LEUVEN MINDGATE

Kan je een wetenschappelijk probleem goed uitleggen in mensentaal? Dan is The YouReCa Challenge iets voor jou!


Science Slam - The YouReCa Challenge

  • Have you found an efficient way of explaining to your friends and family what exactly your PhD is about?
  • Are you a young professor and full of creative ideas to explain even the most difficult theory to your students?
  • Can you explain Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle in such a way that even your dog would understand?

Then, keep on reading!

We are convinced that KU Leuven is home to innovative, bright and creative minds and we would like to prove it! Young researchers have developed all kinds of useful skills, helicopter view and out-of-the-box thinking. This is your chance to be part of the YouReCa Challenge and win the YouReCa Award!

What exactly is the Challenge?

We challenge you to explain a scientific problem or fact in a clarifying, creative and entertaining way to a live audience in a live performance (your live act can be supported by a powerpoint presentation, video or any other presentation material). The aim is to use a creative line of approach and offer the audience exactly that missing piece of the science-puzzle, which made Archimedes scream Eureka! in his bath tub.

How to take part?

The challenge consists of two rounds.
 
First Round - deadline 18 October 2013

The first round of the YouReCa challenge is a pre-selection round. If you want to participate, please send us an e-mail to announce your candidature by October 18. Please also submit a brief summary of your project of at most 2 pages, a powerpoint presentation or a video etc. Make sure the title of your project invites people to want to know more about it! Participants should first identify a scientific problem or fact as the topic of their performance. The topic may belong to any domain of science (i.e. humanities & social sciences; biomedical sciences; science, engineering & technology). The topic does not necessarily need to be related to the topic of the participant’s own research or research domain.

All KU Leuven PhD researchers, postdocs and professors are eligible to sign up, either by themselves or as a team. A panel of judges will evaluate the applications. The 6 highest ranked participants will be deemed finalists and will proceed to the final round.

The 6 finalists will be notified on 25 October 2013, after which they will have time to prepare their act. They will receive some coaching on live performance as well by MC Bas Birker on 22 November 2013 in the afternoon.
 
Second and final round - 3 December 2013

The final will take place at Het Depot. We plan a try-out at 10h30. At 17h the final starts.

Each finalist will have 8 minutes to perform a live act in which they unravel one of science's mysteries. They will be judged by the following criteria: Creativity (ingenuity and innovative thinking); Scientific accuracy (how well the problem or fact is understood and explained); Overall performance (stage presence, communication skills). A professional jury and the audience will decide on the winner(s) of the YouReCa Challenge. The host of the evening will be Jeroen Baert.

Who are the judges? And what's in it for me?

Prize of the Jury: The first place receives a teambuilding activity with the winner's research group. The first three performances selected by the jury receive a YouReCa Challenge 2013 Award, a cartoon by cartoonist-in-residence Joris Snaet.
Audience Award: participation in the summer school in ‘Science Communication’ organized by all Flemish universities - edition 2014 and a teambuilding activity with the winner's research group.
All participants will receive a Fnac voucher (25€).

The members of the YouReCa Challenge jury 2013 will be announced soon.

Contact

For all questions, please contact YouReCa or Science Communication KU Leuven.

 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Stay tuned and get our news in your inbox: subscribe here.

Keep me informed
Follow us