Briefing Session for Three Minute Thesis (3MT )

Competition 2013The University of Hong Kong

®

April 9, 2013P6-03, Graduate House

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

The 3MT Concept – What is it?• An academic competition to challenge PhD & MPhil

students to explain their theses within 3 mins to a general audience

• To celebrate research discoveries and encourage skill development in communicating the importance of research to the broader community

The 3MT Concept – Emphasis• Not an exercise in trivialising or ‘dumping-down’

research

• Consolidate your ideas and share your research discoveries in layman’s language to engage a non-specialist audience

The 3MT Concept –Why is this skill important?

• If you can’t communicate what you are doing, how can you explain its significance and what it is worth?

• especially when you apply for reseach funding, attend a job interview, or try to find a donor to support your research …

The 3MT Concept - Background• Developed by UQ in 2008• Has become an annual transnational competition in

Australia & New Zealand since 2010• HKU launched the 3MT in 2011 and has been the

first university in HK to launch the 3MT• The champion of HKU 3MT 2012 participated in the

Trans-Tasman 3MT Competition held at UQ

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

Eligibility Criteria• MPhil or PhD students whose candidature have been

confirmed and who are in their final year of study (i.e. within one year prior to the end of their candidature or who have already submitted the "Notice of Intent to Submit a Thesis")

Eligibility Criteria (Cont’d)• MPhil or PhD students who have submitted their

theses may also enter the Competition if they have not yet received the confirmation letter from the Graduate School that they have already completed all the requirements for the conferment of the degree sought.

• Students are permitted to enter the competition only once during their candidature.

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

Presentation Rules• Each presentation is limited to 3 minutes maximum.

Participants exceeding 3 minutes will be disqualified.• The presentation should be delivered in English.• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted for each

presentation (without any slide transitions or animations).

• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted.

Presentation Rules (Cont’d)• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical

instruments, laboratory equipment, etc) are permitted.

• Presentations should be in spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).

• Presentations should commence from the stage. • A presentation is considered to have commenced

when a presenter starts the presentation through movement or speech.

Presentation Rules (Cont’d)• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.• Participants should note that due to the nature of

the competition, any data or information presented or discussed in the Competition should be considered information that will likely enter the public domain. Interested students should discuss with their research supervisors before registering for the Competition.

(The Presentation Rules are based on those developed by UQ.)

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

Judging Criteria - Comprehension• Did the presentation help the audience understand

the research?• Did the presenter clearly outline the nature and aims

of research?• Do you know what is significant about this research?• Did the presentation follow a logical sequence?

Judging Criteria - Engagement• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?• Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or dumb down

their research?• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their work?• Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience’s

attention?• Would I like to know more about the speaker’s research?

Judging Criteria - Communication• Was the thesis topic and its significance communicated in

language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?• Did the speaker use sufficient eye contact and vocal

range, maintain a steady pace, and a confident stance?• Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain

terminology that needed to be used, and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?

Judging Criteria – Communication (Cont’d)• Did the presenter spend the right amount of time on

each element of their presentation – or did they elaborate for too long or were rushed?

• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance, rather than detract from, their presentation – was it clear, legible, and concise?

(The Judging Criteria are the same as those developed by UQ.)

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

The Adjudicating PanelInternal Members (for Heats and the Final):

• Prof. John Bacon-Shone, Associate Director of the KEO• Prof. Nirmala Rao, Associate Dean of the Graduate

School • Prof. Ben Young, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School • Dr Danny Chan, Associate Professor, Department of

Biochemistry

The Adjudicating Panel (Cont’d)

• The Acting Director of the Journalism & Media Studies Centre, HKU

• Mr Man Cheuk Fei, HKU Council Member • Ms Linda Yeung, Education Editor of the South China

Morning Post

Members (for the Final):In addition to those internal members above

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

Prizes• Champion: HK$7,000 research travel support or

book prize• First Runner-up: HK$5,000 research travel support

or book prize• Second Runner-up: HK$3,000 research travel

support or book prize

Prizes (Cont’d)• People’s Choice (by audience ballot): HK$3,000

research travel support or book prize• Online People's Choice Award (by being voted the

most ‘LIKE's’ on YouTube): US$100 book voucher• The champion will represent HKU at the Trans-

Tasman 3MT Competition 2013 to be held at The University of Western Sydney, for which 39 universities have already registered.

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

Tips for Participants – Getting Started

• Talk to your supervisor and research team!• Think why your research is relevant and of interest to

anyone who knows nothing about your field• Watch the videos of past winners of HKU, UQ and

Trans-Tasman

• Focus on the problem(s) addressed by your research project – is there a good story behind what you are doing?

• Briefly explain your research method contributing to the solution of the problem(s)

• Highlight the potential impact of your research on society or research field

Tips for Participants – Getting Started (Cont’d)

Tips for Participants –Preparing Your Presentation

• Always remember your audience• Don’t try to cover everything – stay focused• Avoid jargon and acronyms • Summarize, edit, trim, do that again and again,

make it short and sweet• Read it out loud and as if you’re holding a hand-

held mic

Tips for Participants –Your Slide

• Less is more• Consider using images rather than text• Your slide should support, rather than distract from,

your presentation• Remember the rule: No transition or animation• Look at the videos of past winners of HKU, UQ and

Trans-Tasman again – this time on their slides

Tips for Participants –The Slide: a UQ example

Will Harrison2010 Runner-up of UQ 3MT

How vision and attention arecompromised following a stroke

Tips for Participants – Important Dates• Registration

Deadline: May 2, 2013 (Thu), via HKU Event Management System

• Date of CompetitionJune 11, 2013 (Tue): Heats in the morning and the final competition in the afternoon

• EnquiriesTel: 2299 0172/ E-mail: zoho@hku.hk Website: http://www.ke.hku.hk/hku3mt/

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU

3MT 20129) Q & A

Why joining 3MT?It’s scary but lots Fun!!!

Why joining 3MT?You earn an opportunity to share your research with others and…. you might also earn a trip to Australia!!!

Why joining 3MT?It sharpens your presentation skills and builds up your confidence• Experience “small message, big impact” • Time is money for sponsors and collaborators

Some tips – PowerPoint slide• Think about how you could visualize your speech via this

single slide

• Make sure the key messages are explicit

• Be creative and make it more eye-catching but not confusing (e.g. don’t use too many colours)

• Divide the slide into two or three frames if your speech is structured into two or three major parts

Some tips – speech• Pull out the sexiest bit from your thesis – you need just a

strong single punch!

• Avoid complex scientific or technical terms

• Make use of interesting analogies to illustrate complex theories or methods

Some tips – speech (Cont’d)• Interaction with audience (eye contact, voice tone, body

gesture and jokes)

• Learn from good examples - take a look at some examples online

• Practice and rehearsal with non-specialists (e.g. friends or friends’ friends)

See you on the stage of the

Agenda1) The 3MT Concept2) Eligibility Criteria3) Presentation Rules4) Judging Criteria5) The Adjudicating Panel6) Prizes7) Tips for Participants8) Sharing by the Champion of HKU 3MT 20129) Q & A

Further informationWebsite: http://www.ke.hku.hk/hku3mt/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hku3mt

Join NOW and have fun!