In the spring of 2011, the University of British Columbia held its first-ever "Three Minute Thesis" competition. Intended to help graduate students develop effective presentation and communication skills, the "3MT" requires participants to explain the breadth and significance of their research projects to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes. They can use only one slide, and can't use any electronic media or props.
The idea originated at the University of Queensland in Australia, and has since grown to include all of Australia and New Zealand, with over 50,000 PhD and Master of Philosophy students from 33 universities competing. UBC was the first university in North America to host an official 3MT competition, and is hoping to expand it throughout B.C., Canada and eventually North America.
What follows is a first-hand account from one of the participants -- Sarah Chow, a fifth-year graduate student in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences. | |
