The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) chapter at the University of Florida will host its third annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition en Español on April 15, 2026.

In this competition, founded by the University of Queensland in Australia, students are challenged to deliver a compelling presentation on their research topic and its significance in just three minutes. Through participation, students enhance their academic, presentation, and research communication skills, allowing them to explain their research clearly to non-academic audiences.

Why in Spanish? To highlight the broad reach of graduate students and promote effective science communication in Spanish, enhancing the impact of their research beyond their respective fields.

Important dates

• Monday, March 9: application deadline
• Tuesday, March 24, 3:00-5:00 p.m.: training workshop “Science in a Snap”
• Wednesday, March 25: selected candidates are announced
• Friday, April 4: feedback to competitors
• Wednesday, April 15, 2:00 p.m.: competition

Apply here

Eligibility

• This competition is open to doctoral and thesis-based master students from any field at the University of Florida.
• Participants must attend a virtual Science in a Snap communication workshop, conducted in English and hosted by the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute on March 24, 2026, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. The training provides you with the skills needed to effectively present your research within a concise 3-minute period to a diverse audience. This session teaches invaluable tools and insights to ensure your success if selected to participate in the competition.
• Participants must attend the in-person 3MT en Español 2026 competition on April 15, 2026, at 2 p.m. held at the Reitz Union on UF’s main campus in Gainesville.

Prizes

• 1st place – $1,000
• 2nd place – $500
• 3rd place – $300

Competition rules

During the Science in a Snap workshop, we will discuss more in-depth the competition rules and judging criteria. Overall, to participate in the competition you will need to:

1. Use a static PowerPoint slide (no slide transitions, animations, or movement; the slide is to be presented from the oration’s beginning).
2. Avoid using additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) as they are not permitted.
3. Refrain from using additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) as they are not permitted.
4. Keep the presentation within a strict time limit of 3 minutes. Competitors exceeding 3 minutes are disqualified.
5. Deliver oral presentations, using spoken words only; poems, raps, or songs are not permitted. The presentation must be completely in Spanish.
6. Begin presentations from the stage. Presentations are officially considered to have started when a presenter initiates their presentation through either movement or speech.
7. Understand that the decision of the judging panel is final.

For information on past 3MT en Español Competitions visit the following link: 3MT en Español

2026 Judges

	Alberto Lopez Torres Florida Museum of Natural History – Exhibits & Public Programs https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/educators/outreach/ Research topic/region: Outreach Education/USA Nationality/heritage: Puerto Rico @al_lopeztorres
	Maria Camila Vallejo-Pareja Florida Museum of Natural History – Research and Collections https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria-Vallejo-Pareja  Research topic/region: Herpetology, Cenozoic fossil frog communities of North America and Central America Nationality/heritage: Colombia
	Vanessa Luna Celino Center for Latin American Studies https://www.latam.ufl.edu/ https://lunacelino.com/ Research topic/region: Andes Amazon, environmental governance, human wellbeing, biodiversity Nationality/heritage: Peru
	Alejandro Mena Sanchez Winner of the 2025 3MT en Español Environmental and Global Health https://phhp.ufl.edu/2025/07/30/meet-the-students-of-phhp-alejandro-mena-sanchez-ph-d-in-one-health/  Research topic/region: One Health, Epidemiology of Zoonotic Diseases, Global Health (Current work in Mongolia) Nationality/heritage: Mexico
	José Miguel Ponciano Department of Biology https://www.josemiponciano.net/people Research topic/region: Stochastic processes and statistics in Biology Nationality/heritage: Guatemala @josemiponciano
	Karina Alviña Department of Neuroscience https://alvinalab.org/people/ Research topic/region: Neuroscience, neurodegenerative diseases, Clinical Translational Neuroscience, neurophysiology, among others Nationality/heritage: Chile

For questions, contact

sacnasfl@gmail.com

Organizers

The Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) UF Chapter is organizing the second annual 3MT competition en Español, with support from: