NMSU Graduate School, Graduate Student Council to host 2026 Three Minute Thesis Competition

NMSU Graduate School, Graduate Student Council to host 2026 Three Minute Thesis Competition Graduate students at New Mexico State University will have an opportunity to showcase key findings from their research and creative activity at the fall 2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Corbett Center Student Union auditorium. 

“The 3MT competition will showcase the exceptional breadth and quality of research and creative activity conducted at NMSU, and allow students to hone their oral communication and presentation skills,” said Ranjit Koodali, dean of the Graduate School. 

The Graduate School began hosting the competition in spring 2024. The College of Arts and Sciences previously hosted the competition beginning in 2012. Participants must be enrolled in a doctoral program or be master’s degree students pursuing the thesis option. 

The Graduate Student Council has supported the competition by encouraging student participation, expanding outreach to graduate students and offering recommendations to strengthen the overall experience for participants. 

The first-place winner will receive a $500 scholarship and a trip to the Western Association of Graduate Schools 3MT Competition in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in April 2027. WAGS includes universities from 14 U.S. states, four Canadian provinces, Mexico and the Pacific Rim. The second-place winner will receive a $500 scholarship, the third-place winner will receive a $250 scholarship, and all other finalists will receive a $100 participation award.

For more information, contact Koodali at rkoodali@nmsu.edu.