Adapted for the Symposium, 3MT® presentations will be focused around one of the thematic areas: the environment, social innovation, global health, and digital transformation.
The in-person competition for finalists will take place on Friday, October 6, 2023, and winners will be announced Saturday, October 7, 2023 during the symposium gala.
The submission deadline is August 31, 2023.
- Active graduate student (PhD and master’s degree) at WashU or a McDonnell International Scholars Academy partner institution enrolled in a full-time graduate degree program at the time of entry into the competition and at the time of the symposium.
- Able to deliver a 3MT® presentation focused on one of the four thematic areas.
- Eligible students use the online entry form to submit a 3-minute video with one static PowerPoint slide explaining their research on a topic related to one of the four core themes of the symposium.
- Submissions must meet all rules and presentation requirements. Failure to meet the specified guidelines will result in disqualification.
- Following the close of the submission period, all entries will be evaluated for eligibility. Virtual heats will take place to determine finalists (4 finalists per theme across all partner institutions). Panels of judges for each round of the competition assess contestants using the official 3MT® judging criteria.
- Before submitting an entry, contestants are expected to review the competition handbook for full information on eligibility, entry submission requirements, competition rules, judging criteria, and selection timeline.
- Ensure phones and tablets are turned onto their side so the video is filmed horizontally not vertically.
- Dark environments impact the overall quality of your video because cameras do not perform well in dim lighting. Ensuring you are well lit guarantees the camera and therefore, your audience, can see you clearly. Look for a room that has lots of natural light. If you are using light from a window, ensure you are facing towards the window so light falls on you directly.
- When filming your video, ensure you choose a very quiet environment where you have as much control over the sound as possible. For example, choose a small room where you have the ability to close all doors and windows. Make sure any noisy electronics in the room such as fans, air conditioners, computers, and phones are temporarily turned off. These are much louder in video than you may think and are very distracting to your audience!
- Be aware of any audible interruptions you don’t have control over such as airplanes, lawnmowers, and cars. Consider filming during a quiet time of day such as early in the morning when there are likely to be less interruptions. If there are audio interruptions during your recording, do not continue. Wait it out and try again at a later point!
- Aim for a clean, plain wall as your background, completely free of visual distractions from the waist up where you will be framing your shot.
- Be aware of your eye movement. Maintain eye contact with the camera lens as though it were a person in the audience watching you present live.
- Upload your video on this page, or Email a YouTube or Vimeo link to Angie Rahaman, arahaman@wustl.edu by the submission deadline.
- Not sure how to upload? Visit and revie
- YouTube YouTubeHelp
- Vimeo VimeoUploadingBasics
Additional resources for students interested in the McDonnell Academy Global Research Symposium 3MT® Competition may be added. Please check back regularly for updates.
This form is currently closed for submissions.