The Conversation and Universal Impact sponsor Vitae’s 2024 Three Minute Thesis competition

Many of the entries are object lessons in exemplary research communication.

We believe in the extraordinary power of research to change the world for the better. But to ensure they achieve the maximum impact, researchers must communicate often complex ideas in an accessible, engaging way.

This is at the very heart of our mission – and why The Conversation, and its Universal Impact training and mentoring subsidiary, which I run, are sponsoring the 2024 Vitae Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition.

Originally developed by the University of Queensland, this competition challenges doctoral researchers to communicate their research to a non-expert audience – in just three minutes.

Translating complex research into a pithy and compelling “elevator pitch” is a daunting task. When you have to explain a big idea in less time than it takes to boil an egg, every word counts. You can’t afford to waffle or “um” and “ah”.

This is why so many of the competition entries, which take the form of a spoken presentation, are object lessons in research communication. Indeed, as the competition now celebrates its tenth anniversary, this year’s event – which has attracted competitors from across the UK – promises to showcase some of the most exciting examples yet.

Become the best

Entrants first battle it out to win the 3MT® competition within their own institution. They then progress to a national semi-final, from which six finalists are selected to compete in the online final. This final will be broadcast live online on Wednesday, October 2 – when the public are invited to vote for the Vitae 3MT® 2024 People’s Choice winner. The judges’ and people’s choice winners will then be announced on Friday, October 4.

A non-profit organisation, Vitae is a global leader in the professional development of researchers. Universal Impact will support this mission by joining the judging panel and mentoring the champions (who also receive a coveted trophy and small grant) to help them build on their success and take their research to an even wider audience.

Rachel Cox, head of membership and engagement at Vitae, said: “The Vitae Three Minute Thesis is a fantastic competition which provides a unique opportunity for doctoral researchers to think differently about how they communicate work that is meaningful to them to a wider audience.

"It opens minds and opens doors for the individuals involved, as it can be a pathway to a wide variety of future careers, as previous participants have shown. At Vitae, we are proud of the impact this competition has had over the past ten years, and we are excited to see what it can do over the next decade. We are also delighted that Universal Impact and The Conversation are supporting this year’s event.”

You can find broadcast times and more information on the competition here.