Congratulating the Three Minute (3MT) Thesis Canadian Eastern Regional Competition winners including MSc in Applied Science student Molly LeBlanc (third from the right).
MSc in Applied Science student Molly LeBlanc won the People’s Choice Award and placed third at the recent Three Minute (3MT) Thesis Canadian Eastern Regional Competition. She has earned a spot at the national competition, which will be held virtually.
Canada’s 3MT competition challenges masters and doctoral students to effectively explain their research to an audience of non-scientists in three minutes. Over 40 graduate schools across the country host 3MT challenges, and the winning students compete at three regional levels (Western, Eastern, and Ontario) for a chance to represent their university at the national final.
MSc in Applied Science student Molly LeBlanc with her Three Minute (3MT) Thesis Canadian Eastern Regional Competition people’s choice award and third place certificate.
“The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR) is proud to host the 3MT competition annually,” says Dr. Diane Crocker, Associate Dean of FSGR. “It provides an excellent opportunity for students to practice how to break down complex ideas into simpler terms and expand the audience for their research.”
LeBlanc won the 3MT challenge at Saint Mary’s University; MSc in Applied Science student Garland Xie was runner-up.
LeBlanc’s 3MT, “Not All That Glitters: Assessing Environmental Effects of Abandoned Gold Mines,” explains her research evaluating the environmental effects of mercury-rich mining waste in Nova Scotia using wetland insects. Garland Xie’s 3MT explains how he is evaluating plant root strategies to help green roof designers choose the proper plants.
"Being able to effectively communicate your research, especially to those outside your field, is such an important skill to develop,” says LeBlanc. “It is a challenge to be both accurate and engaging, especially with only 3 minutes, but that is what the competition teaches you to do. "
The National 3MT Competition is sponsored by the Canadian Association of Graduate Schools (CAGS) and will take place online. Videos of each competitor will be available for viewing on CAGS’ website on May 16. People’s Choice voting will be open for two weeks.