News of April 15, 2025
FameLab Dresden: Science in 180 seconds
Regional heat of the international science competition featuring HZDR participants
At the FameLab Science Slam, students, doctoral candidates and postdocs can present their research topic to a lay audience - but only have three minutes to do so.
Source: Sarah Jonek / Wissenswerkstadt Bielefeld
Three minutes – that’s how long it takes to brew a cup of tea. But is that enough time to explain complex scientific topics such as the behavior of black holes or the function of stem cells in an entertaining and understandable way? This is exactly what young researchers will attempt at the regional heat of the FameLab science competition on April 27, 2025, at the Staatsschauspiel Dresden. Admission is free. Tickets are available now.
Both Amit Kumar and Artem Govorukhin from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) are taking part in the competition – two of the twelve brilliant minds from the Dresden region who are taking up the challenge of explaining science in 180 seconds in a technically correct, captivating way and without PowerPoint. Because at FameLab, it’s all about the art of live communication. Only props that can be worn on the body are allowed. Everything else relies on pure creativity, personality, and passion for science. Those who win over the audience and an expert jury will qualify for the national final in Bielefeld – and perhaps even the international final later on.
It’s the first FameLab appearance for both HZDR researchers. Amit Kumar, an expert in innovative water and environmental technologies at the Clean Water Technology Lab CLEWATEC, will present a newly developed method for wastewater purification – one that can filter out even the smallest pollutants, such as pharmaceutical residues, “forever chemicals“ (PFAS) and other industrial chemicals. Artem Govorukhin, a doctoral researcher at the HZDR Institute of Radiation Physics, will talk about the recently discovered FLASH effect – a promising approach in cancer therapy that allows extremely high doses of radiation to be delivered in a matter of seconds, with fewer side effects for patients.
FameLab Logo
Source: FameLab / Bielefeld Marketing GmbH
Event at a glance:
FameLab Dresden – Regional Heat
- When? April 27, 2025, 7 p.m.
- Where? Staatsschauspiel Dresden – Kleines Haus 1 (Glacisstraße 28, 01099 Dresden)
- Event language: German and English
- Admission: Free
About FameLab:
FameLab is an international science communication competition founded by the Cheltenham Science Festival in the United Kingdom. In more than 20 countries, FameLab brings researchers on stage under the motto “Talking Science”. The competition has been held in Germany since 2011, with regional heats in several cities. The Eastern Germany heat 2025 is organized by DRESDEN-concept and Dresden Marketing GmbH.
