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Three Minute Thesis

And the winners are...

Runner Up: Joshua Yu: Rethinking How we See Cancer

Winner: Yuxin Cao: Roomate Tension: Ancient DNA Analysis of Caribou and Muskox Remains of Banks Island, NWT

People's Choice: Dexter Zamora: Bridging Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Through Robotic Test Platforms

In Person Event Details

Date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: SFU SRYE, 10285 University Dr, Surrey, BC

NOTE: Doors open at 5:00 PM and the event will start right at 5:30 PM. To ensure contestants aren't distracted by late-comers, we will be restricting access while competitors are delivering their talk.

One slide. Three minutes.  Cash prizes.  Give voice to your thesis in SFU's annual 3 Minute Thesis competition.

The Three Minute Thesis is about sharing your research story. An opportunity to explain the breadth and impact of your cutting-edge graduate work using an accessible format. Effectively communicating your research to a wide-reaching audience is crucial to engaging with others, bringing them into your expertise.

3MT challenges grad students to develop critical skills for their academic and professional journeys while also revealing the passion that led them to pursue their studies in the first place. 

"Reflecting on the highlights of my graduate studies, I truly appreciate the experiences that allowed me to engage with other students and the broader university community. Competing in the 3 Minute Thesis and FAS Speak Out competitions has helped me connect with fellow graduate students, discover their fascinating work, and build friendships along the way."

— Dexter Lagasca Zamora, 3MT 2025 finalist

3MT News

Learn about the 2025 SFU Finalists!

Learn about the the competitors participating in the Finals on April 10.

Faculty Heats

If your faculty is not listed below, you can participate in 3MT by signing up to the wildcard heat (more info below).

3MT SFU Final

RSVP to watch the competitors (in-person) on
April 10, 2025
5:30 - 7:30 PM
SFU SRYE, 10285 University Dr, Surrey, BC

Workshops

There are a variety of workshops and resources available to help graduate students describe their research in interesting and novel ways, and be able to communicate it in a variety of settings and contexts. These sessions are offered by a mix of service providers: Graduate Studies, Research Commons, and Mitacs.

Learn more

History of 3MT

Developed by The University of Queensland in 2008, the competition challenges higher-degree research students to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance in just three minutes in language appropriate to a general audience. 3MT is not an exercise in trivializing or ‘dumbing-down’ research but forces students to consolidate their ideas and crystallize their research discoveries.

Since 2011, the popularity of the competition has increased and 3MT competitions are now held in over 200 universities across more than 18 countries worldwide.

Congratulations to our 2024 SFU Winners

First Place: Erin Williams, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, The Rhythm Beneath the Waves: the challenges of fainting during artistic swimming Runner Up: ​Soobin Yim, Biological Sciences, What’s your favourite drink? Mine’s water! People’s Choice: Sarah Aufrère, Earth Sciences, A Volcanic Time Machine And, a special Judges Honourable Mention went to Talha Usmani, Sustainable Energy Engineering, Elastomeric Piston Seal Performance Assessment for High Pressure Direct Injection Systems
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