Throughout our latest blogging extravaganza, science festivals have been in the limelight. We have looked at the brief history of a science festival, how they are organised and have been summarising some of the best events from the World Science festival held in NYC at the beginning of June.
This week saw the anticipated arrival of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival, which Professor Brian Cox considers to be:
“without doubt, the premier science festival in the country because it is supported by pretty much everyone who cares about promoting science in Britain.”
We have already welcomed a joint guest post by Sharon Bishop, the Executive Director of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival, who has been involved with the last six of the ten Cheltenham Science Festivals, and Kathy Sykes, Professor of Sciences and Society at Bristol University and Festival Director since they began in 2002. In their guest post, they highlighted the successes of Cheltenham festival, which was their pioneering FameLab project. was born.
The intention of FameLab is to encourage young scientists to inspire and excite public imagination with a vision of science in the 21st century. With this international project, the Cheltenham Science Festival wants to find the new faces of science. FameLab has developed into arguably the world’s leading science communication competition; the science version of X-Factor.
As the Cheltenham Science Festival came to a close on Sunday, as expected this year’s FameLab project was a huge success. Young scientists from across three continents competed to see who was the most exciting, comprehensible and captivating science communicator in the world. In a format run in partnership with the British Council since 2007, Fame Lab has gone global and has been held in 20 countries world-wide. You can read their official press release summarising its successes here.
In an attempt to gather some top tips for budding science communicators, here are some thoughts from this year’s contestants:
Israel’s finalist: Karen Lavi
Why are you so passionate about science communication?
Science is all around us and if I can help people understand science, I can help them understand more about themselves and the world they live in, which is amazing. I consider enthusiasm to be the secret of successful science communication.
Can you provide your top five tips for how scientists can improve their science communication?
1. When you try to communicate science, imagine you are talking with your mother. Of course, this only applies if your mother is not a scientist herself. Try to use metaphors instead of technical language. e.g. DNA is the recipe book of our body.
2. Don’t overload your audience’s mind. There is a limit to the amount of new information that can be digested. Also make sure you can sum your entire talk in a few sentences – what is the message your audience should take home with them? What will they tell their friends and family?
3. Don’t explain science, talk science. Imagine holding the hands of your audience as you walk them through your story. Tell it as a detective story, not as a presentation at a conference.
4. If you are capable – use humor. Worst case scenario, it will make you smile!
5. Keep in mind that your subject is the most interesting topic that ever existed. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have chosen to invest your whole life in it. Try to pass on this feeling to your audience.
Germany’s finalist: Carsten Graf von Westarp
Why are you so passionate about science communication?
Science plays a more and more important role in our life. Therefore I think it is necessary that people understand science developments, its aims and its risks. The most important rule in science communication is, “Always show the link between scientific topics and everybody’s life.”
Can you provide your top five tips for how scientists can improve their science communication?
1. Start with easy images and than move on to more complex ones!
2. Keep your language simple, avoid unnecessary technical terms. If you do use them, use very few and explain them well!
3. Show your fascination for your topic and explain it!
4. Be aware of the interests of the audience or the reader!
5. Keep your message short and simple!
Egypt’s finalist: Mahmoud Abu-khedr
Why are you so passionate about science communication?
Imagine the world without different channels that can spread knowledge? It is hard to imagine and because spreading knowledge is very important, I really believe the way that people try to spread this knowledge, particularly in science, is important.
From here I started to think about what is the easiest way to spread knowledge and I found that science communication, converting what we see into things that we know, is one of the best ways to spread knowledge.
What do you consider to be the secret of successful science communication?
Talking from heart. Understanding information and science is very important and at the same time is a very difficult thing. The most important thing, from my point of view, is to believe in science and to talk from heart. People always think that science is really difficult and imposable to understand it, but a good communicator has to believe it is worth communicating.
Can you provide your top five tips for how scientists can improve their science communication?
1. Referring : one of the important tips is referring to something that most people know. If you make a reference to something that everyone knows, anyone can connect to the topic.
2. Smiling: very important to be smiling
3. Attraction: Science communicators need to be good actors. To be a good communicator, you have to be able to act as well as present. If you simulate every world you say, everyone will be attracted to your talk.
4. Talk from the heart. If you believe in what you are saying, everyone will be interested in your talk.
5. Be how you are: there are a lot of tips to be a good communicator but as a presenter you must believe in yourself, your talk and your skills.
The Fame Lab Winners are….
1st Prize – Cyprus – Myrtani Pieri, How Deep is the Love or on the mystery of the so called Pregnancy Paradox, which prevents the mother’s immune system from destroying the “alien” body in her womb which carries 50% genes from “some random guy”
2nd Prize – Israel – Karen Lavi – Memory Erasing Pills – on the recent discovery of an enzyme which acts on the brain to erase bad memories,
3rd Prize – Egypt – Mahmoud abu Khedr – How a gyroscope is like a revolution, reflecting on the Egyptian events of the recent months which have given rise to a new movement of young people to speak up and use the momentum of the forces they have put into motion
Popular vote – Czech Republic – Michal Babic – Hairy Polymers Show – on the three patents he has for hairy coatings on particles to help them become biocompatible and help surgeons treat patients
A shocked winner: Myrtani Pieri collecting her prize
Finally you can listen to an interview with Myrtani Pieri below:
Interview with FameLab winner 2011 by British Council
The FameLab UK competition is running during autumn 2011. If you think you are the next face of science, you can enter one of the five regional heats or submit a video entry. For more details click here.
If you want to read more highlights from the World Science Festival, you can find a summary of all our coverage here.