FameLab launched for second year

Science, technology, engineering and math are fascinating subjects to learn, but not always the easiest of subjects to talk about, and that’s the idea behind FameLab, which was launched yesterday for the second year in Qatar, it was announced at a press conference yesterday attended by officials from the British Council and QNRF.
FameLab is one of the biggest science communication competitions in the world initiated by Cheltenham Science Festivals in the UK, and brought to Qatar by the British Council in partnership with Qatar National Research Fund  (QNRF) and supported by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar University and Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
Contestants of FameLab are expected to deliver an entertaining and original three-minute talk about any scientific topic without using PowerPoint or other electronic presentation tools and with limited use of props. The talk must be scientifically accurate, but also engaging to a non-scientific audience.
In preparation for the competition, the participants will receive a science communication skills training in Arabic and English, which will be delivered by science communication trainers and will run for a week long from 19-23 February 2017, but the journey will not stop here, after the auditions that will take place on 1 and 2 March 2017. Only 12 finalists will make it to the final and will also receive a 2-day advanced science communication training (FameLab Master Class) delivered by one of the leading communicators in the UK from 11-12 March 2017 as a preparation for the participants for the national final that will take place at QNCC.
The winner will of the FameLab Qatar winner will win a trip to the UK to represent Qatar in FameLab International Competition at the Cheltenham Science Festivals, while the runners up will receive a cash prize to spend them on science projects or research. FameLab registration is open for participants from 16 to 40 years old as of now, until 12 Feb 2017,
Commenting on FameLab competition this year 2017, Dr Frank Fitzpatrick, Director, British Council Qatar said, “I am very pleased about the positive response that FameLab had here in Qatar last year, as It was the first time that we have staged this, tried and tested British Council competition in any Gulf country and the success that we have had is the fruit of an outstanding collaboration with our strategic partner, Qatar National Research Fund, and our delivery partners the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar University and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Being able to talk about science, explain science and make science relevant to young people and to engage their interest is an ability and skill that is so important in order to ensure the commitment and success of the next generation of young scientists."
Dr Abdul Sattar Al-Taie. Executive Director, Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) said to the media "We are very proud of our partnership with the British Council to host this international competition for the second year running, in which Qatar representative was one of the runners up in the 2016 FameLab international competition even though it was the first time for Qatar to participate in FameLab.”