Kansas State University's Three Minute Thesis Competition
The Graduate School hosted K-State's third annual 3MT® competition in February 2018. Preliminary competitions, or heats, were held February 13. Top presenters from each heat were selected by judges to move forward to the final competition on February 27. From the final competition, a judging panel selected first and second place presenters, and a people's choice award winner was selected by the audience. The first place presenter represented K-State at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools(MAGS) 3MT® Competition in April.
2018 Winners
1st place: Dave Hoffman - Counseling and Student Development, PhD - Purple Stride: Prospective Engineering Students and First-Year Retention
2nd place AND People's Choice: Tennecia Dacass - Economics, PhD - Intergenerational Effects of Mass Incarceration
Missed the action? View the full 2018 final competition here.
2018 Final Competition Participants
Catherine Steele | Psychology, PhD | Diet-Induced Impulsivity |
Vinicius Perin | Agronomy, MS | Nitrogen Fertilizer: When to Apply Urea? |
Nethali Fernando | Mathematics, PhD | Going from "a" to "b" |
Tennecia Dacass | Economics, PhD | Intergenerational Effects of Mass Incarceration |
Rachel Wilkins | Entomology, MS | Feeding the World by Implementing Robust Management Programs for Insect Pests after Crop Harvest |
Dave Hoffman | Counseling and Student Development, PhD | Purple Stride: Prospective Engineering Students and First-Year Retention |
Gabriela Magossi | Food Science, MS | From Dust to Dinner: Salmonella in Feed Mills |
Sam Sharpe | Biology, PhD | Thinking Like a Thirsty Plant |
2018 Heat Competition Participants
Heat 1
3094 Business Building
Meng Ding | Geography, MA | A Study of Distribution and Storage for Global Lakes and Reservoirs |
Heather Banister | Kinesiology, MS | Mission to Mars: The Importance of Cardiorespiratory Function on Critical Mission Tasks |
Thiwanka Fernando | Mathematics, PhD | Going from "a" to "b" |
Marshall Hay | Agronomy, PhD | Helping Farmers through the Land Grant Promise |
Gabriela Magossi | Food Science, MS | From Dust to Dinner: Salmonella in Feed Mills |
Jakki Forester | Communication Studies, MA | Queer Communities in the Flint Hills Region of Kansas Communicating Concerns of Mental Health |
Preston Morgan | Human Ecology, PhD | Couples and Depressive Symptoms over Time |
Simran Bawa | Biochemistry, PhD | Healthy Muscle for Happy Life: Understanding the Importance of Muscle Maintenance |
Nelson Walker | Statistics, MS | When Location Matters in Statistical Analyses |
Heat 2
3096 Business Building
Manaf Sellak | Economics, PhD | Do Trade Agreements Reduce the Intensity of Conflict |
Catherine Steele | Psychology, PhD | Diet-Induced Impulsivity |
Anju Giri | Agronomy, PhD | Producing More Wheat Using Less Water |
Sam Sharpe | Biology, PhD | Thinking Like a Thirsty Plant |
Grace Craigie | Entomology, PhD | Fantastic Pests and How to Find Them |
Keely Grossnickle | Mathematics, PhD | Some Holes in Mathematics |
Hojjat Fallahi | Electical Engineering | Microwaves Defeat Diseases |
Nicoleta Ploscariu | Biohcemistry, PhD | Crazy Like a Fox: Immunology Lessons from Staph Bacteria |
Brintha Parasumman Girinathan | Genetics, PhD | Antibiotics - A Double-Edged Sword |
Garrett Lovoy | Kinesiology, MS | Sleep Apnea: Getting to the Heart of the Problem |
Heat 3
3094 Business Building
Krishani Perera | Biomedical Science, MS | Coronavirus Meets its Nemesis |
Javier Kiyuna | Planth Pathology, MS | Danger on Move |
Tennecia Dacass | Economics, PhD | Intergenerational Effects of Mass Incarceration |
Rafael Eidi Maeoka | Agronomy, MS | Are Modern Wheat Varieties More Responsive to In-Furrow Fertilizer than Historical Ones? |
Rachel Wilkins | Entomology, MS | Feeding the World by Implementing Robust Management Programs for Insect Pests after Crop Harvest |
Conor O'Dea | Psychology, MS | Affiliating or Alienating? White Individuals' Perceptions of Black Racial Slurs used by Black Individuals toward White Individuals |
Zach Rostetter | Master of Architecture | Eureka Green Loop |
Eric Goodcase | Human Ecology, PhD | Who Understands Consent? |
Hamad Goharipour | Environmental Design and Planning, PhD | Urban Cinesemiotics: How is City Represented in Movies? |
Emily Delorean | Genetics, PhD | I Love Gluten |
Heat 4
3096 Business Building
Carolina Garcia | Biomedical Science, MS | Enterotoxigenic E.coli (ETEC) Meets Super Vaccine |
Janaka Gamekkanda | Chemistry, PhD | How to Make Explosives Safe? |
Yinping Li | Entomology, PhD | An Efficient Protector of Beautiful Flowers |
Hunter Post | Kinesiology, MS | Cardiac Mechanics in Prostate Cancer Patients |
Vinicius Perin | Agronomy, MS | Nitrogen Fertilizer: When to Apply Urea? |
Audrey Opoku-Acheampong | Human Nutrition, PhD | Determining Heart Disease Risks in Racial Minority Groups |
Paula Silva | Genetics, PhD | Attack of the Aphids |
Dave Hoffman | Counseling and Student Development, PhD | Purple Stride: Prospective Engineering Students and First-Year Retention |
Sarah Winnicki | Biology, MS | Effects of Rrood Parasitism on Nestling Growth and Development |
Pedram Parandoush | Industrial Engineering, PhD | 3D Printing of Ultra-Strong Carbon Fiber Composites |
About the 3MT® Competition
Participant Information and Registration
Eligibility
- Must be enrolled in a masters or doctoral program at Kansas State University for the Spring 2018 semester.
- A student’s program of study must contain an original research project. The degree program need not formally require a thesis or dissertation, however the 3MT® presentation topic must cover the original research project.
- Students are not required to have reached a particular point in their research, but those who are at least halfway through their program are likely to be more competitive.
- Graduate students must receive approval from their major professor prior to registering for the competition.
- The first place winners from previous competitions are not eligible to compete this year; the second place and people's choice award winners are eligible to participate again this year.
Rules and Requirements
- Present a compelling oration of your original research topic and its significance using language appropriate to a non-specialist audience
- Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, raps or songs)
- Time limit: 3 minutes. Competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified
- Prepare a single, static PowerPoint slide that represents the purpose and importance of your original research; no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any type are allowed; the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration
- Props, sounds, and other materials may NOT be included in the presentation
- Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech
- The decision of the judging panel is final
Slide Submission: Upon completing registration, you will be provided a link to a Slide Submission Form. You must submit your PowerPoint slide by 5:00pm on February 9, 2018. Slides WILL NOT be accepted after this deadline. If you do not submit your slide by the deadline, you will be withdrawn from the competition.
Resources for Preparing a Successful 3MT® Presentation
Below are some resources we encourage presenters to use as they prepare for their 3MT® presentation.
- Presenters are strongly encouraged to view videos of K-State's previous 3MT® winners (bottom of this page) and videos of 3MT® winners from around the world for examples of successful 3MT® presentations.
- Your Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Presentation for Presenting on What You Do as a Graduate Student and How it Matters by Brad Rickelman, Meridian Technology Center for Business Development (video presentation)
- Making the Most of Your Three Minutes by Simon Clews, University of Melbourne (PDF document)
- Communicating Science: An Introductory Communication Guide for Conveying Scientific Information to Academic and Public Audiences
- The David Attenborough Style of Scientific Presentation - This document is designed for preparing a presentation longer than three minutes, but many of the principles are applicable to a three-minute presentation.
Judging Criteria
Presentations will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Comprehension and Content
- Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background to the research question being addressed and its significance?
- Did the presentation clearly describe the key results of the research including conclusions and outcomes?
- Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
- Was the thesis topic, key results and research significance and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
- Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
- Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation - or did they elaborate for too long on one aspect or was the presentation rushed?
Engagement and Communication
- Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
- Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
- Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
- Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience's attention?
- Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact and vocal range; maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
- Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation - was it clear, legible, and concise?
Note that the common theme among the judging criteria is the impact of the presentation on the audience.
Awards
The following will be awarded to the top presenters in the final competition on February 27:
- 1st place - $500 scholarship, serve as K-State’s representative at the MAGS 3MT® competition
- 2nd place - $250 scholarship
- People’s choice - $125 scholarship
The presentation that receives the most votes from the audience will be selected as the people's choice award winner. The people's choice award winner may also be selected by the judges as their first or second place winner.
Previous Winners
2018 Winners
1st place: Dave Hoffman - Counseling and Student Development, PhD - Purple Stride: Prospective Engineering Students and First-Year Retention
2nd place AND People's Choice: Tennecia Dacass - Economics, PhD - Intergenerational Effects of Mass Incarceration
Watch the full 2017 final competition below.
2017 Winners
1st place AND People's Choice: Tuyen Nguyen - Chemistry, PhD - Tiny Superhero Fights against Cancer
2nd place: Anil Pant - Biology, PhD - Vaccinia Virus Develops New Taste
Watch the full 2017 final competition below.
2016 Winners
First place: Ryan Schmid - Entomology, PhD - Hessian Fly Smart-Trap Design and Deployment Strategies
Second place: Bondy Kaye - Mass Communications, MS - Same Song, New Dance: Competition and Market Structure in the Digital Music Aggregation Industry
People's choice: Jere Noel - Animal Science, MS - Utilizing Electromyography to Identify Causes of Fatigue in Pigs
Watch the full 2016 final competition below.
Sponsorship: The Kansas State University Three Minute Thesis Competition is sponsored by the Graduate School and the Office of the Vice President for Research.
Questions about the Kansas State University Graduate School’s 3MT® competition may be directed to Megan Miller, Student Success Coordinator, mmmiller@ksu.edu or 785-532-6191.