In this screen capture, TRU alumna Erika Dufort-Lefrancois explains her research as part of her pre-recorded video for the 2014 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Canadian championship.
80,000 words. 3 minutes.
Thompson Rivers University is thrilled to host the 3MT Western Regional Championship on April 30, 2015 in the Black Box Theatre.
The event is free and the community is encouraged to attend what will be a fun, informative glimpse into some of the most interesting research taking place at universities in Canada. Each participant has three minutes to explain his or her body of work before a live audience. The only tools they have at their disposal are a single static slide and a lot of courage.
Up to 16 of Western Canada’s most accomplished graduate students will be welcomed to TRU, where they will test their ability to explain their work — succinctly — to a non-specialist audience. The winner of the 3MT Western Regional Championship will go on to compete at the Canadian championship.
This is TRU’s second time participating in the event. Last year, TRU’s finalist and Master of Environmental Science student Erika Dufort-Lefrancois took first place at the Western Regional Championship hosted by the University of Calgary. She admits to having been nervous about moving forward to the regional competition from her “small university.”
“It helped to show me I was still getting the same opportunities afforded to students at the larger universities,” she says, adding that the process was enriching.
Watch Erika Dufort-Lefrancois’s pre-recorded submission for the Canadian championship.
Dr. Will Garrett-Petts, Associate Vice-President of Research and Graduate Studies, looks forward to welcoming graduate students, their supervisors, and the community of Kamloops to the April event.
“We had such a fantastic experience during our first year and can’t wait to build upon our success. This is a tremendous opportunity for TRU, and specifically for our graduate students, to engage with their Western Canadian counterparts.
“The timing couldn’t be better. With 2015 marking a decade of graduate programming at TRU, our students and our faculty have worked hard to create rich and engaging research programs, and this is our chance to open our doors and showcase our achievements to the world.”
What is 3MT?
The first 3MT was held at the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2008 with 160 students competing. Since 2011 the popularity of the competition has increased and 3MT competitions are now held in at least 170 universities across more than 18 countries worldwide. There are 32 universities in Canada competing in the event.
Media inquiries
Will Garrett-Petts
Associate Vice-President of and Graduate Studies,
Thompson Rivers University
Email: petts@tru.ca
Tel: 250-828-5410
