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Last year, I signed up for the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) at ���ϳԹ���Դ thinking it would be a useful communication exercise. I didn’t expect it to reshape how I explain my research; not just to others, but to myself.​ Like most graduate students, I can talk about my work for hours with people in my field. The challenge isn’t the knowledge but it’s how to translate it. Outside of my discipline, even the most important ideas can get lost in technical language, long explanations, and assumptions that the listener already understands the context. 3MT forced me to confront a simple question: If I only had three minutes, what would I say and why would anyone care?​ 

When I started drafting my 3MT script, my first instinct was to include everything: background, methods, results and limitations. It sounded “academic,” but it wasn’t clear. The more I tried to compress my thesis into three minutes, the more I realized that clarity isn’t about removing details, it’s about choosing the right ones. 3MT made me do something that is surprisingly difficult in research: identify the single thread that connects the problem, the purpose, and the impact. And because the audience isn’t made up of specialists, I had to let go of the comfort of jargon. I had to replace technical terms with everyday language, explain ideas with analogies, and speak like a human being instead of writing like a journal article. 

I was proud to be selected as one of the , but the most valuable part of 3MT wasn’t the outcome, rather it was the process. 3MT helped me understand that communication isn’t an “extra” skill for researchers. It’s part of the work. Because research only makes an impact when it can be understood.​ If you’re considering 3MT, my advice is simple: do it, even if it feels uncomfortable, especially if it feels uncomfortable. You will learn how to: 

• explain your work to anyone without oversimplifying 

• speak with clarity under pressure 

• identify the true purpose and impact of your research 

• connect with audiences outside your discipline 

And you’ll walk away with something rare in graduate school: a short, powerful explanation of your research that actually lands. For me, 3MT was three minutes on stage but it led to a lasting shift in how I think about research communication. It taught me that the goal isn’t to sound impressive. It’s to be understood.  

Registration and workshop details for this year’s 3MT is as follows: 

• January 30, 2026: Registration opens 

• March 10, 2026: Registration closes 

• March 17, 18, 19: 3MT Heats (all days 12:00 pm-1:00 pm, Mitchell Hall, Rose Events Commons) 

• March 25: 3MT Finals (5:00 pm-7:00 pm, Kinesiology Building, Room 101) 

Dates of Workshops and Sessions: 

• Preparing Your 3MT (Online): February 13, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM 

• Practice Your 3MT: February 27, 9:30 - 11:00 AM 

• Practice Your 3MT: March 4, 1:30 - 3:00 PM 

If this blog inspires you, send an email to the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs at sgspa.reception@queensu.ca for more information.