Kyushu University holds Kyushu U 3MT Competition 2026 award ceremony

On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Kyushu University held the award ceremony for the Kyushu U Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2026 at Shiiki Hall, Ito Campus. Pratiksha Mundhe, a second-year doctoral student in the Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, won both the top prize and the People's Choice Award. Ai Nagata, a second-year doctoral student in the Graduate School of Economics, was the runner-up. Also attending the ceremony were Professor Kagawa; Professor Iwata, executive vice president; Professor Konomi, vice president; and Mr. Matsukawa, director of the International Affairs Department.

Kyushu University hosted the sixth annual 3MT competition, the university’s local version of the international competition in which doctoral students present their research in just three minutes using a single slide. The 3MT competition was originally launched in 2008 at our partner institution, the University of Queensland in Australia, and has become a well-known and highly regarded competition.

This year, twelve students from nine graduate schools who passed the first round of the competition advanced to the online final on Monday, July 27. The judging panel included two judges from Kyushu University, Research Professor Matsumura and Senior Vice President Professor Hagishima; Professor Lydia Kavanagh of the University of Queensland; Mr. Yuki Okauchi and Mr. Akiyoshi Yamada of Reapra Japan; and Dr. Ayako Miyazaki, Senior Communications Manager, Corporate Affairs, Springer Nature. After careful evaluation, the judging panel selected two recipients. During the Q&A session, judges provided many thought-provoking comments based on their expertise and perspectives in response to the participants’ answers. The competition was a success, and participating students said it was a valuable opportunity for learning and personal growth.

As the first-place winner, Pratiksha Mundhe will represent Kyushu University in the 2026 Asia-Pacific Virtual 3MT Competition, hosted by the University of Queensland.

First-Place Winner & People’s Choice

Pratiksha Mundhe / Second-year, Doctoral Course, Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering
3MT Title: Computing Shouldn’t Cost the Earth

Runner-up

Ai Nagata / Second-year, Doctoral Course, Graduate School of Economics
3MT Title: Beyond Scrap-and-Build: Renovation as Climate Policy

*Year of study at the time of the competition.

• 2026 Asia-Pacific Virtual 3MT Competition
• Kyushu U 3MT Competition