provost, Academic Affairs
• Adrienne Frame, vice president, Student Success and Well-Being
• Cyndia Morales Muñiz ’13EdD, senior director, Hispanic Service Institution Initiatives

The topics presented will span various disciplines, from art to engineering, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to explore new ideas. The competition fosters camaraderie among students, allowing them to refine their public speaking skills, receive feedback and engage with the university community.

“Research is integral to UCF, and we want to showcase the incredible work that our graduate students are doing,” says John Weishampel, interim dean for the College of Graduate Studies. “The ability to convey innovative ides is a requisite skill to advance knowledge.”

Through the competition, the College of Graduate Studies provides students the opportunity to learn about each other’s work while also earning financial support to help them succeed.

Don’t miss the 3MT Competition on Nov. 14. For more information, visit graduate.ucf.edu/3mt.