SC Connecticut News

Yale's Three-Minute Thesis Competition provides Ph.D. students with an opportunity to showcase their research and public speaking skills in a concise manner. Suzanne Young, assistant dean for graduate student professional development in the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, emphasized the competition's value in helping students understand their research better and gain confidence in public speaking. She stated, "This is really going back to the roots of public speaking, where it’s about you, your voice, your intelligence, and your quickness on your feet while presenting to people who might be reacting to you in the moment."

The competition, known as 3MT, originated at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia in 2008 and has since expanded globally. This year's Yale 3MT competition took place on April 12, with Arya Ökten, Leonardo de Siqueira Lima, and Yanyu Zhao emerging as the top three winners. Additionally, Alev Baysoy won the People's Choice award for her presentation on "Spatial CRISPR Screening."

Yale's 3MT competition, which began in 2017, is open to students from various fields, including biology, engineering, humanities, physical science, and social science. While STEM students predominantly participate, Young encourages humanities students to take part, noting that the competition can provide clarity and focus to their research projects.

Presentations at the 3MT competition are limited to a single PowerPoint slide, with no other technological aids allowed. This restriction aims to keep the focus on the speaker and their message. Participants are also offered coaching and support to enhance their presentation skills through the Certificate for Public Communication program.

The final round of the competition features judges who are accomplished Yale GSAS alumni and Lynn Cooley, the dean of the graduate school. After the presentations, judges confer to announce the winners, with prizes ranging from $300 to $1,000. The event also includes entertainment, such as performances by student groups like the Citations a cappella group.

The 3MT competition at Yale continues to be a valuable platform for Ph.D. students to communicate their research effectively, develop their presentation skills, and engage with a diverse audience in a succinct and compelling manner.