Colorado State University graduate students rose to the challenge of presenting years of their research in just three minutes during a competition piloted in the spring semester.
Co-run by Megan Brice, a graduate coordinator in the Department of Computer Science, and Kristina Quynn, the associate dean of the Graduate School, the Graduate School’s Three-Minute Talk followed the style of the 3MT™ or 3-Minute Thesis. To compete, graduate students committed to meeting weekly for practice and review sessions and to provide feedback to improve each other’s presentations—meaning they would be both colleagues and competitors. The training sessions culminated in presentations where students explained their research or scholarship clearly and concisely in just three minutes. Presenters followed strict communication rules, including using only one slide, no animations or props, and timed presentations.
Quynn developed the training and competition to carefully balance rigor and high-quality performance expectations with collegial support to facilitate academic community.
“It is important to create a space of trust and empathy where researchers can share and receive feedback openly about their work and presentations,” said Quynn. “Everyone pitched in as they could. The group effort was truly impressive—and the final presentations even more so.”
The Graduate School Three-Minute Talk Award Winners were:
- First place: Bayley Wade, Department of Health and Exercise Science (Advisor: Brett Fling).
- Second place: Hayley Templeton, Department of Biomedical Sciences (Advisor: Stu Tobet).
Tie
- Third place: Sam Winston: Department of Mechanical Engineering (Advisor: Kirk McGilvray).
- Third place: Christina Parsons, Department of Occupational Therapy (Advisor: Andy Persch).
The judges granted two third place awards rather than adjudicate the tie. The Office of the Vice President for Research graciously provided the award funds.
The judging panel was comprised of faculty, graduate students, and industry volunteers.
Raj Trikha, the 2020 regional 3MT competitor and CSU Alumni, returned to support fellow Rams and volunteered to run the three-minute count-down timer.
The inaugural cohort of presenters also included dedicated contributions and excellent presentations of:
- Annie Campain, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.
- Emily Castellanos, Department of Biomedical Sciences.
- Logan Dean, Cell and Molecular Biology.
- Carina Donne, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology.
- Srishti Gupta, Department of Agricultural Biology.
- Nipa Khair, School of Advanced Materials Discovery.
- Connor King, Cell and Molecular Biology.
- Kaz Knight, Cell and Molecular Biology.
- Chris Patrick, Department of Health and Exercise Science.
- Anna Pfohl, Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability.
- Sophie Seward, Department of Health and Exercise Science.
- Skylar Yu, Department of Psychology.
