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HDR grants and opportunities

3 Minute Thesis

3 Minute Thesis is an international competition that features higher degree by research students from over 55 institutions across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. It challenges students to tell the story of their research: what they are doing, why it matters, and what they hope to achieve, in three minutes.

The winner of the event will be invited to compete against students from other universities in the Asia-Pacific final event.

Please contact your HDR faculty coordinator to find out more about how to get involved this year.

What's involved

3 Minute Thesis is a three-minute presentation summarising your research, and its value to society, in front of a non-specialist audience.

Preliminary competition heats are held within each faculty or University school. The winners of these heats will then compete in the University final which will be held as an in-person event.

The winner of the University final will then compete at the national finals against winners from other universities. The national finals are to be held virtually this year.

Eligibility

Active PhD and Professional Doctorate (Research) candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone are eligible to participate in 3 Minute Thesis competitions at all levels, including the Asia-Pacific final 3 Minute Thesis competition. Graduates and honours students are not eligible to compete.

How to apply

Students can apply for the competition through their faculty or school. Each University faculty and school has a nominated 3MT coordinator, who has responsibility for supporting student applications, and managing the competition heats process. See below the contact details of 3MT coordinators.

Faculty/School

Contact

Email

Arts and Social Sciences

Venice Jureidini-Briozzo

venice.jureidini@sydney.edu.au

Business School

Ben Breeds

ben.breeds@sydney.edu.au

Law

Sue Ng

sue.ng@sydney.edu.au

Architecture, Design and Planning

ADP Education Support Team

adp.education-support@sydney.edu.au

Conservatorium of Music

Shauna Crick

shauna.crick@sydney.edu.au

Medicine and Health (FMH)

Burcu Karlsson

burcu.karlsson@sydney.edu.au

Engineering

Research Education Team (Diana Thai)

engineering.hdr@sydney.edu.au

Science

Christine Le

science.hdrexperience@sydney.edu.au

Winners and prizes

The winners of the University school and faculty heats competed in the University final on Friday 16 August 2024. The winner of this final will go on to compete in the national finals against winners from other universities. Prize money for the University final is as follows:

  • First prize: AUD $3,000
  • Second prize: AUD $1,000
  • Third prize: AUD $500

Asia-Pacific 3MT Runner-up for 2024

Congratulations to Nigel Maher, our Sydney winner, for placing runner-up in the Asia-Pacific 3MT final for 2024.

View the eight finalists' entries.

2024 results

  • Winner: Nigel Maher, Faculty of Medicine and Health, ‘MEL-AI: Eyeing the quality in melanoma diagnosis’
  • 1st Runner-up: Meredith McLaine, Sydney Law School, ‘Child Protection Decision-Making in the Children’s Court of NSW’
  • 2nd Runner-up: Veronic Schulz, Sydney Business School, ‘Navigating unchartered waters: Transitioning coal ports to the circular economy’

2023 results

  • Winner: Jordan Martenstyn, Faculty of Science: ‘When Bulking Up Becomes a Problem.’
  • 1st runner-up: Katie Butler, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: ‘Strengthening empathy and capacity for inclusion through role reversal activities: An action research project striving to foster the genuine inclusion of people with disabilities within a local government organisation.’
  • 2nd runner-up: Alice Shirley, Faculty of Science: ‘Hot Cows, Cool Solutions.’

2022 results

  • Winner: Amanda Khamis, Faculty of Medicine and Health: 'I-EAT, you eat, but can we all eat? Feeding therapy for babies with cerebral palsy and dysphagia.'
  • Runner-up: Rhianne Scicluna, Faculty of Science: 'Marijuana and Opioids: Friends or Foes?'
  • Runner-up: Yuxiao Chen Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning: 'The perfect concert hall: is it all about sound?'

2021 results

  • Winner: Aditi Aiyer, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health: ‘The wolf and the big bad biofilm.’
  • Runner-up: Jiale Zhu, School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering: ‘Root reinforcement in soil.’
  • Runner-up: Oliver Lotz, School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering: ‘Could we print organs?'
Last updated: 11 November 2024

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