Judge Information

Penn State faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and alumni are invited to serve as judges in the opening round of the competition. Judging will take place remotely, and each judge will be assigned six to eight video presentations that need to be evaluated. The final round will be judged by a panel of invited alumni, faculty, graduate students, and others.

Registration is now closed for this year's Three Minute Thesis competition.

Judging Schedule

• Monday, September 16: Judge registration opens
• Friday, October 25: Judge registration closes
• Week of October 28: Judges assigned
• Wednesday, October 30: Judge training session via Zoom at noon ET. This session will be recorded for those unable to attend.
• November 4-8: 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: PS3MT@psu.edu.