13th Annual 3MT® Competition

November 6, 2026

Two deans and two competitors next a 3MT banner
Left to Right: Heshini Weerakkody and Cassandra M. Swanson

2025 University Final Winners

1st Place -  Heshini Weerakkody, Ph.D. Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology
A Journey Toward Reconciliation With the Heat

2nd Place and People's Choice - Cassandra M. Swanson, M.S. Human Nutrition
Vitamin D: A Ray of Hope for the Liver

a male student giving a pesentation to a conference room full of people

What is 3MT®?

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT)® is an internationally known competition. Graduate students in thesis and dissertation programs have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their research. 3MT® challenges students to consolidate their ideas and research discoveries to present to a non-specialist audience.

The first 3MT® was held at UQ in 2008 with 160 students competing. Enthusiasm for the 3MT® concept grew and it has now been adopted by numerous universities around the world.

Attend and participate as the audience!

Each round of the competition requires a People Choice Vote. That is where you come in!

Want more information about presenting?

Find info about eligibility, how to prepare, and awards.

Why Attend?

Your attendance and participation is crucial to the competition! As an audience member, you have the power to name People's Choice winners in the University Final Competition.

By attending the 3MT® University Final Competition, you not only witness the impressive communication skills of the participating students but also encourage and motivate them to refine their abilities further. You will have the opportunity to learn about a wide range of innovative and groundbreaking research being conducted by talented students within the Texas State community.

Judges

Final Competition

  • Dr. Pranesh Aswath, Provost
  • Ms. Lauren Loper, Director of Foundation Engagement, University Advancement
  • Mr. Larry Gaddes, President, Alumni Association
  • Ms. Valerie Holmes, Dean of Students
  • Mr. Elias Martinez, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications
  • Dr. Aimee Roundtree, Assistant Vice President for Research

What Our Winners Say

"Being an international student, I always had a fear of speaking English—especially in front of native English speakers. The 3MT® stage gave me the courage to face that fear and speak before a large live audience."

— Heshini Weerakkody, 2025 First Place Winner

Why Compete?

  • promote your research
  • enhance communication skills
  • learn how to explain your research to a non-specialized audience
  • develop “elevator pitch” discussions of your research (especially useful for job interviews!)
  • get a chance to win one of the four awards for the Preliminary Round: First Place ($200), Second Place ($150), Runner-up ($100), and People’s Choice ($100)
  • get a chance to win one of three awards at the University Final: First Place Winner ($1000), Runner-up ($500), and the People’s Choice ($500)

Previous Competition

Curious to know more about the 3MT® Competition? View previous presentations in our archives. You can also watch 3MT® winners from competitions at other universities.

2025 Sponsors

The Graduate College thanks the 2025 3MT® sponsors – Office of The Provost, Division of Research, Department of Sociology, and The IDEA Center.

Questions?

If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512-245-3451 or ods@txstate.edu at least 72 hours in advance of the event.

Texas State is a tobacco-free campus.