On December 2, the College of Applied Science and Technology (CAST) held its Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition to choose two outstanding candidates to compete in the University-level competition this spring.

The 3MT is a research communication competition that challenges master’s and doctoral students to describe their research topic and its significance in just three minutes to a general audience.

3MT seeks to enhance the profile of graduate students both within the university and the wider community. 3MT develops academic, presentation, and research communication skills and supports the development of research students’ capacity to effectively explain their research in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. 3MT is designed to encourage students to consolidate their ideas and crystallize their research discoveries.

Two finalists emerged from the CAST 3MT and will be competing at the University level:

  • Reagen Tibbs (AGR): Examining the Perceptions of Precision Agriculture Technologies and On-Farm Precision Experimentation. 

Thesis chairperson: Dr. Maria Boerngen

  • Bothwell Piason (CJS): Experiences of Mothers in Jail.

Thesis chairperson: Dr. Dawn Beichner

The Illinois State University 3MT finals will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2023, at 6 p.m., at the Normal Theater. The first-place winner will be entered in the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools competition in March.