FameLab
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.
About FameLab
Thanks to a 15-year partnership with the British Council, FameLab has run in over 40 countries across the world together with more than 200 local partner organisations. This vibrant global network brought together over 40,000 scientists and engineers who were able to engage with international audiences.
Aims of FameLab
- Encourage and enable science-related researchers to communicate their work with the public in an engaging and exciting way
- Create an active, international community of science-related researchers who are confident and skilled in communicating their research with the public
- Facilitate an international network of trainers and institutions sharing resources, best practice and opportunities to support science communication
- Find and support the next generation of Cheltenham Science Festival speakers
The Competition
Researchers from across the globe gather online or live to compete to vie for the title of world’s best science communicator.
They’ll have just 3 minutes each to communicate their research to a global audience and an expert panel of judges. The winner is the speaker who best demonstrates FameLab’s three C’s – Content, Clarity and Charisma.
FameLab UK – Regional Hub Organisations
Cheltenham Festivals will work closely with 12 partner organisations who will be recognised as a Regional Hub Organisation for FameLab in their region throughout the UK. These partners will be trained and equipped with all the resources needed before they begin recruitment. Participants will apply centrally by selecting the regional hub nearest to them. Hub Organisations will then run training for all applicants in preparation to take part in their regional finals. Regional winners will then go on to compete at the FameLab UK national final, hosted live at Cheltenham Science Festival. The FameLab UK national winner will then represent the UK at the FameLab International Final.
Applications to become a FameLab UK – Regional Hub Organisation opens Monday 9 January 2023.
FameLab International – Country Host Organisations
Cheltenham Festivals will work closely with international partner organisations. Each will be recognised as a Country Host Organisation for FameLab in their country. These partners will be trained and equipped with all the resources needed before they begin recruitment. Each country will run FameLab independently while still supported by Cheltenham Festivals. Each country’s national winners will then go on to compete at the FameLab International Final hosted online in November.
More information about how to become a FameLab International Country Host Organisation coming soon.
We're delighted to continue FameLab with international partners for 2022 - Charles University in Czech Republic, Bielefeld Marketing in Germany; Psiquadro in Italy, South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) - a business unit of the National Research Foundation and Jive Media Africa in South Africa, the Life Science Zurich, BioScience Network Lausanne and Graduate Center University of Basel in Switzerland and The National Science Museum of Thailand.
FameLab Academy
FameLab Academy is the sister to FameLab. It takes the same successful format and adapts it to a secondary school context.
FameLab has been a great chance to meet inspiring people who are doing and communicating wonderful research around the world. Learning from each other, encouraging each other and building networks that will last into the future has been a brilliant experience, and one that I’ve been very lucky to be a part of. Tim Gordon, FameLab International Winner 2019
