Students and young scientists from the University of Oldenburg treated around 150 spectators to an entertaining and educational evening in the Exerzierhalle of the Oldenburg State Theatre on Monday. In front of a sold-out audience, they competed against each other in the university's 6th Science Slam. The audience voted on the winners - based on their scientific content and entertainment value. Three "slammers" were delighted to receive prizes: Bianca Brüggen, Maurits Halbach and Oliver Richters.
The Science Slam is still a relatively new form of scientific competition in Germany, in which young scientists in particular present their research findings in ten-minute short presentations in a popular scientific style. On Monday evening, for example, the question was whether fish have a three-second memory and a cartoon illustrating the distinction between nature and society. The audience also learnt what a particularly sensitive light microscope can reveal about the retina, why the model of the economic cycle conflicts with the laws of physics and how the bond between pastors and church members could be strengthened in the future. The variety of topics reflects the wide-ranging and interdisciplinary fields of research at the University of Oldenburg.
The winners at a glance:
1st place: Bianca Brüggen (PhD student, Neurosensory Research Group at the Department for Neuroscience): "Super Mario Bros. Are they on the same side?", 500 euros, donated by the Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg (UGO)
2nd place: Maurits Halbach (student, Biodiversity and Evolution of Animals working group at the Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences): "ClownfishCircus", 150 euros and a journal subscription, donated by the Graduate Academy and Spektrum Wissenschaftsverlag
3rd place: Oliver Richters (PhD student, Institute of Economics at the Department of Economics and Law): "Das Perpetuum Mobile in Wissenschaft und Praxis", journal subscription, donated by Spektrum Wissenschaftsverlag
The event is organised by the Research Centre Neurosensory Science, the Oldenburg State Theatre, the Graduate Academy of the University of Oldenburg, the Graduate Schools for Humanities and Social Sciences (3GO) and for Science and Technology (Oltech) and the DFG Research Training Group Sensorybio.
