NMSU Graduate School Three Minute Thesis winner advances to regional competition

New Mexico State University graduate student Roshira Premadasa, winner of NMSU’s Three Minute Thesis competition, will represent the university at the regional 3MT competition at the 68th annual Western Association of Graduate Schools conference on the first weekend of April. 

Premadasa earned first place in NMSU’s Three Minute Thesis competition, presenting his research on smart material systems and their potential to transform real-world infrastructure. 

The competition, hosted by the NMSU Graduate School, was held in February and challenges students to present the key findings of their research in just three minutes to a general audience, strengthening their scientific communication skills while competing for funding to support their scholarly work. 

The Graduate School began hosting 3MT in 2024, building on a tradition established by the College of Arts and Sciences, which launched the competition at NMSU in 2012. Participants include doctoral candidates who have passed their confirmation milestone and master’s students completing thesis-option programs. 

Premadasa said he was motivated to participate in order to expand how he communicates his research. 

“I wanted to challenge myself to communicate my research beyond my technical community,” he said. “My work on smart material systems sits at the intersection of civil engineering, materials science and electronics, and 3MT was a great opportunity to show how this research can directly impact real-world infrastructure and future smart materials, using language that anyone can understand."

Preparing for the competition required him to rethink how he presents complex ideas. 

“Summarizing my Ph.D. thesis into just three minutes, and making it understandable to a general, non-technical audience, was the most challenging part,” Premadasa said. “I had to distill years of work into a clear, simple message without oversimplifying the science or losing the core contribution of my research.” 

He said the most rewarding part of the experience was seeing his work resonate beyond his field. 

“The most rewarding part was seeing people outside my field clearly understanding and getting excited about my research,” he said. “When the audience could explain my idea back to me in simple terms, I knew the message had landed.” 

Premadasa encourages other graduate students to take part in the competition. 

“Do it, even if public speaking feels uncomfortable,” he said. “3MT is one of the best ways to learn how to explain your research impact, strengthen your pitch delivery skills, and prepare for interviews, grant proposals and industry conversations.” 

Winning first place was a meaningful milestone, he added. 

“It was incredibly meaningful,” Premadasa said. “Winning validated not only the technical depth of my research, but also my ability to communicate it clearly. It gave me confidence that my work can resonate beyond academia, and I’m proud to represent NMSU at the regional 3MT competition.” 

For more information about graduate programs and research opportunities at NMSU, visit https://gradschool.nmsu.edu/.