FameLab UK aims to encourage scientists including social scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians to find their voices and inspire and excite the public imagination. Researchers from across the country will gather in regional and national bouts to contend for the title of Britain’s best science communicator.

The nine partner organisations – known as ‘hubs’ – cover the length and breadth of the country, and will work with Cheltenham Festivals, based in the town and responsible for four internationally significant festivals each year alongside a year-round programme of charitable work, to host a truly inclusive and national competition.

“We are extremely excited to announce our new partner organisations,” says Ali Mawle, co-CEO of Cheltenham Festivals. “FameLab is the largest public-facing science communication competition and training programme in the world – and its UK component is central to our mission of developing the science communicators of the future.”

The nine FameLab UK Regional Hubs are:

East of England: University of Cambridge

The fourth-oldest university in the world, the University of Cambridge is a globally diverse institution with a mission to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence. The University sits at the heart of one of the world’s largest technology clusters, is currently home to 5,200 knowledge-intensive companies and has been the birthplace of 23 businesses valued at more than $1bn (£800m).

East Midlands: University of Nottingham, University of Lincoln, University of Leicester and Nottingham Trent University

The East Midlands partner is an exciting consortium of several of the region’s Higher Education providers, and it will actively seek to recruit further institutions from the East Midlands moving forwards. Each focused on conducting research at the highest level, the members of the consortium also take seriously their civic duties to their communities and region as a whole – placing a premium on science communication and spreading the benefits of research in just the way FameLab UK aims to achieve.

North West: University of Liverpool (UoL) and University of Salford (UoS)

FameLab UK’s north-west hub is managed jointly by two of the region’s most innovative educational institutions. The University of Liverpool is an internationally renowned Russell Group university, with 91% of research ranked as world leading or internationally excellent. Public Engagement is a focus, as it is at the University of Salford, where the team has for the past four years delivered a highly popular public speaking competition, Salford PassionFlash, which invites students to deliver short presentations on a topic they are passionate about.

North East: Teesside University

Based in Middlesbrough, Teesside University is a public university with an international reputation for academic excellence. It provides an outstanding student and learning experience underpinned by research, enterprise and the professions.

Northern Ireland: Science Festivals NI

Established in 2014, NI Science Festival has grown to become the largest celebration of its kind on the island of Ireland and in its relatively short lifespan became one of the leading Science Festivals in the whole of Europe. The festival offers a stimulating and wide range of events focusing on the wonders of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

Scotland: University of Aberdeen

The University of Aberdeen has been open to all in the service of others since 1495. Its Public Engagement with Research Unit (PERU) was set up in 2012 and works across all academic disciplines to bring engaged researchers to the public in novel and meaningful ways. We draw upon a community of over a thousand researchers and postgraduate students. We offer training, grant support and facilitate of year-round programme of activities.

South East: KMTV Ltd

KMTV is an OFCOM regulated broadcast and production house. It is part owned by the University of Kent and transmits on Freeview Channel 7, online and on demand. Its staff spans the breadth of creative industries including professional working broadcast journalists, documentary makers, cinematographers, script writers, animators and producers. KMTV works closely with many Universities in the south-east, including Canterbury Christchurch, Greenwich and the University of Essex and East Anglia, as well as Brighton and East Sussex.

The South-West : Plymouth Marjon University

Plymouth Marjon University's students build strong social and professional networks facilitated by an extensive student support framework – including Personal Development Tutors, Marjon Futures employability team and the Student Union. Marjon was also named the top University in the UK for social mobility in a one-off report in 2014, demonstrating the power of giving students both the skills to succeed and the confidence to use them. The university operates a values-driven framework based around humanity, curiosity and independence.

Gloucestershire & the West Midlands: University of Gloucestershire

The University of Gloucestershire is a diverse, vibrant community of 12,000 students and 1,500 staff with campuses in Cheltenham and Gloucester. The University encourages questioning, open debate, and freedom of speech and inquiry. They embrace creativity, enterprise and innovation to bring about positive change. The University focuses on encouraging everyone to be passionate and enthusiastic about creating, gaining, sharing and applying new knowledge, insight and experience, enriching their own understanding and benefiting others.

All nine Hubs will come together at Cheltenham Science Festival 2023, for a formal relaunch of FameLab UK on June 9, when each will be trained and equipped to run FameLab in their regions. FameLab UK competitions will then be held in all nine regions across the UK during 2023-4, and the winners from each region will come together at Cheltenham Science Festival in June 2024 for the UK National final. The UK winner will then go on to represent the UK and compete alongside Australia, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Switzerland and Thailand in the FameLab International live online final in November 2024.

Participants have just three minutes each to communicate their research to an audience and an expert panel of judges. The winner is the speaker who best demonstrates FameLab’s three C’s – Content, Clarity and Charisma.

Cheltenham Festivals also hosts FameLab Academy in its home county of Gloucestershire each year, providing 24 secondary schools the opportunity to develop science communication skills in co-operation with alumni of the adult programmes – and to appear on-stage with winners at Cheltenham Science Festival.

“The FameLab family really is an exciting way for all of us to learn more about science – and in particular to help encourage and equip the next generation of science leaders who will teach us more well into the future,” Mawle explained.

“We’re extremely proud of the calibre of hub organisations the programme has attracted – and we can’t wait to get working with all of them ahead of the next FameLab UK final in 2024!”

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Notes for Editors

FameLab® is a registered trademark of Cheltenham Festivals, who created the programme in 2005 in partnership with NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) and with sponsorship and in‐kind support from Pfizer, Silicon 19, Channel 4 and The Daily Telegraph. They were joined by the Research Councils of the UK, and in 2006 by the British Council.

FameLab® is the largest, public facing, science communication competition and training programme in the world. FameLab® is a registered trademark of Cheltenham Festivals, who created the programme in 2005. FameLab® has run in over 40 countries across the world together with more than 200 local partner organisations. This vibrant global network has brought together over 40,000 scientists and engineers who were able to engage with international audiences. FameLab Academy is a trail-blazing initiative to bring this transformative programme to the school-age science communicators of the future.

Cheltenham Festivals is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation

Cheltenham Festivals is an arts charity that creates experiences which bring joy, spark curiosity, connect communities and inspire change. Its year-round learning and participation and talent development programmes culminate in four world-class Festivals, offering everyone an opportunity to explore and create culture. Over 225,000 visitors a year are inspired by its Literature, Science, Jazz and Music Festivals.

The annual Cheltenham Science Festival is for people of all ages who are curious about the wonders of the everyday world, mysteries of the universe and cutting-edge technology. The Festival hosts hundreds of free family-friendly activities, while the UK’s science community gathers to share their latest ideas in thought-provoking and entertaining ways.

Over 300 scientists, thinkers, writers and young activists will explore the theme “Be The Change” and show how science is informing and shaping our future through its part in achieving the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s festival will take place across 6-11 June, 2023.