From jargon to genius: Brandeis contestants must explain their research in three spellbinding minutes 

Graduate students at Brandeis University will have an opportunity on Friday, March 27, to show their skills at presenting their original research in a short, engaging form for a general audience during the fifth annual Three Minute Thesis Competition.

The event is free and open to the public at 4 p.m. in the Spingold Theater.

Ten students from a variety of disciplines will compete in front of a panel of judges including Waltham Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy. All 10 will receive cash awards ranging from $300 to $1,000, according to organizers Marika McCann, associate director of professional development and employer outreach in the Office of Graduate Affairs, and Abigail Arnold, assistant director for graduate academic affairs.

The winner will be invited to participate in a regional competition and, potentially, a national one.

The event also features an audience choice award in which members of the audience can vote for their favorite presentation.

McCann likened the presentations to TED Talks. For students steeped in the language of academic disciplines, mastering a public speaking style requires considerable effort and practice, she said.

Past participants credit the experience with improving their confidence and job-seeking skills, and some have gained new insights. Jin Zhao, a computer science graduate student and winner of the audience choice award in 2025, said on the event’s website: “What made this experience meaningful wasn’t just writing the script or presenting on stage. It was the process of finding language that makes complex work feel human. My favorite part was watching other researchers from wildly different fields do the same, and realizing that passion, not jargon, is what brings ideas to life.”

Others on the organizing team for the event are Becky Prigge, vice provost for student affairs; Anahita Zare, director of education and special programs at the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center and director of the Sci Comm Lab; and Atiqua Prithu, marketing and communications student assistant.