Published December 4, 2023
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition: Environmental Research – Saturday, February 3, 1 PM
Five Rivers Metroparks (FRMP) invites you to a Three Minute Thesis Competition University students will have 3-minute presentations about their environmental research projects and only 1 PowerPoint slide. Come learn about local research! Registration is free on MetroParks.org, but spots are limited.
Cox Arboretum MetroPark
5/3rd Conference Room 6733 Springboro Pike, Dayton, OH 45449
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic research communication competition developed by The University of Queensland, Australia, 3MT cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. This 2023 3MT competition invites graduate (M.S. and PhD) and undergraduate students (or post-graduates within 1 year) working on environmental related research that have implications for Five Rivers MetroParks and the Miami Valley to make a compelling presentation in just three minutes!
2022 Award Winners
- FRMP Director’s Award
Abby Hay, Miami University
Individual and interactive effects of white-tailed deer and woody invasives on native tree seedlings in an early successional forest - Best Research Proposal Award
Stephanie Murray, University of Dayton
Making solar power work for all: How insects are colonizing novel habitats - People’s Choice Award
Sam Urquidez, University of Dayton
Do farmers’ perceptions impact pollinator recruitment methods in urban agriculture?
3MT Competition – Information for Students
This 3MT competition invites graduate (M.S. and PhD) and undergraduate students (or post-graduates within 1 year) working on environmental related research that have implications for Five Rivers MetroParks and the Miami Valley to make a compelling presentation in just three minutes! Presentations should focus on research related to the environment, conservation, biology, ecology, or similar topics.
We have 2 categories of presentations:
- General Research presentations are based on your active or completed projects.
- Proposed Research presentations may be either ideas for ‘next steps’ in a current research area, or innovative ideas that address an important question or issue related to Five River’s MetroParks mission.
The competition helps students develop research communication skills, and especially the ability to explain their research to a non-academic audience. Your audience wants to know what you did, why you did it, and what the outcomes are in terms of significance, importance, and relevance. It is best to avoid unnecessary academic and scientific jargon, acronyms, and statistical tests to help convey that you are capable both as a researcher and a communicator. Speakers are limited to 1 single static PowerPoint slide.
Awards
General Research:
- FRMP Director’s Award
- People’s Choice Award
Proposed Research:
- Best Research Proposal
Depending on the number of presenters and time needed to evaluate judging sheets the FRMP Director’s Award and Best Research Proposal award may be announced at a later date.
Individual students (no groups) may prepare a presentation for a single category or a presentation for each category. New students that have not begun collecting data should present in the Proposed Research category. All other on-going or concluded research projects should present in the General Research Category.
Important Dates
- Deadline – Wednesday, Dec. 20: Provide a notice of intent to present to research@metroparks.org
- Deadline – Friday, January 5: Submit your Title and Slide to research@metroparks.org
- Event – Saturday, Feb. 3 at 1 PM at Cox Arboretum (5/3rd Conference Room 6733 Springboro Pike, Dayton, OH 45449). This is a free event open to the public via RSVP:
Rules
- A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration. Do not include the title or your name in this slide.
- No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.
- No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
- Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum. If you exceed 3.5 minutes you will be asked to stop speaking.
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
- Presentations are to commence from the stage.
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
- The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
Day Of: You will have a clip-on microphone, there will be a visible stopwatch clock counting up, and your name and title will be announced for you before you present.
