Jonathan Wood, a Biologist from Oxford won FameLab - science's answer to Pop Idol - in a closely fought final yesterday (Sat 10th June) at the Cheltenham Science Festival. In the competition to find the new face of science broadcasting, Jonathan spun a story of spider's webs and sciences failed attempts to create fibres with similar strength and elasticity. He fought off stiff competition from nine other finalists to win £2,000, a tour of events and the chance to work with Channel 4 - a key FameLab sponsor. On his newfound fame Jonathan said, 'I guess next year will be quite a roller coaster ride'.
Kathy Sykes, Cheltenham Science Festival Director and a FameLab judge said Jonathan had 'told a story about the real nature of science' and that his 'passion and enjoyment had shone through'. Kathy and fellow judges Roger Highfield, Science Editor of the Daily Telegraph, neuroscientist and broadcaster Mark Lythgoe, and Louisa Bolch Commissioning Editor for Science, Channel 4, kept the public and finalists waiting for the result as the high standard made picking the winner a tough decision.
Two runners up won £750 each and the promise of future speaking engagements. Lindsay Stenhouse of Edinburgh who donned a green beard to demonstrate the selfish gene in action, and Sima Adhya who explained what really makes the world go round – apparently a huge collision set planet earth in motion. Sima was also voted the audience favourite as measured by a modern day clap-o-meter devised by Trevor Cox, Professor of Acoustics and a finalist in FameLab 2005.
Sarah Forbes-Robertson of Swansea was crowned the FameLab podcast winner as voted for by visitors to the Channel 4 website where podcasts from all ten finalists can be heard (www.channel4.com/famelab).
FameLab has lived up to it's name with last year's winner Dr Mark Lewney appearing at Science Festivals, Universities and Café Scientifiques across the UK. Mark will soon be seen on Channel 4 and has already appeared on BBC TV and radio plus in national newspapers and magazines.
FameLab is the brainchild of the Cheltenham Science Festival and NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) and supported by Pfizer, Channel 4, The Daily Telegraph, Research Councils UK, and The British Council. The competition, now in its second year, kicked off in Newcastle in March, with regional heats taking in Swansea, Edinburgh, and London.
Jonathan, 30, studied at Cambridge and then went on to undertake a PhD on the structure of viruses at Leeds. He is currently Deputy Editor of the science journal Materials Today. He got through to the Final at the London regional heat in April.
Biographies and photos of all finalists can be found at www.famelab.org
For further information and images contact:
Sallie Robins - FameLab Publicist
0207 249 4858
07733 330344
sr@srpr.net
Notes For Editors
FameLab is a registered trademark of Cheltenham Festivals Limited, charity no 251765
Regional auditions were held as follows:
· Saturday 11 March 2006 Life Science Centre, Newcastle
· Sunday 19 March 2006, National Waterfront Museum, Swansea
· Sunday 26 March 2006, Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
· Saturday 1 April 2006, Dana Centre, London
· Saturday 22 April 2006, W5, Belfast
NESTA
NESTA, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, is working to increase the UK’s capacity for innovation. We invest in all stages of the innovation process, backing new ideas and funding new ventures that stimulate entrepreneurship. For more information visit www.nesta.org.uk
Pfizer
For over 150 years we have been producing medicines that make a difference to patient’s lives, to their families and to society. We rely on the creativity and innovation of the some 6,500 people we employ in the UK to convert basic science into novel and useful medicines. We support FameLab because communication is at the heart of scientific progress; particularly communication between scientist and non-scientist. FameLab seeks out, trains and rewards new science communicators and recognises the importance of engaging a wider public in science and its application.
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is Britain's best-selling quality daily newspaper. Every Tuesday our dedicated science page brings you the latest discoveries and phenomena from the world of science. As well as our main feature, on anything from cosmology to marine biology, mathematics or psychology, there is also Professor Steve Jones's weekly "View from the Lab" where he explains complex scientific ideas in an entertaining and accessible style.
All of our science coverage can also be found on www.connected.telegraph.co.uk and FameLab coverage is on www.telegraph.co.uk/famelab.
Channel 4
Channel 4 is continuously seeking ways to engage new audiences with its innovative science programming, presented by extraordinary people. Highlights include Autopsy, Anatomy for Beginners, What We Still Don't Know, and Alien Worlds. “We are always seeking programmes that can break new ground in form or content,” says Louisa Bolch, Commissioning Editor for Science at Channel 4, “especially shows that are character driven so we are on the look out for people with real passion, presence and expert knowledge, who can make us open our eyes and see the world in a new way.” The range of innovative output from Channel 4 Science can be seen at www.channel4.com/science
Research Councils UK
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is a strategic partnership through which the UK's eight Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support. The Research Councils are the main public investors in fundamental research in the UK with interests ranging from arts and humanities, bio-medicine and particle physics to the environment, engineering and economic research. Individually and collectively, the Research Councils support and promote a free flow of authoritative information and exchange of views between scientists, members of the public and policy-makers in the field of science.
The British Council
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations, operating independently from the UK Government. The British Council's science programme supports scientific collaboration through the exchange of ideas and knowledge, and by building relationships between young scientists around the world. Through its science and society projects, it stimulates debate about the impacts of science on people's lives and awareness and appreciation of the UK with wider international audiences.
© Cheltenham Festivals 2006/7