Wat is en Science Slam? Da stelle mer uns mal janz dumm.

„Could you explain that again? This time in a way that even I can understand, please?”

Probably all academics have heard similar retorts when talking about their research. On a second try slang may replace technical terms, complicated relations are broken done to the bare minimum and remote terms are replaced by flowery language. An unwieldy thesis shows their humorous potential. The first person to recognise this potential was Alex Dreppec, a Poetry Slammer and author, who, in 2006, organised the first Science Slam in Darmstadt. The format spread like wild fire to Germanys (and Europes) stages. The concept is simple: Academics and researches have ten minutes to give a comprehensive, entertaining and enjoyable explanation of their research to an audience of layman. Exactly how, is up to them. From hand-drawn sketches of questionable quality, over well-timed photos of cute kittens, to absurd questions directed at the audience (“How far do you think an ape could fly, if you launch him from a ship gun at a perfect 45-degree angle?”). Getting the audience to laugh, is often the first step towards victory. A science slam is not just about making science accessible and fun. A “slam” is also a competition and similar to a poetry slam the speakers vie for the audiences’ favour. They decide the evenings winner. The honour of winning weighs more than prize money or trophies, especially if the speakers manage to enthuse others with their passion for science.

The Science Slam during the GeoMinKöln is going the be an entertaining event, that leaves its audience smarter and more cheerful than before. We are excited to see you there!

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