Judge Information

The deadline has passed to serve as a judge for the 2025-26 Three Minute Thesis competition. Judging for the first round of this year's competition will take place the first few weeks of January, and finalists will be announced in late January.

Join us in person or tune in live to the final round of the competition, taking place Saturday, March 28, at the Nittany Lion Inn, University Park. The livestream link will be added to this page once available.

Judging Schedule

• Monday, September 15: Judge registration opens
• Friday, December 5: Judge registration closes
• Friday, December 5-Friday, December 19: Judges assigned
• Monday, January 5-Friday, January 16, 2026: First-round judging

Judging Rubric

Winners for each round will be determined by a panel of judges using the official 3MT competition rubric, which includes the criteria below.

Comprehension and Content

• Presentation provided clear background and significance to the research question
• Presentation clearly described the research strategy/design and the results/findings of the research
• Presentation clearly described the conclusions, outcomes, and impact of the research

Engagement and Communication

• The oration was delivered clearly, and the language was appropriate for a non-specialist audience
• The presentation slide was well-defined and enhanced the presentation
• The presenter conveyed enthusiasm for their research and captured and maintained the audience's attention

Successful competitors will spend adequate time on each element of the presentation without rushing while emphasizing the significance and application of their research and leaving the audience wanting to learn more.

Contact

Direct all questions about Three Minute Thesis at Penn State to: events@foxgradschool.psu.edu.