University of Hong Kong PhD student and Three Minute Thesis (3MT™) Trans-Tasman participant Terence Ng has encouraged research students to enter future competitions to learn skills that will be essential to their careers.
Mr Ng is one of 43 competitors from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Fiji who will present at Thursday’s prestigious international competition that will be hosted by UQ.
First developed by UQ in 2008, 3MT challenges research higher degree students to communicate the significance of their projects to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes.
The winner of the University of Hong Kong’s 3MT competition earlier this year, Mr Ng said the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and free of jargon is becoming an increasingly important part of a researcher’s skill set.
“As a researcher, I think it is crucial to demonstrate to people, either specialists in your field or non-specialists, that your study is important and influential,” Mr Ng said.
“If a researcher cannot do this, these people may feel that they are wasting time and money.”
Mr Ng’s studies include using mangrove snails as models to study sexual selection theory that he hopes will make an important contribution to the understanding of the processes driving evolution.
Prior to entering 3MT, Mr Ng said he had difficulties explaining his research to people working outside of his area of expertise.
“I knew I was working on an interesting and important subject, but I could not find a good way to explain it,” Mr Ng said.
“I tried very hard to develop an answer during my candidature. It is likely that most research students will encounter a similar situation, and having a well prepared three minute description ready is very useful.”
Mr Ng said language issues he initially thought could hinder his presentation might have actually helped him.
“I felt I was not as good an English speaker as other participants, but I tried to avoid complex scientific theories and terms throughout my speech, and perhaps that allowed the audience to better understand my work,” Mr Ng said.
“I am also passionate about my study, and so the audience might have been able to feel my enthusiasm.”
The 3MT Trans-Tasman competition will be held at the Queensland Brain Institute Auditorium and includes a morning Semi Final involving competitors from every participating university, before a judging panel chooses the best eight presenters for the afternoon's Final.
UQ will be represented by the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology's Amanda Pearce after she won the 3MT UQ Final in mid-September.
The Trans-Tasman winner will be awarded $5000 and their enrolling institution will have the right to host the competition in 2013.
While the afternoon's Final is invitation only due to limited seating, registration is open to attend the morning's Semi Final.
Both the Semi Final and Final can also be seen via JACtv's live video and audio feed that will be available on the day.
Further information: Mark Schroder, UQ Graduate School Marketing & Communications, Tel: 3346 0509 or m.schroder@uq.edu.au.
