Clear the Stage for Science!

And once again, many guests came to the Science Slam – a whimsical format in which scientists show what they are working on in the context of their research in an entertaining way that everyone can understand. Aids were allowed, but each slammer only had ten minutes to win over the hearts of the audience. As a reward – in addition to fame and honour – there was once again an artistic trophy, which the Erfurt artist Johannes Gräbner had designed especially for the competition.

Christian Rombeck, the winner of the 6th "Erfurt Science Slam", took over the warm-up. A wonderful lecture – but not judged. Lena Lehrer ("Public Perception of Climate Change"); Andrew Crawford ("Microcredits as an Instrument of Social Peacebuilding in Cambodia"); Mirjam Wien ("Sinti & Roma in Medieval Sources or How 'Others' are Constructed") and Alejandra Ortiz-Ayala ("Everyday Practical Peacebuilding" – Actions led by international students of the University of Erfurt) then competed for the audience's favour. Stefanie Bühling was once again the moderator, and together with Thilo Krumeich she led the audience through the programme.

But as it is in a competition – in the end there can only be one who takes home the coveted winner's trophy. And so the winner this time is Lena Lehrer. In her talk, she – supported by a dinosaur – asked the guests present what they were doing against "extinction" in the face of climate change, the extinction of humanity and the destruction of the planet. "Don't be dinos and do something about it," was their message. Quite serious, yet extremely entertaining and enlightening, the audience found and crowned her Slammer Queen 2023. A fine evening that once again cries out for more...