NDSU Graduate School to host competition that challenges students to communicate the importance of research
Published February 3, 2016
The North Dakota State University Graduate School is challenging graduate students to explain their research in ways general audiences can understand. A typical 80,000 word thesis would take nine hours to present. These students have three minutes.
The Three Minute Thesis Competition on Feb. 10 will feature graduate students from a variety of disciplines presenting their research in terms relevant to government officials, media, future employers and funding organization representatives.
Brandy Randall, associate dean of the Graduate School said, “It is necessary for students to be able to sell their ideas. This competition teaches students how to communicate succinctly.”
The competition encourages students to bring their groundbreaking work out of the classroom or laboratory to share with the public. “Graduate students are participating in ground breaking research and scholarly activities,” Randall said. “Preparation for this competition requires students to explain their work in common terms, which will prepare them for future careers.”
NDSU students have many opportunities to practice skills they will use in their professional lives. The NDSU Graduate School is hosting a Three Minute Thesis Competition to challenge its best graduate students to communicate the importance of research to a general audience.
Five groups of students will compete in the first-round of the Three Minute Thesis Competition, and the best in each group will win $250. The five winners will advance, and the winner of the championship round will receive $1,000. Local and state civic and business leaders and NDSU students and faculty will judge the presentations.
The competitions will begin at 10 and 11 a.m. in the NDSU Memorial Union Hidatsa, Mandan and Prairie rooms. The final round will begin at 2 p.m., in Century Theater with an awards ceremony and reception to follow.
One goal of the competition is also to encourage community members to learn about NDSU graduate student research and scholarly work. This event is free and open to the public.
The University of Queensland in St. Lucia, Australia, developed the first Three Minute Thesis competition in 2008, and the concept quickly spread to universities around the world. At least 170 universities in more than 17 countries now hold competitions.
