Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2026

Competition

The Final Round of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2026, organized by the Young Scientists’ Association (YSA) of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS), Kandy, was successfully held on
10 th June 2026 at the Prof. Cyril Ponnamperuma Auditorium, NIFS.

The 3MT Competition, which originated at the University of Queensland, Australia, in 2008, has gained international recognition as a prestigious platform for research communication. The Young Scientists’ Association of NIFS has been granted official permission to conduct the competition as a participating institution.

This year marked the seventh consecutive edition of the competition organized by YSA. The event provided a unique opportunity for undergraduate and postgraduate students from universities across Sri Lanka to present their research to a non-specialist audience in a clear, concise, and engaging manner within a strict three-minute time limit.

The preliminary round, held on 3 June 2026, attracted 60 participants from diverse academic disciplines. Following a highly competitive selection process, 10 finalists advanced to the final round.

Mr. Udith Dushantha emerged as the Winner of the 3MT Competition 2026 for his outstanding presentation titled “Development and Validation of a Low-Cost Pumice-Based Material for Trabecular Bone Phantom Applications in Diagnostic Radiography.” The People’s Choice Award was awarded to Mr. Naruwan Dayananda for his engaging presentation titled “Diversity of Selected Ground Spider Genera in Sri Lanka Based on Their Morphology and DNA Barcodes.”

Ms. R. U. Jayakodi was named the First Runner-Up, while Mr. U. B. K. Silva secured the position of Second Runner-Up.

The final round was evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges comprising:

Prof. Thilanka Gunaratne, Professor of Botany, University of Peradeniya
Dr. Saman Walisinghe, Senior Anaesthesiologist, National Hospital Kandy, Toastmaster, and Keynote Speaker
Dr. Nandaka Kalugampitiya, Head of the Department of English, University of Peradeniya
Ms. Anutthara Senanayake, Academic Lead and Head of Operations, APIIT Sri Lanka, Kandy Campus

The 3MT Competition continues to serve as a valuable platform for nurturing science communication skills among young researchers in Sri Lanka. By challenging participants to explain complex research in an accessible and engaging manner, the competition helps develop an essential skill set for future academic, professional, and public engagement endeavors.