Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) at UMass Lowell

In 2025, UMass Lowell (UML) joined the quickly growing Three Minute Thesis (3MT^®) competition, a program designed to help graduate students explain their research in a succinct and compelling way to general, non-specialist audiences.

Developed by the University of Queensland (UQ), the exercise cultivates students’ academic, presentation and research communication skills. The first 3MT competition was held at UQ in 2008 with 160 Research Higher Degree students competing. Today 3MT competitions are held in more than 900 universities in more than 85 countries worldwide.

Congratulations to the 2025 3MT^® Competition Winners

UMass Lowell hosted the inaugural UML 3MT competition on April 4, 2025. Read some event highlights in the news article about the 3MT finals.

We are proud to announce the winners of this year’s competition:

First Prize
Edidiong Etim, Doctoral Candidate
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
Francis College of Engineering
Presentation Title: Characterizing the biomechanical and thermal response of fat to suction pressure

Second Prize

Stephanie Madden, Doctoral Candidate
Department of Psychology
College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Presentation Title: Harmony in Healthcare: The Role of Caregiver-Provider Alliance on Child Health

Third Prize
Nerissa Molejon, Doctoral Candidate
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Francis College of Engineering
Presentation Title: Early Detection of Aquaculture Pathogens Using Acoustic Wave Sensors

People’s Choice Award
Stephanie Madden, Doctoral Candidate
Department of Psychology
College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Presentation Title: Harmony in Healthcare: The Role of Caregiver-Provider Alliance on Child Health

This annual event celebrates the power of concise communication and the incredible depth of graduate student research across disciplines. Congratulations to all the finalists for their hard work and impressive presentations! We look forward to another tremendous event next year.

First Prize Presentation

Learn More about Participating in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT^®)

For students interested in participating next year and want a head start, you can view a transcribed Zoom recording of the most recent 3MT^® training session for the 2025 competition. The video will give you an idea of the timeline, guidelines, and requirements.

Details and instructions for the 2026 UML 3MT^® competition will be released early in the new year.