VIDEO: 2020 Three Minute Thesis Winners Named

Kira Tait, Ph.D. candidate in political science, has been named the winner of the 2020 Three Minute Thesis competition. Organized by the Graduate School, the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) challenges graduate students to describe their research in an engaging manner, using non-technical language, all in three minutes or less. Tait's presentation, "Roadblocks to Access: Perceptions of Law in Post-Apartheid South Africa," was also voted the People's Choice winner by audience members at the 3MT Campus Final on Feb. 28.

Master's student Jennifer Ryan, environmental conservation, and Ph.D. student Jarrel De Matas, English, were named the 3MT runners-up. A total of 10 finalists representing nine graduate programs in four colleges competed in the campus final. As UMass's 3MT winner, Tait will go on to compete in the regional 3MT event in Quebec City in April, along with 3MT winners from over 20 graduate schools in the northeastern United States and Canada.

New this year, the 3MT Campus Final included the Images of Research competition, comprised of images submitted by graduate students and postdocs. A selection of 14 finalists were named and posted to Instagram (@UMass_OPD), with the overall winner chosen based on number of likes. Karl Lyn, master's student in Education, was named the winner of the inaugural Images of Research competition.