ANU Competitions

Competitions

Here at ANU Researcher Development, we love a good competition – which is appropriate as our amazing researchers seem to be very good at them. And, not only are competitions a lot of fun, and of course a place where you can possibly win big prizes, but they are also excellent ways to hone your all-important research communication skills.

ANU has a number of competitive events taking place across the year and we would encourage you to take part in as many as possible – the skills development and networking alone make them invaluable opportunities for any researcher wanting to make the most out of their time here.

Look out for:

The Three Minute Thesis competition

The Three Minute Thesis competition (widely known as 3MT) is a hugely successful international competition which sees higher degree research candidates demonstrating their communication skills, while at the same time showcasing their research.

Participants present to non-specialist audiences, giving insight into their research and its importance, in accessible and engaging language, for three short minutes, using only a single PowerPoint slide. It is the ultimate test of the researcher as communicator. ANU’s 3MT winner goes on to compete in the Asia Pacific competition via video submission.

At ANU all the heats take place in the colleges (during the week June 30 to July 4), with the final twelve contestants receiving group and individual training before battling it out for fame, fortune and glory before a packed house at Llewellyn Hall.

The Grand Final (on July 31 this year) is one of the must-see events on ANU’s cultural calendar and big prizes are awarded on the night as follows:

• $4,000 goes to the winner

• $2,500 goes to the runner up

• $1,000 goes to the winner of the people’s choice vote

And a $500 research grant goes to all remaining finalists. Tickets for the Grand Final always go fast, so click here to reserve your place – while entry is free, a ticket is necessary to guarantee a place so don’t leave it until the last minute. And, if you can’t make it in person, you can also join us online via the same link.

Eligibility for 3MT:

1. The competition is open to:
   • Active PhD candidates
   • Professional Doctorate Research candidates (program must be at least 2/3 research)
2. Requirements:
   • Must have passed confirmation/TPR by the date of first presentation
   • Includes candidates whose thesis is under submission
3. Not eligible:
   • Graduates
   • Masters by coursework candidates
   • Professional Doctorate candidates (less than 2/3 research)
4. Presentation format:
   • All presentations must be in-person
   • Online participation is not allowed

Key Competition Dates

May 12      2pm to 3pm 3MT launch/information session

May 20     2pm to 3.30pm How to win 3MT – 1st workshop

May 28     2pm to 3.30pm How to win 3MT – 2nd workshop

June 24     2pm to 3.30pm 3MT try outs – session 1

June 25    2pm to 3.30pm 3MT try outs – session 2

June 26    2pm to 3.30pm 3MT try outs – session 3

June 30 to July 4  All week College heats take place

July 7       Finalists announced

July 8      2pm to 3pm Finalists planning meeting

July 14 to 18 All week One-on-one coaching for finalists

July 21    2pm to 3.30pm Communication/presentation skills workshop 1

July 23    2pm to 3.30pm Communication/presentation skills workshop 2

July 24    5pm to 7pm Technical rehearsal

July 25     All day Individual training sessions

July 29    5.30pm to 9.30pm Full dress rehearsal

July 31    6pm to 7.30pm ANU 3MT Final (Llewellyn Hall) - reserve your tickets here

Please note - as a condition of entry, you will need to be available for all events post-July 4 in the case of you advancing to the Grand Final. 

As Simon Clews, author of Your Time Starts Now! A guide to achieving success in the Three Minute Thesis competition, says – “… other than actually writing a thesis, 3MT is probably the most valuable thing you can do during your PhD candidature.” So, don't miss out -sign up NOW!

And, if you want to read about the background to the competition, the eligibility criteria or the judging criteria, the University of Queensland, the competition’s founders, have plenty of information available here.

Visualise Your Thesis Competition

These days an online presence is vital if you want to develop awareness of your research and anything that goes further than a bit of text and a few pictures will always attract more attention. Visualise Your Thesis is an exciting competition that takes this to next level, encouraging advanced visual literacy and helping PhD candidates develop their digital presentation skills.

Visualise Your Thesis was created by the University of Melbourne and challenges graduate researchers to present their research in a 60 second, eye-catching digital display. Using a pre-supplied template, entrants are tasked with developing a striking looped presentation to encapsulate their research projects in short, engaging, digital narratives. Competition submissions are judged on their visual impact, and how well the content presents the research.

This competition is open to candidates at all stages of candidature, including those yet to complete their Thesis Proposal Review (TPR) or confirmation.

The winner of this year’s ANU Visualise Your Thesis competition will go on to compete in the international showcase hosted by The University of Melbourne later in the year.

Key Competition Dates

August 4      2pm to 3pm   VYT launch/information session

August 12    2pm to 3.30pm VYT Training Workshop #1

August 14   2pm to 3.30pm VYT Training Workshop #2

August 19   2pm to 3.30pm VYT Training Workshop #3

August 21 to 26 Entries open

September HDR Induction (week of Monday, September 1) ANU VYT winners will be announced

Prizes are awarded at the ANU competition as follows:

• $2,000 will be awarded to the VYT 2024 winner

• $500 will be awarded to the runner up

If you want to take part or receive information about VYT, just attend the information session (register here), or contact Researcher Development on researcherdevelopment@anu.edu.au. And, if you want to read about the background to the competition, the eligibility criteria or the judging criteria, the University of Melbourne, the competition’s founders, have plenty of information available here.

Dance Your PhD competition

Science magazine issues a very different challenge each year – they want PhDs up and moving, and dancing their PhDs! The Dance Your PhD competition challenges you to produce a video entry that captures the spirit of your research in dance, with fame, glory and prizes on offer to the winner. To find out more about this competition, follow this link and make sure you submit your video by March 25.

Bake Your PhD competition

And taking place around various university departments all around the world, it’s always worth looking out for this this little sweet-toothed gem that challenges you to come up with a baked version of your PhD using sugar and spice and all things nice. This is the one everyone wants to be on the judging panel for!