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LRAN Announces the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition

April 24, 2023

The LRAN 3MT Competition will be held at the 2023 LRAN Conference

Modeled after the University of Queensland’s Three Minute Thesis Competition, the LRAN 3MT Competition invites labor activists and academic researchers to sharpen their presentation skills by explaining their labor-related research to a general audience in a short period.

This is how it works: presenters come on stage, give a brief (3 min max) speech (notes are not permitted) on their work with a single static PowerPoint slide, and the 3-min timer starts as soon as you speak. Here is an example, Three Minute Thesis (3MT) 2011 Winner - Matthew Thompson

If interested, please submit your single static PowerPoint slide to lrangrants@jwj.org by Monday, May 15th, with the subject line 3MT registration. The competition will take place during the LRAN Conference held June 7th-8th at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The theme of this year’s conference is “What We All Bring - Strategy and Research for Everyone in the Movement."

To be eligible, you must be registered for the conference. You can register here: LRAN Conference 2023. There is a discount for students.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

  1. Comprehension & Content

    • Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background to the research question being addressed and its significance?
    • Did the presentation clearly describe the key results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes (preliminary results are equally accepted)?
    • Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
    • Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology and provide adequate background information to illustrate points?
    • Did the presenter plan appropriately to speak in a slow, accessible, and compelling manner for a 3-min timeframe?
    • Did the presenter make clear the connections between their research and current policy, programs, and organizing strategies pertinent to addressing racial and economic justice issues?
    • Did the presenter speak clearly to LRAN’s membership and conference attendees––who are union organizers, worker centers, community organizations, and applied researchers, in addition to academics?

  2. Engagement

    • Was the presentation compelling to the LRAN audience?
    • Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
    • Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
    • Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation -­‐ was it clear, legible, and concise?

PRIZES: