The main aim of the Science in Three Minutes contest and the training sessions that precede it is to give young researchers training and practical experience in public speaking and presenting their research. With Estonian version of the contest we also aim to promote science communication in Estonian.
Contestants have to learn to talk about their research in a way that is understandable to everybody in just three minutes. As Tarmo Soomere, President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences and one of the initiators and promoters of the lectures, has said, the goal of giving a three-minute lecture is not merely to deliver a lecture or to use exactly 180 seconds. "The idea lies elsewhere. The idea is to learn how to deal with unusual and challenging situations – situations where you have to state your position very concisely, clearly and precisely."
The Three Minute Lectures training and the final gala contest are organised by the Academy of Sciences in partnership with public universities and research institutions.
On 2024, the contest has been supported by the NGO XRP Ledger Trust (Inclusive Financial Technologies Foundation, InFTF). This allows to organise 2 editions of the contest: one in English for foreign PhD students studing in Estonia and one in Estonian for Estonian young researchers.
In the past, the contest has been supported by Estonian Research Council
2024 Contest in English
- Laureats and awards
- Finalists
- Page of the gala of the contest
- Recording and Photo gallery of the evening (photos by Reti Kokk)
- 25-26 May: Training in Heimtali old schoolhouse
- 25 September: Follow-up training at the Academy
- 18 October: Gala at the Academy
2024 Contest in Estonian
- 23-24 November: Training in the old school building in Heimtali
- January: Follow-up training at the Academy
- February: Gala at the Academy
The 2024 contest is organized and supported by:
Estonian Academy of Sciences, Estonian Young Academy of Sciences, Inclusive Financial Technology Foundation (InFTF) and the Estonian Research Council through Research in Estonia activities.
Videos of the lectures given in the finals of past contests are available on the Academy's Youtube channel in the Three Minute Lecture playlist.