Graduate students at the University of Waterloo who are researching everything from micro-scale 3D-printing of Graphene to the geometry of our universe will present their work at the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition on Thursday, April 2.

Each of the students will have just one slide and three minutes to share their research.

Last year, Matthew Vonk, a graduate student in the kinesiology department of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, won for his presentation on the effects of a single session of weight training on mental health.

He said the competition is an opportunity to hone public speaking skills and network. Vonk is involved with this year’s competition as a coach for students.

Everyone is welcome to attend

The 3MT University of Waterloo winner receives $1,000 and moves on to the provincial competition. The runner-up receives $500 and audience members can vote for the People’s Choice winner. Join us for the event on Thursday, April 2, from 2:30 until 4:30 p.m. in the Humanities Theatre, Hagey Hall.

This year’s provincial competition is hosted by Western University. It’s followed by a national competition sponsored by the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS).

Check out the final competitors and their research topics  on the 3MT website.

Watch last year's winner Matthew Vonk make his presentation: