Explaining your thesis in 3 minutes? 10 PhD students take up the challenge! 13th edition of Ma thèse en 180 Secondes
The regional final of the 2026 edition of the My Thesis in 180 Seconds competition will be held on 17 March at the Théâtre de Fontaine d’Ouche in Dijon. Ten doctoral students from Burgundy and Franche-Comté will attempt to present their research topics in just three minutes, in a clear, accessible and engaging way for the general public. This is a great opportunity to learn about science in a fun way.
10 PhD students, 3 minutes, 1 winner
The ten PhD students selected for this regional final represent the diversity of research fields within the participating institutions (Université Bourgogne Europe, Université Louis & Marie Pasteur, Sup Micro Tech, Institut Agro and Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard). Their backgrounds illustrate the richness and dynamism of academic research, as well as its ability to respond to major contemporary challenges:
• PONTIER Ianis, PhD student in Language Sciences
• CRAMOISY Stéphanie, PhD student in Neurosciences
• AUGER Maxime, PhD student in Applied Mechanics
• BUGNON Pierre, PhD student in Artificial Intelligence
• LOISEAUX Goran, PhD student in Psychology
• LOPES Léa, PhD student in Information and Communication Sciences
• LIU Leya, PhD student in Chemistry
• ANDRE Estelle, PhD student in Neuroscience
• HOUNDEKON Martial, PhD student in Sports Science
• SAHNOUNI Léo, PhD student in Engineering Sciences
An evening of competition
The evening will feature successive presentations by the ten finalists, who will take to the stage in front of an audience made up of members of the academic community, institutional partners and the general public. Each presentation, strictly limited to three minutes, will be carefully evaluated by a jury of experts. At the end of the evening, several prizes will be awarded to the doctoral students for their performances. The Jury Prize and the Audience Prize will be awarded to candidates who have impressed with the scientific quality, clarity and originality of their presentations. These awards will allow the winners to advance to the national final of the competition, with the possibility of participating in the international final.
But before the evening event, the High School Students’ Prize will be awarded following a session organised on the afternoon before the ceremony, during which several classes will attend an initial presentation by the doctoral students and select their favourite candidate. Around 200 high school students from seven different schools are expected to attend this career-inspiring event:
• Anna Judic High School, Semur-en-Auxois
• Lumière High School, Luxeuil les Bains
• Victor Hugo High School, Besançon
• S. Liégeard de Brochon High School, Dijon
• Jean Vilar Middle School, Dijon
• Hilaire de Chardonnet High School, Dijon
• Germaine Tillion High School, Montbéliard
When science is explained in 180 seconds
Created in 2012 in Quebec by the Association francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS), the Ma Thèse en 180 secondes competition was launched in France in 2014 by the CNRS and the Conférence des présidents d’université. It has since established itself as a major platform for promoting research and developing scientific communication skills. The competition invites doctoral students to explain the challenges and contributions of their thesis work in three minutes, using a single slide. This demanding exercise in popularisation is a unique opportunity to make research accessible to as many people as possible, while allowing participants to strengthen their oral skills and their ability to capture the attention of a non-specialist audience.
Practical information:
• Tuesday 17 March at 6pm
• Théâtre de Fontaine d’Ouche, Place Fontaine d’Ouche, 21000 Dijon
• Free admission, subject to availability
• Doors open at 5.30pm