FameLab Switzerland

FameLab is an international science communication competition that began in 2005 at the Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK, aiming to find and develop scientists and engineers who can effectively engage the public with science. Participants present a three-minute talk on a scientific topic of their choice, judged on Content, Clarity, and Charisma. Since 2007, the British Council helped expand FameLab globally, reaching over 30 countries and involving more than 40,000 participants. FameLab Switzerland is the national branch aiming to discover and nurture talented science communicators within the country.

Flyer for the Cheltenham Festivals FameLab science communication competition with details about semi-finals, finals, and registration, featuring logos of British Council and Swiss Famelab.

Poster for FameLab science communication competition with colorful COVID-19 virus illustration in the background, presented by Cheltenham Festivals and British Council, detailing event dates, registration info, and partner logos.

BSNL’s key role in organizing FameLab Switzerland

The BSNL FameLab team played a pivotal role in supporting the annual marketing and communication efforts for FameLab's semi-finals in Lausanne, Basel, and Zurich and the national final. Our responsibilities included creating promotional materials, managing BSNL LinkedIn and Instagram content, managing BSNL website content, and handling email communications to ensure robust event engagement.

As the organizers of the FameLab semi-final in Lausanne, we organized the selection of around 15 participants (engineers, researchers, PhD Students) and the selection of jury members for the Lausanne semi-final and for the national final in collaboration with the Basel and Zürich branches.

Additionally, we co-managed the communication workshop for the finalists, held between the semi-finals and the Swiss National Final, to enhance their presentation skills.

Our collaborative efforts with the Basel and Zurich branches, as well as with CERN and the British Council, strengthened the reach and impact of these events.

My role for FameLab Switzerland 2020 & 2021

During my two years organizing FameLab Switzerland I :

Co-led the organization of FameLab Lausanne semi-final with two other BSNL co-organizers.
Chose and secured the event venue.
Managed logistics, including ordering microphones and other necessary equipment.
Selected jury members for the semi-final and collaborated with other branches for the national final jury.
Provided promotional support and developed event advertising strategies for contestant recruitment and audience engagement.
Prepared and presented a detailed report summarizing the event outcomes and key takeaways.

A digital touchscreen control panel with various colorful interface options, mounted in a metallic frame structure, surrounded by electronic equipment, cables, and other devices.

Young man wearing glasses and a face mask holding origami dragons, standing in front of a presentation slide about biomechanics.

A man and a woman are standing in front of a black curtain at a presentation or conference. The man is handing the woman a piece of paper. There is a blue banner between them with the words "FameLab" and some additional text. A screen to the right displays the name "Joanna Ashok" and the title "Chilies: Pain or Pleasure?" Several seated audience members are visible, one woman with blond hair and another with red hair.

Sauradeep Majumdar:

First Lausanne semi-finalist 2020, National & International Winner 2020

PhD student, EPFL

Young man speaking on stage in front of a blue event banner with black curtains behind him.

Hugo Cui :

First Lausanne semi-finalist 2021 & National Winner 2021

PhD student, EPFL