Thesis contest where students can win £200 in 180 seconds opens

Postgraduates are being challenged to compete in an exciting thesis competition where they could win £200 in just 180 seconds.

PhD students have been invited to present a paper in three minutes or less to an expert Essex judging panel.

Unfolding on 17 May the competitors will be marked on their ability to engage outside their specialist audience and without lengthy slides or props.

As well as the cash prize the winner’s presentation will be transformed into a professionally produced video that will be shared extensively across the University’s social channels to an audience of nearly 300,000 followers.

Returning as an entirely live event for the first time since 2019 - The Three Minute Thesis competition also sees winners go through to a national knock-out.

Professor Ilaria Boncori, Deputy Dean Postgraduate Research Training, said: “The Three Minutes Thesis Competition is a great opportunity for students to learn to communicate their research topic and focus in a clear and effective manner, to both academic and non-specialist audiences.

“This will be very useful while networking, and also in introducing themselves and their work to various audiences."

Entrants have three minutes to present their research topic to the panel of judges and the audience. The judges are academic and professional services staff from the University.

With the panel choosing the winner and the audience voting for an ‘audience’s choice’ winner.

The overall winner receives £200, the runner-up gets £100, and the audience's choice nets £100

The winner, runner-up and audience choice winner will all be invited to showcase their presentations at the PGR Celebration Event the following month.

If you would like to take part, you will need to submit a 300-word summary of your research via email before Monday 17 April 2023.

For more information visit the website.