Korea University holds final of competition challenging students to explain research in three minutes of English

Fifteen graduate students who passed the preliminary round reached the final of Korea University’s second K-3MT Competition, presenting their research in English within three minutes and using a single slide. Choi Ju-young, a master’s student in food and resource economics, won the top prize.

The competition tests how effectively researchers can explain specialized work to the public. This year, the top award was upgraded to the Korea University president’s award. Yoon Jae-hyun, a master’s student in mechanical engineering, received the excellence prize. Min Ji-yong, an electrical and electronic engineering doctoral-course student, received an encouragement prize, and Jeon Su-yeon, a master’s student in information security, won the popularity award.

The top-prize, excellence-prize and encouragement-prize winners will represent Korea University at the national BK21 K-3MT Competition, which involves 28 universities. The in-person final will take place at Korea University on Nov. 11, and the national winner will receive the education minister’s award.

Min will also compete in the Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition under rules allowing doctoral students to participate. The international event is organized by the University of Queensland in Australia, which first introduced the 3MT format.

Korea University’s Graduate School Innovation Division said it plans to expand programs that help graduate students communicate their research more effectively with researchers and the public.