Inside Graduate College’s Three Minute Thesis competition

When Aliyah Egan stepped onto the stage as a master’s student in last year’s Graduate College Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, she faced a challenge familiar to many researchers: explaining complex, specialized work to an audience with little or no background in her field.

If you’ve never heard of 3MT before, it’s a competition where students explain their research to a general audience in only three minutes.

Aliyah, who graduated in 2025 from ASU’s College of Health Solutions with a master’s degree in genetic counseling, knew her presentation needed to meet the audience where they were. Genetic counseling is a small and relatively new program at ASU, and the field itself is often unfamiliar outside of healthcare settings. Rather than leading with technical details, she focused on connection.

“Many people don’t know what genetic counseling is, so I chose to focus on my initial ‘hook’ to the audience and how I could resonate my research topic with them,” Aliyah said.

Reframing your research

She began by asking a simple, relatable question, “Have you ever had a loved one or friend affected by neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s or epilepsy?” That shift grounded her presentation in shared experience and opened the door to explaining her advocacy-focused research in neurogenetics and how genetic testing can help families access meaningful answers.

“Finding common ground among a diverse audience can inspire support for your cause,” she said.

That ability to connect is at the heart of 3MT, an event that challenges graduate students to explain their research clearly, concisely and in language accessible to a non-specialist audience. For Aliyah, those three minutes became an opportunity not only to share her work, but to make it matter to others. She placed first in the On-campus Master’s category of ASU’s 2025 competition.

More than a competition

For Aliyah, the impact of 3MT extended well beyond the stage. Preparing for the competition helped her clarify her research early and build confidence as she moved toward completing her thesis.

“Preparations I made for the 3MT competition jumpstarted my data analysis and shaped my final thesis report,” she said. “This was extremely helpful in building my confidence and setting a strong foundation for completing my thesis work.”

Her experience reflects what many participants discover: 3MT is as much about growth as it is about performance. Students develop communication skills that carry into conferences, job interviews, and community engagement. Aliyah also saw the competition as a way to raise visibility for genetic counseling and highlight the work being done within her program at ASU.She has this advice for this year’s competitors, “Tell a story and let your passion shine.”

2026 Final Round and Reception

The Graduate College is hosting a 3MT competition again this year. You’re invited to witness innovation in action and support the brilliant scholars as they compete for prizes. The 2026 3MT Final Round and Reception will take place on January 29 at Mirabella’s auditorium, bringing together the finalists from across the university.