What do hacking and floorball have to do with cancer and forest research? These are some of the questions that will be answered on 26 November when the national final of the Swedish Researchers’ Grand Prix 2024 takes place. Five researchers will take to the stage in Stockholm to compete for the title of Sweden’s best science communicator.
In Sweden’s largest science communication competition for researchers, the aim is to explain your research in the most engaging, understandable and educational way possible – in just four minutes. Throughout the autumn, five researchers qualified for the national final of the Researchers’ Grand Prix through five regional heats held across the country and via an online contest.
In Sweden’s largest science communication competition, researchers must explain their research in the most clear, informative, and engaging way possible in order to win the votes of the audience and expert jury. The twist? They have just four minutes to do it! This autumn, five researchers qualified for the national final, through regional heats held across the country and via an online contest.
Victory through teamwork
In Umeå, Daniel Mensah from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences won the regional heat by using floorball (a type of indoor floor hockey popular in Sweden), as a metaphor to explain his research. He believes that different stakeholders in the forestry sector must work together like members of a sports team to tackle the challenges posed by climate change.
“In a floorball team, adjustments are made to make the team as effective as possible, and my research is somewhat similar – it’s about finding ways for people to collaborate and find compromises around different values related to forests and nature. You can’t win without supporting the rest of the team,” said Daniel after securing his place in the final.
Presenting on stage was nerve-wracking but rewarding.
“As a researcher, you often try to make your research understandable to other researchers but it’s easy to forget those outside of academia. We need to put more of an effort into reaching a broad audience, regardless of age, interest, class etc.”
Filmed in the forest
Sara Löwgren is one of two researchers who reached the final through the open online heat – Researchers’ Grand Prix Digital. Like Daniel, her research looks at how different groups and communities handle crises, but from another perspective.
“I want to gain a deeper understanding of how people in shrinking rural communities in southern Sweden create local solidarity and respond to global challenges, like the climate crisis.”
Sara Löwgren’s video submission was recorded in a forest (view it here), but she’s looking forward to performing in front of a live audience.
“It’ll be fun to meet everyone else and present in front of a live audience. It’s completely different from just me and a camera in the forest. I do my research to help make the world a better place, and if I don’t share it beyond my own bubble, it doesn’t feel like I’m achieving that. Competing in this event is a way for me to contribute.”
Healthy aging and obsessive thoughts
Lea Stark also qualified for the final through the online heat (view her presentation here) , and now she faces an added challenge.
“I’m originally from Germany, so performing in Swedish is a challenge for me. But I’m really looking forward to it and it’ll be very exciting!”
Lea Stark is a trained nurse and has always been fascinated by why some people age more healthily than others. Now, she’s researching the body’s ability to recover and retain its functions after illness.
“I’m excited to talk about my research. It’s important that the public knows what contributes to healthy aging, but it’s also important for people to know what we researchers do. Perhaps I can even inspire someone else to consider a career in research,” says Lea Stark, who works at the Karolinska Institute in the field of physical resilience among older adults.
Also representing the Karolinska Institute is Erik Andersson, who won the Stockholm regional heat at AlbaNova during ForskarFredag, Sweden’s Researchers’ Night. He studies ways to manage anxiety and obsessive thoughts. Leading up to the competition, he spent a lot of time refining his core message.
“I’ve learned to ask myself, ‘What does my audience need to know, and why is it important?’ and to polish down my presentation so that only the essential message remains.”
How did it feel to compete in the regional heat?
“Incredibly nerve-racking! But it was also fantastic to be there with the audience, just talking about things I find interesting,” says Erik Andersson.
A battle between good and evil
The last heat took place at Helsingborg’s City Theatre, where Luís Oliveira won the Lund heat. He described his research as a battle between good and evil, likening himself to a hacker attacking cancer cells to make them benign.
“My research focuses on how our immune system – something we already have – could be one of the strongest weapons against cancer. It just needs a little push. I find that both fascinating and truly hopeful for the future.”
Participating in the regional heat made Luís realise that he genuinely enjoys communicating science and wants to do more of it.
“Having just 4 minutes is the ultimate test of whether you truly know your stuff. It was scary, but in the end, I absolutely loved it!”
Researchers prepare for the grand final
The five researchers will now be given coaching to fine-tune their presentations before gathering to perform in the final at the Filadelfia Convention Centre in Stockholm on 26 November.
The Researchers’ Grand Prix’s expert jury consists of comedian Ahmed Berhan, who evaluates the performance; medical journalist Amina Manzoor, who focuses on clarity of the content; and researcher Nina Cyrén Wormb, who assesses how well the research question is presented.
However, the audience’s opinion is the most important and members of the public are invited to come along and vote either in person or live online.
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Researchers’ Grand Prix 2024
The final will be held at the Filadelfia Convention Centre in Stockholm on 26 November, from 14:00 to 16:00 (more information in Swedish here).
Would you like to be part of the audience and help pick this year’s winner? Register here!
Are you a teacher and want to bring your pupils (age 15 and above), email [email protected]
The final can also be followed live online. Register here to receive a link to the live broadcast.
The Researchers’ Grand Prix competition is organised jointly by the four research councils Formas, Forte, the Swedish Research Council, and Vinnova, together with the non-profit organisation Public & Science Sweden.
