Registration is now open for Carnegie Mellon University's 2027 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, which challenges Ph.D. students to communicate the significance of their research in just three minutes. CMU doctoral candidates of every level can participate in the competition for the chance to gain early career recognition, connect with the campus community, and win prizes of up to $3,000.
3MT is an internationally recognized celebration of research that challenges doctoral students to present their thesis and its significance in language anyone can understand. Developed by the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia, the competition was brought to Pittsburgh by Helen and Henry Posner, Jr. Dean of Libraries Keith Webster in 2013. Since then, CMU doctoral candidates have joined students at over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide in sharing their work with broad audiences.
“One of the great strengths of Carnegie Mellon is the breadth of expertise across our university, and 3MT offers a unique opportunity to bring that work into conversation,” said Webster, who was Dean of Libraries at UQ when 3MT was developed. “When doctoral students learn to communicate their research beyond the boundaries of their own disciplines, they not only strengthen their skills as scholars but also open the door to new perspectives, connections, and possibilities for collaboration. I encourage doctoral students from across the university to embrace this opportunity and share their research with the broader CMU community.”
The challenge isn't to simplify the research itself, but to communicate its significance clearly and compellingly. Participants must distill complex ideas, highlight their discoveries and capture the attention of an audience unfamiliar with their field. Judges evaluate competitors based on how comprehensive their presentation is, how effectively they engage listeners, and how clearly their communication style reaches a non-specialist audience.
“3MT gives the entire CMU community, past and present, a glimpse into the innovative and impactful research that is being done across every college and school,” said Business and Entrepreneurship Librarian and 3MT faculty moderator Ryan Splenda. “It also serves as an important networking opportunity for PhD/doctoral researchers who can connect with and learn from each other as they pursue their research.”
Participants will compete in one of five preliminary rounds held Feb. 11-25 at Hunt Library from 5 to 6:30 p.m. All preliminary round dates are listed on the 3MT website. Presenters are limited to one static slide, with no props or note cards, and must complete their presentations within three minutes.
"It feels increasingly important for researchers to be able to communicate their work in ways that broader communities can both understand and engage with,” said Business and Entrepreneurship Librarian and fellow 3MT faculty moderator Jen McKee. “The 3MT competition offers an excellent opportunity to not only uplift the amazing research that our CMU community is pursuing, but to encourage and support our doctoral students in making their research more tangible and accessible in an academic environment that is becoming more open than in years past."
Last year's finalists represented fields ranging from psychology and chemistry to biomedical engineering and biological sciences. Past winners have also hailed from the College of Fine Arts and the Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science, and students from all schools and colleges across campus are encouraged to participate this year as well.
Up to two winners from each of the preliminary rounds will compete in the 2027 3MT Championship, which will be held on Wednesday, March 24, 2027, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Cohon University Center’s McConomy Auditorium. Registration is required to attend, and will be available soon.
Participant registration closes on Wednesday, February 10, 2027 at 5 p.m. Ph.D. students can register for the competition online.
Image: Raouf Belkhir of the Department of Psychology during the 2026 3MT Championship