Present your research in three minutes or less

The British Council is looking for early-career researchers with a peer-reviewed discovery and a flair for communication to present their science at FameLab Australia. FameLab is a science communication competition for science, maths and engineering researchers who want to build their communication skills and make strong connections with other researchers here and overseas.

Contestants are given three minutes to convey a scientific concept on stage in an original, entertaining way, with 50 semifinalists having the chance to participate in presentation training sessions and 15 finalists attending a two-day professional development course. Participants are judged on the content, clarity and charisma of their presentation.

“Winning FameLab meant that I learned so much about communicating science, and now I can easily talk about my complex research to just about anyone,” said 2015 FameLab winner Dr Sandip Kamath from James Cook University, who used a plastic lobster and a policeman’s hat as stage props.

“If you’re a young scientist with a passion to convey your research, I definitely encourage you to apply to be in FameLab. The training and professional development sessions were excellent, so even getting to the heat level will teach you a great deal.”

This year, four semifinals will be held across Australia in March and April, with the national final hosted by the Western Australian Museum in May. The national winner will represent Australia in the international FameLab finals at the Cheltenham Science Festival, UK, in June.

Applications for FameLab close on 19 February 2016. For more information, visit www.britishcouncil.org.au/famelab.