About the contest
The primary aim of the contest "Science in 3 Minutes" competition and the training sessions leading up to it is to provide early-career researchers with practical experience in public speaking and communicating their research to a wider audience. The broader aim of the event series is to promote science communication in Estonian and contribute to the development of Estonian scientific terminology.
One of the initiators and long-standing driving forces behind the competition, Academician Tarmo Soomere has emphasised that the essence of the three-minute lecture is neither the lecture itself nor the precise use of 180 seconds: “The point lies elsewhere. The point is to learn how to cope with unusual and highly responsible situations. Situations in which, despite the circumstances, one must be able to articulate one’s position briefly, clearly, and precisely.”
Since 2026, the training programme and the final gala competition are organised by the Estonian Academy of Sciences in cooperation with the Estonian Doctoral School. The organising team also includes the Estonian Research Council and Estonian Young Academy of Sciences.
General Coordinator of the Estonian Doctoral School Monika Tasa, emphasised that continuing the competition is important as it brings together doctoral researchers from different fields and enables them to refine their communication skills with the support of highly qualified trainers and their peers. “Ultimately, we all benefit when our early-career researchers are able to explain their work in clear and accessible language,” she said.
The 2026 contest
The first training session of the 2026 competition took place on 22–24 May at the Heimtali Museum of the Estonian National Museum (ERM), located in a historic village schoolhouse. Fourteen doctoral candidates participated in the programme, developing skills in communicating scientific messages clearly, writing popular science articles, overcoming presentation anxiety, engaging audiences, and presenting effectively on camera.
A follow-up training session will be held on 28 September and will focus on further developing participants’ on-camera presentation skills.
The competition will culminate in the final gala on 6 October,where doctoral researchers will take the stage to present their research in engaging three-minute talks.
