VIDEO: Three Minute Thesis returns Jan. 28

Graduate students hone communication skills on complex research topics to prepare for annual competition

Soojung Kim, interim dean of the School of Graduate Studies, joins President Andrew Armacost to talk about the upcoming Three Minute Thesis competition held annually on campus.

This year’s event will start at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

In no more than 180 seconds, with a single, static slide, participating graduate students are each asked to present their research in plain language to a general audience, including a panel of judges.

Kim says the goal, beyond friendly competition, is to help students understand and develop communication skills that will not only make family gatherings easier to navigate (that is, explaining to family what their university research is all about) but also serve them well in job interviews, leadership positions and countless other career settings.

President Armacost remarks that 3MT is one of his favorite events each year and asks Kim about what goes into the event, as well as its significance to the School of Graduate Studies.

For Kim, the months of preparation and collaboration and the short, compelling presentations that result are inspiring celebrations of graduate-level research and discovery.

Students learn how to talk about complex, specialized topics in a way that can be understood by all types of stakeholders, whether they’re policymakers, industry partners or the broader community that supports public institutions such as UND.

“For the School of Graduate Studies, it reflects what we stand for,” Kim says. “What’s obviously most important is graduate student success. We’re committed also to academic excellence.

“We want to make sure students have an excellent educational experience and be able to share what they are learning from it.”

The School of Graduate Studies website has more information on the event, including this year’s lineup of speakers and footage from past years. This year’s competition will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in-person.