COEUR D’ALENE, ID – Idaho’s statewide Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition will be held in Coeur d’Alene for the first time next week, bringing graduate researchers from across the state to present their work to the public in a fast-paced academic showcase.
Hosted by the University of Idaho, the competition will take place Tuesday, Feb. 17, and feature 12 graduate students from Idaho’s three public research universities — the University of Idaho, Boise State University, and Idaho State University. Each school is sending four students who placed in their respective campus competitions.
Participants will have three minutes to explain their research using a single slide or image, with an emphasis on clear communication for a non-specialist audience.
Five Coeur d’Alene community leaders will serve as judges, including North Idaho College President Nick Swayne, Coeur d’Alene Mayor Dan Gookin, Kootenai Health board chair Dr. Bob McFarland, Museum of North Idaho Executive Director Britt Thurman, and Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber President and CEO Linda Coppess.
Judges will award first, second, and third place honors, and audience members will vote for a People’s Choice Award. Top finishers will advance to the Western Association of Graduate Schools 3MT competition in April.
The event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Lake Coeur d’Alene Room at North Idaho College’s Student Union Building. It is free and open to the public and will also be livestreamed online.
Founded in 2008, the Three Minute Thesis competition is now held at more than 900 universities worldwide. This year marks the eighth time the University of Idaho has hosted Idaho’s statewide event and the first time it has been held in Coeur d’Alene.
