The 2011 Three Minute Thesis Competition final was held on Wednesday 31st August in the Dunedin College of Education Auditorium. With just one Powerpoint slide and the clock counting down, each finalist had three minutes to communicate their research to the audience and the judges in an engaging and easy to understand manner, using only one slide. Could you explain a doctoral research project to your granny, a journalist or your old schoolmates in three minutes or less?