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3 Minute Thesis

An international competition for Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students

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The 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)Ìýis an international competition run by the University of Queensland that challenges you to tell a succinct yet impactful story about your research.Ìý

Test your skills and learn how to cut through with your message in a time-poor world challenged by information overload.

This year ±¬ÁÏÍõ offers the following prizemoney for its 3MT competition finalists:

  • Winner: AUD $3,000
  • 1st runner-up: AUD $1,000
  • 2nd runner-up: AUD $500

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Learn more about 3MT

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Visit the University of Queensland website

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What's involved

Your task is to give a three-minute presentation summarising your research, and its value to society, in front of a non-specialist audience.

Preliminary competition heats are held within the University faculties. The winners of these heats will then compete in the ±¬ÁÏÍõ final, where the University winner will be selected by a jury. The first-place winner of the University final will then compete at the Asia-Pacific finals against winners from other universities.

±¬ÁÏÍõ 3MT 2026 winner Jadon Yunzheng Lin with Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Mike Ryan. Jadon also placed as the Runner-Up in the 3MT Asia-Pacific Finals!

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Eligibility

Active PhD candidates and Professional Doctorate Research candidates (program composed of at least 2/3 research and eligible for RTP) who have successfully passed their confirmation milestoneÌý(including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the date of their first virtual presentation are eligible to participate in 3MT competitions.

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Graduates, Honours students, Masters (including MPhil) students, Professional Doctorate students (coursework and program composed of less than 2/3 research)

Not eligible

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Judging criteria

At every level of the competition, each competitor will be assessed on the judging criteria oulined below. Each criterion is equally weighted.

Comprehension and content

  • Presentation provided clear motivation, background, and significance to the research question.
  • Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research.
  • Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes, and impact of the research.

Engagement and communication

  • The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience.
  • The PowerPoint slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation.
  • The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience’s attention.

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How to apply

Students can apply for the competition through their faculty or school. Each University faculty and school has a nominated 3MT coordinator who is responsible for supporting student applications and managing the competition heats process. See below for the contact details of 3MT coordinators.

FASS HDR Admin

fass.hdradmin@sydney.edu.au

Ben Breeds
b.breeds@sydney.edu.au

Sue Ng
sue.ng@sydney.edu.au

Sophia Qu
adp.hdr-support@sydney.edu.au

Shauna Crick
shauna.crick@sydney.edu.au

Burcu Karlsson
fmh.reteam-north@sydney.edu.au

Qiubei Fu
qiubei.fu@sydney.edu.au

Christine Le
science.hdrexperience@sydney.edu.au

Key dates

The stages of the 2026 competition will take place on the following dates:
Ìý
  • Friday 14 August 2026Ìý-Ìý3MT ±¬ÁÏÍõ Final (In-person)
  • Monday 21 September 2026 - Asia-Pacific 3MT Semi-Final (Online Showcase)
  • Friday 2 October 2026 - Asia-Pacific 3MT Finalists announced (Online Showcase)
  • Wednesday 14 October 2026 - Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Final (Video Viewing / Finalist Q&A / People's Choice Vote / Announcement of Winners)

Past winners

Past winners of the ±¬ÁÏÍõ finals

  • Winner: Jadon Yunzheng Lin, Faculty of Science -ÌýSailing to Alien Worlds.ÌýJadon was also selected as one of eight finalists (out of 67 entrants) to compete in the Asia-Pacific Finals of 3MT, where he placed as the Runner-Up.
  • 1st runner up:ÌýMuhammad Novsyaroni Umar, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences -ÌýBeyond Visibility: Our Own Stories Matter.
  • 2nd runner-up: Michelle Cheung, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences -ÌýThe Future Has No Formula

Honourable mentions:

  • Azhar Arafah, Faculty of Medicine and Health - Seeing the Faces AMD Can Hide
  • Federico Facchin, Faculty of Science - Can a Forest Remember?

  • Winner: Stephanie Rossini-Bryson, Faculty of Science, Finding The Glimmer of Alien Worlds With GLINT
  • 1st Runner-up:ÌýOluwatosin Balogun, Faculty of Engineering,ÌýConcrete That Heals: Our FutureÌý
  • 2nd Runner up:ÌýQingya Zhao, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Let's NOT Sit Still!

  • Winner: Nigel Maher, Faculty of Medicine and Health,Ìý‘MEL-AI: Eyeing the quality in melanoma diagnosis’
  • 1st Runner-up: Meredith McLaine, Sydney Law School,Ìý‘Child Protection Decision-Making in the Children’s Court of NSW’
  • 2nd Runner-up: Veronic Schulz, Sydney Business School,Ìý‘Navigating unchartered waters: Transitioning coal ports to the circular economy’

  • Winner: Jordan Martenstyn, Faculty of Science:Ìý‘When Bulking Up Becomes a Problem.’
  • 1st runner-up: Katie Butler, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:Ìý‘Strengthening empathy and capacity for inclusion through role reversal activities: An action research project striving to foster the genuine inclusion of people with disabilities within a local government organisation.’
  • 2nd runner-up: Alice Shirley, Faculty of Science:Ìý‘Hot Cows, Cool Solutions.’

  • Winner: Amanda Khamis, Faculty of Medicine and Health: 'I-EAT, you eat, but can we all eat? Feeding therapy for babies with cerebral palsy and dysphagia.'
  • Runner-up: Rhianne Scicluna, Faculty of Science: 'Marijuana and Opioids: Friends or Foes?'
  • Runner-up: Yuxiao Chen Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning: 'The perfect concert hall: is it all about sound?'

  • Winner: Aditi Aiyer, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health: ‘The wolf and the big bad biofilm.’
  • Runner-up: Jiale Zhu, School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering: ‘Root reinforcement in soil.’
  • Runner-up: Oliver Lotz, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering: ‘Could we print organs?'