Regional heats of FameLab - a national competition to discover the new faces of UK science - kick off in Newcastle on Saturday 11 March as part of National Science Week and the Newcastle Science Festival.
FameLab’s search for science talent will continue in Swansea, Edinburgh, and London finally reaching Belfast on Saturday 22 April. The competition - dubbed the science world’s equivalent of Pop Idol - is the brainchild of the Cheltenham Science Festival and NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) and supported by Pfizer, The Daily Telegraph, Research Councils UK, The British Council and Channel 4.
At the regional auditions scientists will have just 3 minutes to prove to a panel of expert judges they’ve got what it takes to bring science alive on TV. This year the scientists will come under the scrutiny of, amongst others, Roger Highfield, Science Editor of the Telegraph, and BBC Weatherwoman Heather Reid. Ten finalists selected at the heats will go on to compete in the final at the Cheltenham Science Festival. The overall winner of FameLab 2006 will walk away with £2,000, the opportunity to work with a TV producer and pitch their ideas to Channel 4, and a tour of events.
In 2005 FameLab saw over 300 scientists take part. At the Cheltenham Science Festival final in June, Dr Mark Lewney’s, “electrifying” performance on the physics of music, complete with electric guitar riffs won over the judges and the audience and saw him the first ever winner of FameLab. Mark received £2,000 and has since embarked on a series of events, and media appearances including a project in development with Channel 4.
Mark will be giving his award winning performance as part of the Newcastle Science Festival, which runs throughout National Science Week. Other FameLab finalists involved in the national week which runs from 10-19 March 2006 and is co coordinated by the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science), supported by the Department of Trade & Industry and sponsored by the Economic & Social Research Council, include Dr Maggie Aderin and Dr Matt Wilkinson.
Maggie has filmed ‘kitchen sink’ experiments in her garden for broadcast on Children’s BBC and will also take her “Tour of the Universe” show to schools. Dr Matt Wilkinson talks on Pterosaurs as part of the Cambridge Science Festival. His short geological film will be shown in the Cambridge based ‘Time Truck’ as part of the week.
Now in its second year, FameLab encourages scientists to inspire and excite public imagination with a vision of science in the 21st century. Speaking of the initiative, Jonathan Kestenbaum, NESTA’s CEO said: “NESTA is delighted to see last year’s finalists bringing science to new audiences during National Science Week. This proves what a great vehicle FameLab has been for identifying fresh, new talented science communicators who can engage the public in dynamic and imaginative ways. We need these role models from the science community who have the potential to inspire the young to become the next generation of great innovators.”
Ends
For further information and images contact:
Sallie Robins
FameLab
020 7249 4858
07733 330344
sr@srPR.net
Hannah Daws
NESTA
020 7645 9534
07973 701337
hannah.daws@nesta.org.uk
Ian George
Cheltenham Science Festival
01242 775851
ian.george@cheltenham.gov.uk
Craig Brierley
the BA
020 7019 4947
07957 468218
craig.brierley@the-ba.net
Notes for Editors
FameLab - FameLab is a registered trademark of Cheltenham Arts Festivals Limited, charity no 251765
FameLab entrants must be at least 21 years old and WORKING IN SCIENCE. This includes private and public sector employees, technicians and anyone working in the fields of science, technology, engineering or maths. Entrants do not need to apply before the day of audition but are encouraged to register their interest at www.famelab.org to receive updates and information. Regional auditions will be 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
Final to be held at the Cheltenham Science Festival, Cheltenham Saturday 10 June 2006.
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 patients 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 has engaged a new audience with innovative science programming, presented by extraordinary people. “Recent highlights include Anatomy for Beginners, What We Still Don't Know and Alien Worlds." says Louisa Bolch, Science Editor at Channel 4. "We are looking for people with real passion, people with charisma, presence and expert knowledge, who can make us open our eyes and see the world in a new way. We're looking forward to getting to grips with Britain's next generation of science communicators.”
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.
National Science Week
National Science Week 2006 will take place between 10-19 March and this year incorporates ESRC Social Science Week. Over 500,000 people are expected to take part in 1,500 events throughout the UK. In addition, the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) and the Economic & Social Research Council will be inviting the public to "Click for the Climate" and pledge to make a small step towards combating climate change. National Science Week is organised by the BA and is funded by the Department of Trade & Industry and is sponsored by BP and the Economic & Social Research Council. For more information about National Science Week and Social Sciences Week 2006, including free activity packs and an online programme, visit http://www.the-ba.net/nsw.
© Cheltenham Festivals 2006/7