Fireside Chat: A True Story About the 3 Minute Thesis

What can you do in 3 minutes? Boil a kettle, make toast, listen to a song, wash your face, and get rice into the rice cooker? In 3 minutes 750 births happen; 1 million tweets are tweeted; and a graduate student can present the core of their research in a compelling way with one slide.

An 80,000-word thesis or dissertation would take 9 hours to present – their time limit is 3 minutes.

What a fascinating idea. Sharing your thesis in 3 minutes and one slide. How could that be? I was intrigued.

Here’s my story of how my curiosity and my passion for educating graduate students led me to bring the 3MTTM   to the U.S. – first at the University of Georgia. I then shared my discovery with the rest of the Graduate Community.  Today, it’s been adopted in some form or another across the U.S. and into Canada.

I discovered the 3 Minute Thesis TMcompetition while talking with a colleague from the University of Queensland (networking). We were at a meeting in Munich, Germany in 2011.  I can still see us standing around during a coffee break.

Several folks were talking about a three- minute thesis. A three-minute what? I was curious.

Once they explained it to me, I was hooked on the idea. It was exciting and challenging to share your research in 3 minutes or less to an intelligent lay audience with one static slide, no dancing, and no props.  That’s not all, you had to engage your audience to want to learn more.

Returning home to Athens, Georgia, I gathered my team and said, “We’re going to do a 3 Minute Thesis TMCompetition!  We’re going to do it this year! This competition is so relevant for our students to hone their communication skills. It will be fun.”  You should have seen the surprised look on their faces.  That was October and we did it! We held the first 3MTTM to my knowledge in the U.S. on March 29, 2012.

Why did I push so hard? What was my vision? I wanted to help grad students succinctly communicate what they were doing – what their scholarship was about – and the “so what” of it.

I saw the value of these students sharing their knowledge to a wider community.  As it happened – they are holding 3 MTTM competitions across the U.S.  It’s an important career and employability skill.

A skill essential for career advancement.  Students need to be able to communicate technical information to a smart intelligent lay audience like policy makers, or in a job interview, or to their grandmother.

The competitions are amazing. I learn so much each time I attend one.  It’s tough to judge these – I know, I served as a judge.

Students learn as much by preparing for the competition. They learn how long or short 3 minutes are.  They learn not to speak using jargon.

Most importantly, they share with a broader audience 1) the benefit of graduate education, 2) that graduate education is a public good, 3) the new knowledge they created, and 4) they inspire others to want to know more; they peak their curiosity.  It’s curiosity that drives the engine of innovation and creation of knowledge.

Several students shared that they practiced giving their talk at a stoplight. Others practice in front of their friends or even in front of their grandmother. If their audience could understand them, they knew they are on the right track.

I knew I had to share the marvelous aspects of the 3MTTMwith my grad dean colleagues.  They could see I was passionate about this competition.  They invited me to bring three of my finalists from our competition to “perform” for the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS) Deans regional meeting over lunch.

To fully understand. You need to stop a minute and picture the setting in which this was done.  Imagine wait staff clearing dishes, the clinging sounds of silverware and glasses being remove from the tables. The distraction of dessert being served. That was our background.

I arose from my table and proceeded to introduce each student one at a time and they each gave their three-minute talk. Each dean was so impressed. I could see it on their faces. Their focus and attention were not on dessert and coffee or a conversation with their neighbor, but rather on each student as they presented.

They were so impressed with how professional, engaging the presentations were, and how the distractions of the clearing of the tables did not bother any of the students.   “WOW” was the comment I heard most often followed by, “How do we do this on our campus?”

Next year many of the deans began to implement a 3MTTMcompetition. Before you knew it, CSGS was holding a regional competition inviting the winners from each campus to compete.  Today, regions are sending their winners to the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) meeting for a national showcase.

I love the 3MTTM.   I love what it can do for students. I love how an idea – an innovation – can be shared for the benefit of our students.

I invited Legislators to meet with our students and experience their three-minute talk.  I had our students do their three-minute talk to the Chancellor, to the Board of Trustee members, to Alumni Boards, to my Development Board.

It demonstrates the powerfulness and impact of communication. The audience sees the result of the value added and transformation that occurs in graduate education.  They can also see the public good of graduate education.

So next time you have 3 minutes, maybe you will be practicing your talk.  It’s not as easy as you think.

Fireside Chat: Emerging Skill Needed for 21st Century Career Sector

What does it take to succeed in today’s 21stcentury job/career sector?  What is different from yesterday when many of us were entering the job “marketplace”? I actively seek out answers to these are questions to assist graduate students and post docs.

I don’t need to tell you that in the future, more jobs will require an education beyond a four-year degree.  In just a few short years – we know that millions of new and replacement jobs will require a graduate degree.  That is definitely different from yesterday.

Recently, I had the opportunity to serve on the National Academy of Sciences Committee, “Stem Education for 21stCentury” and a panel at the National Summit on Developing a Stem Workforce Strategy. This panel included leaders from a variety of technology industries. We discussed the challenges businesses face in developing the work force and how the skills and knowledge of graduate students are needed and valued even more today.

You read the word stem and you are in social sciences or the humanities, this information is as relevant to you as it is to all graduate students.  How do I know this?

My research comes from interviews and conversations with CEOs and industry leaders; participating on the Council of Graduate Schools Committee “Pathways Through Graduate Education and into Careers”; listening to graduate students, post docs, alumni; attending a conference, “The Future of Work” and engaging business leaders in conversation about this topic.

I have been asking these questions for years and what I recently discovered is that there is a new skill that emerged.  Of the three skills, two were consistently mentioned to me over the years. They are 1) Communication skills both oral and written, and 2) Teamwork, especially interdisciplinary.  The emerging skill that is needed is agility or flexibility.

Communication. It’s important for students and professionals to acquire the capacity to communicate the significance and impact of their work to the public at large. It’s what I call the “So What?” factor. Your work is important to you, but how does it relate or impact me or my stake holders? That’s what the public and policy makers want to know.

Interpersonal communication skills are a critical component of being able to work across disciplines or in diverse groups or committees. They are necessary just to get along in the office or the lab.

Industry leaders emphasized the importance of being able to discuss technical issues with nontechnical individuals.  This essential skill is needed for job success and career advancement. Tied with that are presentation skills. How does one present their information to engage the audience?

It is critical that all graduate students be able to communicate across generations – from Millennials to GenX to Boomers. Each generation has a different style and way in which they like to communicate from texting to face-to-face meetings. It is incumbent upon us to understand how to communicate across different generations and with diverse intelligent lay audiences. We are trained to communicate effectively with those in our disciplines.  We need to expand our skills.  The 3 Minute ThesisTMis an excellent way to practice this.

Teamwork. Why is teamwork so important? Andrew Carnegie said it well.  “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.  The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives.  It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

Developing the ability to work collaborative in a team involves having depth in your discipline and being able to work effectively with colleagues with expertise in other disciplines from diverse cultural backgrounds. You need to be able to work with different research methodologies and work styles. That is the lay of the land today.  This is different from yesterday.

“No problem can be solved alone.”  I heard that repeated numerous times over the last few years.  “This is how industry works” – is what I also heard.  Numerous studies and reports in the literature have documented the importance of the ability to work effectively in teams. Today industry puts people together in teams to solve complex or “wicked” problems or issues. Thus, you need the communication skill set I described above as well as the ability to listen.  Yes, problems are more complex today and that is different from yesterday.

Agility or Flexibility. Being agile or flexibleisthe emerging skill that was emphasized as I visited with alumni in the corporate sector.  As I listened to leaders and alumni from Non-profits, the Chemical industry, the Tech industry, Textile industry, as well as the law industry, the message was the same.  They told me that to be successful and to advance in your career, you need to be agile and flexible.

You need to “Think Big, start small, and move fast.” “Change will be rapid and disruption intense.” You may be working on one project today and have to totally change direction tomorrow or change projects as the company is moving in a new direction.

You need to be able to shift gears quickly and often. If you don’t or can’t, you will be left behind. That message came through loud and clear as I spoke with alumni and industry leaders from across the country.

For you to bring value to the workplace, you have to bring you’re A+ game.  That includes having these three skills in your “tool box.”  That’s what’s different from yesterday.

Fireside Chat: Communicating Your Science is an Important Professional Skill

There are many skills that a grad student should take away from Graduate School.  For those of you in STEM fields (science, engineering, technology, and math) learning to communicate your science to different audiences is critical.  You may not believe that now, but consider the poor state of the public’s science understanding.

We do the public a disservice by not assisting them to understand what it is we do. The more they understand, the more they are able to make informed decisions.  Communication is a key professional skill and no longer considered a “soft skill.” Every grad student should have communication as a professional skill.

There was a time when those of us in science could be certain that all we had to do was share the facts of our scientific knowledge.   At that time, the public valued the knowledge and scientists were generally trusted.

Currently, the public acceptance and understanding of what it is we do and why, or the impact of what we do, can and does influence governmental policy and regulation, whether it is at the local or federal level. That’s why science communication is more important today than ever before.

If we as scientists communicate more effectively, we all benefit and science thrives.  The public is looking for us to be able to communicate our discoveries and the resulting impact, or as I like to say, the “so what factor”.

The public is asking “What does it mean for me?  What difference does it make?”  Why is effective science communication important for you?  It affects your ability to have a competitive edge when on the job market or when you are seeking career advancement.

Ultimately, our ability to communicate science effectively enables more informed decision-making at all levels; we all benefit.

However, today, many voices compete in the marketplace of public opinion.   Anyone with a laptop, a video camera and a compelling message can share their views on scientific matters that may or may not be rooted in science or even in truth. In fact, today science doesn’t always have the upper hand in matters of critical importance to our country and our world.

As researchers, we often start explaining from the perspective of our own understanding, and sometimes the vast knowledge we have acquired in our field can be an obstacle to clearly communicating our research.   It’s challenging for many of us in scientific fields to dial it back to the thousand-foot view so we can communicate with a general audience.

Scientific jargon gets in the way of communicating science.  All fields have their own unique jargon, and when we communicate with our peers, they understand our message.  But outside our sphere of our discipline, jargon only confuses people – It excludes others from the circle of understanding. Look carefully at the jargon you use, and find terms that explain the principles you want to share. For example, practice explaining your work to a non-scientist relative, what would you say?

Think about why you got interested in your research area in the first place – maybe you wanted to save the environment or provide a safe source of drinking water for people around the world.  How did you get from that “Big Idea” to the lab or the field in which you work now? What inspired you and what does your research offer to address the world’s problems.  Think about the “so what?” of what you do.

People love stories, and often they will remember a story about your research better than the theories, data and results. Think of a “hook” to catch their attention and reel them in.  Engage them. Peek their curiosity.

You may have heard the expression, “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”  Share your passion for your work, and help your audience to understand what it means to them.  What challenges are you trying to address?  How might your work improve lives?

Of course, there are many ways to communicate your science.  A colorful image can look like a piece of art, but the story behind the image can capture the imagination of your audience.

Social media offers opportunities to share a nugget of scientific wisdom.  Each media platform offers unique ways to share your science and connect to others in your field.

Whatever your passion, think of ways that you can share it with others.  In addition, make it a goal of your graduate education to become a skilled science communicator.

How can I gain experience in communicating science? There is the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University that offers programs for masters and PhD students.  The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the New York Academy of Science’s Science and the City program offer opportunities for scientists to engage.  There are “science cafes” in many cities, or science museums where you can hone your skill.  Finally, don’t forget the 3MT TM competition that many graduate schools are holding. Many schools are collaborating with faculty from communication disciplines and offering summer workshops and training. It’s up to you!

Fireside Chat: A True Story – Introvert at Important Reception

While it may seem to you that I am an extrovert, I’m really a border line introvert/extrovert with the emphasis on the introvert.  It’s not easy for me to break into groups – especially groups where I don’t know anyone. It always seems to me that everyone knows everyone and I am on the outside looking in. Has that ever happened to you?

Never fails – when I walk into a reception I notice all the faculty standing around talking to each other while the rest of us just look on.  Over the years I learned how to be more successful in navigating these events. It’s really not that hard.

First, as introverts we have an advantage! We listen. I realized that I am a good listener and that people really like to talk about themselves. So that makes it easy. I let them do the talking and I do the listening.  Now I’m connected.

The key for me is to prepare a question to ask and then listen. The question might be about the speaker we just heard, or the latest event happening on campus, or something in the news. It’s just an ice breaker. Or I ask them to tell me about themselves. That one always works.

I also figured out a few ways to gracefully navigate an “escape” from the person that goes on and on. One way is to say. “It’s been great talking with you and I promised ‘so and so’ that I would meet up with them at the break.” Sometimes I am really lucky and another person comes along.   That is what I call divine intervention. I don’t feel guilty about leaving, the person talking now has a new person to engage.

As a female I find that it can be difficult at times. I remember this one time when I was at a reception that the Chancellor of the University System was hosting.  I wanted to talk to the Chancellor about an important matter and get it on her radar. She was surrounded by a group of male faculty members. They knew where the power was.

My task at hand was how to I break into that circle and speak to her.  I looked and found an opening in the circle. Stood there and listened to the conversation.

I had a plan. I was not going to shout my question from across the circle.   I had to maneuver closer to where she was standing. So, I slowly kept moving around the circle until I could get right next to her. I did. When I was there standing next to her I engaged her with my question. Because of my proximity, I had her undivided attention.

Later a male faculty member said to me…I saw what you were doing, that was a pretty clever move.

I know you can be clever too.