Event Details
Event Title Three Minute Thesis (3MT) preliminary round (in person)
Location Graduate Student Center
Sponsor The Graduate School
Date/Time 09/28/2026 - 09/29/2026
For more information, contact the event administrator: Kimberli Kuecker kki@ad.unc.edu
Session Status Session Session Date Start Time End Time Cutoff
Registering Monday afternoon - Three Minute Thesis, preliminary round (in person) - select ONLY ONE session 09/28/2026 2:00 PM 4:00 PM 09/24/2026
Registering Tuesday morning - Three Minute Thesis, preliminary round (in person) - select ONLY ONE session 09/29/2026 10:00 AM 12:00 PM 09/24/2026
 
Get ready to take your research from complex to compelling!

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition that challenges graduate students to explain the significance of their research to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes using a single slide. It's a unique opportunity to strengthen your communication skills, build confidence, and share your work in a meaningful way.

If you are interested in competing, we
STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you to attend the 3MT Info Session.
The information session will review competition expectations, explore what makes an
effective 3MT presentation, and examine sample presentations using the official judging
criteria. Open to master's and doctoral students from all disciplines at UNC-Chapel Hill,
the informational workshop is designed to be welcoming, even if you’re new to public speaking. 

Preliminary Session Info

There are two sessions of the preliminary round to choose from. Please sign up for the one that best fits into your schedule:

The first session is on Monday, September 28, from 1-3 p.m.
The second session is on Tuesday, September 29, from 10-12 p.m.

The top-10 presenters of the preliminary sessions will be selected by a panel of judges.  After the preliminary round is complete, all presenters will be notified of their status to participate in the Final Competition for UNC-Chapel Hill. This final round will take place on the evening of Tuesday, October 20, 2026, as part of University Research Week.

3MT is open to master's and doctoral students from all disciplines at UNC-Chapel Hill. Both the preliminary rounds and the Final Competition will be held live and in-person, as national competition rules do not permit remote or recorded presentations. For additional information, judging criteria, and sample presentations, please visit our 3MT website.

The 3MT® competition is open to the public at large. Any data or information discussed should be considered public. Judges and staff involved in the competition will not be required to sign non-disclosure statements. It is the responsibility of every competitor to discuss with their advisor the content of their 3MT® presentation BEFORE committing to present. By participating in the 3MT® competition, you agree to be recorded.