Texas State University has named the winners of the 2024 Three-Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, which took place in the LBJ Student Center Grand Ballroom on Nov. 8. The winners are:
- First place: Maria Sultana, graduate student in engineering, for New Material Junction for High-Performance Low-Cost Electronics
- Second place: Anjumand Ashraf, graduate student in engineering, for Turning Stormwater and Reclaimed Water into Safe Drinking Water: A Circular System
- People’s Choice: Kimia Feiz, graduate student in biology, for Regenerating Hearing: A Salamander's Secret
In the competition, graduate students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis or dissertation research and its significance to a lay audience, using a single presentation slide. The competition offers an opportunity for students to present their exciting research, while also challenging their comfort zones and requiring them to think outside the box.
Sultana said the competition was an opportunity to learn how to convey research information and outcomes effectively to an audience.
“It gave me a chance to really dig into how to present my work in a way that’s interesting and easy for anyone to understand, which was both challenging and very much rewarding,” Sultana said. “Now, I’m excited to take this skill into all my future research projects. It feels like I’ve leveled up in my career, and I can’t wait to see where this new skill takes me next.”
Even though she considers herself an introvert, The Graduate College provided her with encouragement to overcome her hesitations of participating in the competition. She will pass that encouragement on to graduate students who are considering applying.
“This is one of the most valuable platforms you’ll get in your graduate journey to master one of the greatest tools of the 21st century — communication,” she said. “The entire process offers an open stage to highlight the impact of your research while teaching you how to effectively structure your ideas and knowledge to connect with any audience before you.”
Ashraf joined the competition to overcome her fear of presenting because English is not her first language. By participating, she improved on what she knew about presenting, learned what to do differently, and boosted her confidence.
“I am happy to say I have overcome it, and I’ll carry this confidence into my next professional journey,” Ashraf said. “My future goal, which I shared in my 3MT, is to make clean, safe water affordable and accessible to everyone worldwide. All the effort and hard work I am putting in now is ultimately to make my parents proud — that’s my main goal.”
Even though members of the audience for a research presentation might not be in the field, Ashraf said a light joke and presenting the information like a friendly conversation can help keep them engaged.
“Using body language, good posture, eye contact, and varying your tone when highlighting key points really helps get the message across,” she said. “I tried to keep the slide as simple as possible. Before the competition, it’s helpful to practice in front of people you don’t know well. This can ease the discomfort of presenting to a new audience.”
By having to explain complex research simply, Feiz said she learned how to identify the important parts of her research and how to present them clearly and concisely. As someone who has career goals in academia, the competition was the perfect place to build her confidence to present to a wider range of audiences.
“I hope to continue conducting groundbreaking research, publishing high-impact research papers to find a new treatment for hearing loss,” Feiz said. “The 3MT competition was a truly exhilarating experience. The award I received is a testament to the hard work of our research team and the guidance of my mentors.”
3MT® is a research communication competition developed by the University of Queensland in 2008. The competition has since turned into a multinational event with 3MT® competitions now being held at over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide.
The Graduate College encourages all TXST graduate students currently enrolled in a Ph.D. or Ed.D. program and in a thesis master's program to compete in 3MT®. Visit the 3MT® webpage for more information and resources for next year’s competition.