Press release 28 November 2014.
Michael Braian, a researcher in dental prosthetics at Malmö University, has won the 2014 Swedish Researchers’ Grand Prix. This is a national competition that challenges researchers to present their research to a public audience in an entertaining and informative way within a set time. Michael’s presentation about 3D printing of teeth was voted winner by the audience together with an expert panel of judges.
Eight researchers stepped onto the stage at the Debaser Medis rock club in the centre of Stockholm on 25 November. Their challenge was to give the most engaging, inspiring and understandable presentation of their research in just four minutes.
”The others were incredibly talented so I feel very honoured to have won. Although, everyone is a winner in this competition because we have all been given an opportunity to share our research with the public,” said Michael Braian. In addition to applause from the audience, Michael received a large trophy and a travel voucher.
The audience’s votes, cast using handheld voting devices, carried the same weight as the opinions of the expert judges. The judges were actress and comedian Nour El-Refai, Patrik Hadenius, journalist and editor of a number of Swedish magazines, including Research & Progress, and Göran Östlin, Professor of Astronomy at Stockholm University.
The finalists had all won regional heats held earlier in the autumn in Borås, Gothenburg, Lund, Malmö, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Trollhättan and Västerås as part of the annual Researchers’ Night science festival.
Second place went to Kamran Rousta from Borås University and third place was given to Benny Thörnberg from Mid Sweden University. All the other contestants shared a respectable fourth place.
The national final was organised by the Swedish organisation Vetenskap & Allmänhet (Public & Science) and the research councils Formas, Forte, the Swedish Research Council and VINNOVA.
”The Researchers’ Grand Prix shows that advanced research can be explained in an engaging way that is easy to understand. The competition aims to inspire scientists to communicate more about their research, so that it is brought into the public domain and is of benefit to society,” said Ingrid Peterson, Director General of Formas research council, who presented the prizes at the final.
For press photographs and more information visit
www.forskargrandprix.se or contact:
Michael Braian, winner of the Researchers’ Grand Prix 2014, tel:0046 (0)73-708 85 84
Anders Sahlman, Project Manager, Vetenskap & Allmänhet, tel: 0046 (0)70-734 07 85, anders@v-a.se
