3MT for the Graduate School
We are excited to announce that the Graduate School is hosting the annual 3MT (3 Minute Thesis) Contest.
When: Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Where: Student Center Ballroom
Why: Skills development for research candidates and adding to the research culture of our university.
Who is eligible: Research-based Master’s and Doctoral students who have completed their prospectus by the time of the competition.
Event: Each student competitor will have 3 minutes and one static PowerPoint slide only to present their research.
Prizes:
1st place $2,000.00
2nd place $1,500.00
3rd place $1,000.00
People’s Choice $1,000.00
Our first-place winner will also be awarded travel funds to attend the regional CSGS (Council of Southern Graduate Schools) annual meeting. Location and date to be provided later.
How Graduate Programs can help: Publicize this opportunity among their graduate students and nominate their top eligible student to participate. Nominations can now be submitted till September 11th.
2016 USA 3MT® Winners
WINNER: Maddie Kennedy/MAS “Impacts of Wintering Redhead Ducks (Athya americana) on Shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii)”
Mentor: Dr. Kenneth Heck
RUNNER-UP & PEOPLE'S CHOICE: Trenton O'Neal/Biology “Identification and Characterization of Bacterial Genes Utilized in Triclosan Degradation”
Mentor: Dr. Sinead Ni Chadhain
2015 USA 3MT® Winners
WINNER: Lindsey Whitehurst/Computer Science “Enhanced Software Security through Program Partitioning”
Mentor: Dr. Todd Andel
RUNNER-UP: Selena Jackson/Psychology “Examining Emotion Regulation, Perspective Taking, and Types of Aggression in the Context of Adolescent Dating Relationships”
Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Langhrinrichsen-Rohling
PEOPLE'S CHOICE: Michael Hempowicz/Mechanical Engineering “The Impact of Hygrothermal Preconditioning on Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness in Unidirectional Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites: An Experimental Investigation”
Mentor: Dr. Gail Jefferson