3MT (Three Minute Thesis)

Share Your Research Story

Additional Professional Development Opportunities

UCF’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

The UCF Three Minute Thesis (3MT) features master’s and doctoral students communicating their research in just three minutes with only one static slide. Participants are judged on the ability to effectively convey the importance of their research in an engaging way to a non-specialist audience.

First developed in 2008 by the University of Queensland in Australia, the popularity of the competition has increased, and 3MT competitions are now held in over 600 universities across more than 59 countries worldwide.

Questions? Email us at gradcenter@ucf.edu.

Join us at the 3MT Finals!

The Fall 2026 UCF 3MT Finals will take place on Thursday, November 19 at the Morgridge International Reading Center.

Master’s students will compete at 2:30 pm and doctoral students will compete at 4:30 pm. This event is open to all, so we hope to see you there!

Eligibility

Participants must be currently enrolled UCF doctoral or master’s students actively engaged in research under the mentorship of a UCF faculty member
A competitive candidate has a well-conceived project, compelling data or source material, and a novel story to share
The research presentation must be work conducted during the student’s current degree program.
The first-place winner and runner-up at the finals will be chosen by a panel of judges

Rules

A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted; no slide transitions, animations, or ‘movement’ of any description are allowed; the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration
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 three minutes, and competitors exceeding three minutes will be disqualified
Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, rapping, or songs)
Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech
The decision of the adjudicating panel is final

Scholarships and Awards

Scholarships will be awarded to outstanding Master’s and Doctoral presentations at the 3MT finals as follows:

Winners: $1,000 Scholarship
Runners-up: $750 Scholarship
People’s Choice: $250 Scholarship

All scholarship awards are contingent on the finalist completing all required activities leading up to the 3MT Finals.

Judging Criteria

Communication style: Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience?
Comprehension: Did the presentation help the audience understand the research?
Engagement: Did the presentation make the audience want to know more?

2026 Event Finalists

Congratulations to the 2026 UCF 3MT event finalists!

Master’s

Yusra Ahmed – Computer Vision MS
Logan Banks – Biomedical Sciences MS – Metabolic and Cardiovascular Sciences Track
Emily Carter – Health Promotion and Behavioral Science MS
Ivanna Dovbysh – Electrical Engineering MSEE
Esther Nketsiah – Health Promotion and Behavioral Science MS
Utkarsha Patil – Hospitality and Tourism Management MS
Kevin Pokhoy – Biotechnology MS
Medhavi Radadiya – Kinesiology MS
Kamalie Thomas – Health Promotion and Behavioral Science MS
Diamond Williams – English- Rhetoric and Composition MA

Doctoral

Anna Canlon – Curriculum and Instruction EdD
Jayden Craft – Physics PhD
Insan Arafat Jahan – Civil Engineering PhD
Faraz Madanchi – Industrial Engineering PhD
Bassam Nasir – Civil Engineering PhD
Julio Ojeda – Chemistry PhD
Austin Otocki – Industrial and Organizational Psychology PhD
Saqib Shahzad – Materials Science and Engineering PhD
Minh Tran – Chemistry PhD
Huikun Wu – Business Administration PhD – Accounting Track