UC graduate students take centerstage for research showdown on February 25

The University of Cincinnati’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition challenges graduate students to transform years of research into fast, engaging talks anyone can understand. 

Finalists from across campus step into the spotlight Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 4:30–6 p.m. in 1170 Clifton Court Hall equipped with just one slide and three minutes to bring their research to life and compete for up to $1,500 in prizes. The event is open to the public. Faculty, staff, students and community members are invited to attend and cheer on competitors and celebrate bold ideas shaping UC’s future.

Attendees will hear about lifesaving health innovations, engineering breakthroughs, social change initiatives, and creative scholarship in rapid-fire succession. No technical background is required, just curiosity and a desire to celebrate big ideas alongside the UC community.

The competition showcases Next Lives Here in action, preparing students not only to make discoveries, but to communicate them with clarity, confidence, and real-world impact while developing the skills that shape tomorrow’s leaders. The opportunity extends beyond campus. UC’s winner will advance to represent the university at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools’s regional 3MT® competition, held March 25–27, 2026 in Kansas City. 

Last year’s champion, Alex Sprague, went on to compete nationally through the Council of Graduate Schools, spotlighting UC research on an even larger stage. 

“The 3MT® competition offered a chance to reflect upon the big picture of my dissertation work and refine my ability to describe it to friends and family,” explains Sprague. “I was able to make friends with other participants from across the university and celebrate their research. As a bonus, you'll have a nice script for whenever a family member asks you, ‘wait, what are you in graduate school for again?”

More information is available online.

Featured top image of a previous Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition at UC. Photo provided.