2021 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition

The 2021 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Final will be held on in October and will bring together video submissions from 3MT finalists from across Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, North-East Asia and South-East Asia.

Asia-Pacific 3MT Final - Finalists Announced
Date: Wednesday 13 October 

Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Final Livestream
Date: Wednesday 20 October 2021
Time: 2pm - 3:05pm (AEST)
Event Format: Video Viewing / Meet the Finalist Q&A / People Choice Vote / Announcement of Winners (Zoom Webinar)

Register to attend

Key Dates for the 2021 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition

• NOW - Keep in touch - Like 3MT on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
• March - Asia-Pacific 3MT University Registration opens (no registration fee for 2021). 
• 30 July - University Registration closes
• 17 September - Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Video Submission Deadline
• September/October - Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition
  • ​Monday 27 September - Asia-Pacific 3MT Semi-Final 
    • ​Online Showcase 
  • Wednesday 13 October - Asia-Pacific 3MT Final 
    • ​Finalists announced
  • Wednesday 20 October - Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Final
    • ​Video Viewing / Meet the Finalist Q&A / People Choice Vote / Announcement of Winners (Zoom Webinar)

**Universities must first register their Institution here to participate in the 2021 Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition**

Video Creation and Submission - Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition
Registered universities participating in the 2021 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition are required to follow the guidelines for video creation and submission.

• 2021 Virtual Asia-Pacific Participating University Guidelines.

Examples of the video recordings are below:

• Video - 3MT PowerPoint slide top right;
• Video - 3MT PowerPoint slide cut.

All participating universities are required to email 3MT with the following information by the 17 September - Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Video Submission Deadline. Please feel free to email this information to 3MT earlier if you can.

• Completed 3MT Participant Contact Details Template
• Competitors 3MT PowerPoint slide; and 
• Competitors 3MT Vimeo link;
• Competitors Head Shot; and
• UQ Photography/Video Waiver

All documents required for submission are located in the 2021 Virtual Asia-Pacific Participating Materials Pack

Video Creation and Submission - University Level Competition

In order to take part in a virtual 3MT competition each participating institution will hold its own internal 3MT competition to select a winner (live or virtual). The key requirement for each university winner/entry into the Asia-Pacific 3MT will be that students must pre-record their presentation for consideration by the judges. This will ensure participants are not disadvantaged due to technical issues during a presentation. Institutions are free to decide the format of their local competition (live or virtual), within the rules set by The University of Queensland - an example structure of a simple virtual competition is outlined below. We have also put together a number of resources to help you with your planning for a virtual event. 

• Competitors record and edit their 3MT presentations (using any available recording or mobile device) and upload to a Vimeo account (competitors to set up a personal Vimeo account) and provide the presentation link to their university 3MT Event Corodinator for consideration in their university 3MT competition (School/Faculty/University).
• Universities to upload competitors 3MT video to their univeristy website (or similar) for audience viewing.
• Universities to email 3MT video links and 3MT PowerPoint presentations to judging panel.
• Judging panel review all videos (mark using 3MT scoring sheets) and conduct a Zoom meeting to discuss judging and final placement of winners – Winner / Runner-up.
• People’s Choice element (you could consider using Facebook/Vimeo likes or a Survey Monkey poll)
• Winners announced online during a webinar or online via newsletter/social media.

Please note: Ensure you instruct the judging panel that they must not judge the presentation based on the video/recording quality or editing capabilities (optional inclusions). Judging should focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide.

Modifications to the 3MT rules have been made to accommodate the new virtual format.

• Presentations are limited to 3 minutes and competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through speech (timing does not include the 3MT title slide and commences from when the competitor starts speaking, not the start of the video).
• Videos must meet the following criteria:
  • Filmed on the horizontal;
  • Filmed on a plain background;
  • Filmed from a static position;
  • Filmed from one camera angle;
  • Contain a 3MT title slide;
  • Contain a 3MT PowerPoint slide (top right corner/right side/cut to)
• A single static slide is permitted in the presentation (no slide transitions, animations or ‘movement’ of any description). This can be visible continuously, or ‘cut to’ (as many times as you like) for a maximum of 1 minute.
• The 3 minute audio must be continuous – no sound edits or breaks.
• No additional props (e.g. costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment and animated backgrounds) are permitted within the recording. Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g. no poems, raps or songs).
• No additional electronic media (e.g. sound and video files) are permitted within the video recording.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.
• Submissions via video format (only video link provided to Event Coordinators). Files sent in other formats will not be accepted.
• Entries submitted for final adjudication to Wildcard or University Final are to be submitted from the School/ Faculty/Institute 3MT Event Coordinator. Competitors should not submit their videos directly to 3MT.

Please note: competitors *will not* be judged on video/ recording quality or editing capabilities (optional
inclusions). Judging will focus on the presentation, ability to communicate research to a non-specialist audience, and 3MT PowerPoint slide.

Please note: After each competition round competitors have the option to either submit their current presentation or rerecord and submit a new presentation for entry into the next round.

Eligibility

Active PhD and Professional Doctorate Research (program composed of at least 2/3 research and eligible for RTP) candidates who have successfully passed their confirmation milestone (including candidates whose thesis is under submission) by the date of their first virtual presentation are eligible to participate in 3MT competitions at all levels, including the Asia-Pacific 3MT competition. Graduates are not eligible.

Please Note: Students enrolled in any of the following programs are not eligible to enter the Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition:

• Masters (MPhil and coursework);
• Professional Doctorate (less than 2/3 research)

The following prizes will be awarded at the 2021 Asia-Pacific 3MT competition.

• Winner: $5000 research grant
• Runner Up: $2000 research grant
• People’s Choice: $1000 research grant

Past Asia-Pacific finalists can be viewed here