The contest challenges graduate students to explain their research in nontechnical terms in just three minutes.

Kristina Walowski says her love of outdoors led her into geology, and her efforts pay off with findings published in a Nature journal. 

Eight awards of up to $2,500 will be made in this year's Innovations in Graduate Education program.

Think fast — the Three Minute Thesis competition is returning to the University of Oregon.The competition, developed by the University of Queensland, Australia, is a challenge to graduate students to effectively explain their thesis research in three minutes or less.The preliminary rounds will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Room 177, Lawrence Hall on Friday, April 17, and the next week on Friday, April 24. The top five presenters from each preliminary round will advance to the UO Finals.