NUR-SULTAN – FameLab Kazakhstan is looking for smart, creative and charismatic individuals who can explain seemingly complex scientific concepts in a clear and easy way in just three minutes. The national winner will represent the country at the FameLab International Final in the United Kingdom in June and be a step closer to global opportunities in science communication.
Photo credit: British Council Facebook page.
Cheltenham Science Festivals organised FameLab in 2005. The partnership with the British Council in 2007 made FameLab an international competition with participants from nearly 30 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Greece and Kazakhstan.
Applicants should be age 21-40 and participants should engage a live audience with his or her content and delivery.
FameLab is a chance to explore new, more fascinating ways to look at science. Many participants and alumni note FameLab had a big influence on their lives and was an interesting experience.
“I think that FameLab is important because it lets one stretch one’s own boundaries, learn how to speak in front of an audience and make the talk not only clear, but interesting to listen to! FameLab also builds a network of scientists in Kazakhstan, because even though the competition is over, we, the finalists, are still in touch with each other,” said 2019 alumna Salima Davlidova.
FameLab Kazakhstan also has generous prizes for its winners. The best science communicator is awarded 750,000 tenge (US$1,926), while second and third place each receive 350,000 tenge (US$898).
Tomiris Atazhanova. Photo credit: Tomiris Atazhanova Instagram page.
“I gained many important insights when I was preparing for the FameLab Kazakhstan final. After my first not very successful speech, I decided to improve and applied again the following year and I succeeded! It was very rewarding, both psychologically and financially. Moreover, this event is a great place for networking, where participants are lucky to meet some wonderful, ambitious people in the area of science and communication. Finally, one of the best experiences I gained by being a FameLab alumni was hosting the FameLab final last year!” said Tomiris Atazhanova, who participated in the event in 2017 and 2018.
To date, more than 10,000 scientists and engineers have been part of the contest.
“This is a really amazing competition for making international links. As the world moves forward, we are seeing that our problems are becoming more global, so our solutions need to become more global. Engaging people in environmental science has never been more important – thank you to FameLab for helping me learn how to do it,” said 2019 international winner Tim Gordon, reported the British Council press service.
The council organises FameLab in Kazakhstan in partnership with Chevron Kazakhstan, the Kazakh National Science Fund and OYLA Magazine. FameLab Kazakhstan will accept applications until Jan. 11. For more information, one can contact [email protected].
