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3 Minute Thesis

A person with short black hair is speaking in front of a banner and red velvet curtains.
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new 3MT purple logo
We strive to have all graduate students be able to participate in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT).  If you have concerns about your participation due to accessibility needs that require accommodations, please contact Niki Power

Take to the stage and present your research

The 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition brings together the Dalhousie community to give graduate student researchers a platform to share and celebrate their ideas and compete for cash prizes.

How does it work? You have three minutes to present your research in as engaging a manner as possible for a non-specialist audience, with one PowerPoint slide permitted as a visual aid.

Participation in 3MT is open to all students in research-based master’s and doctoral programs. 

The application period for the 2024 3MT has concluded.



Participate in the 3MT competition

Dal graduate students

Are you enrolled in a research-based master’s or doctoral program? Participate in this year's 3MT competition by registering before 9 a.m. on March 2. To participate, please submit your 3MT presenter slide to ThreeMT@dal.ca by March 10 at 3 p.m. (AT). 

The first round of the competition — the preliminary heats — take place on March 14. The winners of the heats will move forward to the finals on March 20, during which various cash prizes will be offered:

First Place: $1,000 and the opportunity to represent Dalhousie at the eastern regionals
Second Place: $500
Third Place: $250
People’s Choice: $250 (in addition to any other prize money received)
Remaining Finalists: $100

Faculty and staff

Thank you to those faculty and staff that registered to serve as heats judges on March 14. Please check your email for details.

Members of the Dalhousie community (everyone)

Members of the Dal community and beyond are invited to join us for the 3MT heats on March 14 and finals on March 20. Cheer on competitors and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award winner during the finals, while learning about the important work being done by the grad student community.


Join the 3MT@Dal 2023 Brightspace community


To self register for the 3MT Brightspace community, access resources, and watch recordings of past workshops, follow the steps below:

  1. Log in to Brightspace at https://dal.brightspace.com/ using your Dalhousie credentials.
  2. Next, click on the "Academic Support" tab in the top menu, and select "Self Registration."
  3. In the list of self registration course offerings, click on 3MT@Dal 2023 (course code: ONLC.3MT.DAL.23), and then click "Register."
  4. A form will appear that will auto-populate your credentials; ensure these are correct, and hit "Submit."
  5. You will receive an email confirming your enrollment in 3MT@Dal, and you'll become part of the online community in Brightspace. You may want to pin the course to your homepage for ease of access.

Upcoming 3MT workshops

Whether you're thinking of participating in 3MT or are looking to sharpen your communication skills, join our upcoming workshops. These sessions will introduce you to 3MT, help you prepare your presentation for the competition, and offer coaching and feedback.

3MT Coaching
Date: March 10 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Partner: Writing Centre and Studying for Success
Location: Collaborate Ultra Room (Virtual) 


See 3MT in action

Visit our YouTube channel to view presentations from past competitions.