IDEA
3 Minute Thesis Competition at CSRS
“Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is a research communication competition developed in 2008 by The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia. In this competition, research students have three minutes to present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance.
3MT® is not an exercise in trivializing research, but rather challenges students to consolidate their ideas and discoveries and present them concisely to a non-specialist audience within a strict three-minute timeframe, ensuring that anyone can easily grasp the essence of a student’s Master’s or PhD research.
The competitions are open to all students in a research-based master’s or doctoral program (i.e., a program in which a final thesis is required to graduate).
The competition also helps participants develop academic, presentation, and research communication skills, while providing a platform to showcase their work and gain visibility within the international community.
The IDEA Committee actively organizes activities at conferences worldwide, creating platforms—such as the 3MT® competition—for students to connect with the broader community.
A judging panel evaluates the presentations based on the official criteria 3MT Rules.
Hamid Jafarzadeh, Family Cares Grant Program Lead, organized and facilitated the 2025 3MT event at the CSRS in Lethbridge, Alberta. The event continued the successful collaboration between partners to promote student engagement and excellence in research communication.
Over 100 attendees participated in the session, and 10 students presented their research during the competition. The presentations were evaluated by a distinguished judging panel consisting of three experts in the field of remote sensing.
Congratulations to the 2025 award winners: Natalie Krizan, Daniel Almuina Pica, and Ramin Farhadiani, who each received a monetary prize sponsored by IEEE GRSS IDEA and an official IEEE-accredited certificate. Special congratulations to the People’s Choice Award winner, Natalie Krizan, who also received an IEEE certificate and an IDEA Swag Box.
Through initiatives like the 3MT competition, IDEA continues to foster confidence, visibility, and leadership among emerging researchers.
IDEA also sponsored the 3MT event at the 2024 CSRS held in Halifax, Nova Scotia from June 10-13, 2024, and hopes to continue this collaboration with the Canadian Remote Sensing Society in future events. Over 50 people attended this event and seven students participated in the event. A massive congratulations goes to the 2024 award winners, Ramin Farhadiani, Swarna Naojee and Faezeh Soleimani Vostikolaei. Each winner received a monetary prize as well as an official IEEE accredited certificate. Congratulations to the People’s Choice Award winner Swarna Naojee, who received an IEEE certificate and an IDEA Swag Box.
The Women Mentoring Women Program partnered with the Canadian Remote Sensing Society to facilitate an exciting and engaging 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Student Competition at the 2023 and 2024 Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing (CSRS).
Participants had 3 minutes and one static slide to present their research to the audience. 3MT competitions are extremely advantageous for students who want to improve communication skills and confidence by having to condense complex research into a concise presentation. Additionally, the recognition and awards offered in these competitions create networking opportunities and enhance professional development.
Margot Flemming, the Women Mentoring Women Program lead helped organize and facilitate the 2023 event with the help of PhD Candidate and the 2023 CSRS Student Representative, Linda Flade. The 2023 event saw 9 brave students participate and a superb judging panel consisting of 3 experts in the field of remote sensing. A massive congratulations goes to this year’s award winners, Irini Soubry, Maryam Jameela and Leanna Stackhouse. Each winner received a monetary prize as well as an official IEEE accredited certificate. In 2023 we also implemented a fourth award category where the audience had the opportunity to vote on their favourite presentation. Congratulations to the People’s Choice Award winner Leanna Stackhouse, who received an IEEE certificate and an IDEA Swag Box.
We asked some of the 2023 winners what piece of advice they would give someone presenting in the 3MT event:
“Tip number 1: practice, practice, practice! Tip number 2: Your slide should be very simple, no or minimal text. Tip number 3: Try to make it funny and attractive for the audience.”
– Irini Soubry, first place winner of the 2023 3MT
“Make your presentation fun. Connect with audience and enjoy the experience.”
– Maryam Jameela, second place winner of the 2023 3MT
Thanks to those who participated, attended, and helped organize the 3MT at CSRS 2023 and 2024. We can’t wait for future events!