3 Minute Thesis: UiB final

12 PhD candidates from across faculties at UiB will compete for prizes. The winner will compete for a place in the international finals of the Coimbra Group and SANORD. Additionally, the top three participants will receive gift cards.

Join us for an afternoon of insightful presentations and show your support for our talented PhD candidates as they compete for a place in the international finals of the Coimbra Group and SANORD.

The concept

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a research communication competition first held at the University of Queensland in 2008. The competition involves PhD candidates presenting a three-minute talk on their research to a general audience, using only one slide as a visual aid. The competition has spread internationally and in 2017, the Coimbra Group held its first 3MT competition and has conducted the competition annually since then. The Coimbra Group is a university network consisting of 40 European universities with the University of Bergen (UiB) as one of its members. The Southern African Nordic Centre (SANORD) is a network of 55 universities in the Nordic and Southern African countries, and the last. UIB has been a member of SANORD since the start of the network in 2008.

UiB Participation in Coimbra Group and SANORD  3MT competitions

UiB has decided to take part in the 3MT competitions organized by both the Coimbra Group and SANORD. UiB will pick one PhD candidate to compete in these 3MT competitions in a special event on March 20th at 1:00 PM UiB læringslab at Media City Bergen in central Bergen. The event will be held in person, recorded, and evaluated by a UiB panel of judges comprising of representatives with knowledge of scientific presentations and communication.

Jury for the internal UiB competition:

• Sverre Drønen, Senior Adviser, Division of Research and Innovation (Chair of the Jury)
• Scott Bremer, Researcher, Centre for the Study of the Sciences and the Humanities
• Erik Knudsen, Associate Professor, Department of Information Science and Media Studies
• Alette Mykkeltvedt, Deputy Director General, Division of Research and Innovation
• Anne Line Grepne, Deputy Director General, Communication Division

Rules for the 3 MT competition

1. A single static slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration.
2. No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
3. No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
4. Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
5. Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, raps or songs).
6. Presentations are to commence from the stage.
7. Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech. Don´t use extras beeps or other signs to start.
8. The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Judging Criteria

The following criteria shall be applied in the local events, the initial procedure to determine the finalists as well as in the finals.

Comprehension and content:

• Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question.
• Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research.
• Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes and impact of the research.

Engagement and communication:

• The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience.
• The slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation.
• The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience’s attention.

In judging the presentations, it should be understood that scholarly and scientific research based on the PhD candidates own research is at the core of the activity. Thus, the findings, results and the evidence for it must play a significant role in the presentation.

Mere claims and overstatements of any kind regarding the scientific findings and their consequences or relevance must be avoided.

The 3MT competition is about communicating research results, not mere research plans. Presentations not reporting tangible results will be excluded from participation in the Coimbra Group 3MT competition by the technical committee.

Timeline:                                                          

• 20 March, 13:00-15:00: UiB 3 MT Competition
• 28 March: UiB submits video entry for the Coimbra Group 3MT live final
• April: UiB submits video entry for the SANORD competition
• 10-24 April: Coimbra Group Universities to vote for the top 3 entries
• May: SANORD Jury chooses 2 winners among SANORD universities
• 10-13 June: Coimbra Group 3 MT live final, University of Bologna, Italy
• 13-15 August: 3MT presentation at SANORD conference, University of Århus, Denmark

Prizes:

• The winner of the UiB 3MT Competition will receive a NOK 1,500 gift card, while the two runners-up will each receive a gift card of NOK 1,000.
• If selected as one of the three finalists in the Coimbra Group 3MT final, all travel and accommodation expenses to Bologna in Italy will be covered. Additionally, the final winner will receive €2,000, and the two runners-up will each receive €1,500.
• If chosen by the SANORD jury, the UiB representative will have all travel and accommodation expenses covered to the 2025 SANORD Conference in Århus, Denmark.

Additionally, the 3MT competition is an excellent platform for enhancing research dissemination skills. Participants will learn to effectively communicate their research in a concise and engaging manner and it will help improve public speaking skills, boosting confidence in presenting research in front of diverse audiences.