As part of his training in Liège, Belgium, Jarod Farruggia participated in a nationwide competition, “My thesis in 180 seconds”. This event invites the participants to explain in simple terms their PhD subject in 180 seconds. For three weeks, participants got trained on popularizing scientific topics, and on how to find their place on a scene in front of a multidisciplinary audience.
During the final evening, the audience was captivated by the performances, each one more creative, inspiring, and exciting than the last. The “My Thesis in 180 Seconds” (MT180) competition aims to introduce scientific research to the general public while helping young researchers develop their communication and outreach skills and seeing the performances quality it can easily be said that all objectives were met. Eventhough Jarod did not win the local competition to get the opportunity to represent Liège during the nationwide final, he is still satisfied with his performance.
Jarod: “MT180 is not really the kind of competition we do to win. We participate to meet new people, improve our communication skills, and challenge ourselves. I am really happy with my performance, the jury and audience were really receptive, and their feedback were also very instructive.”
This competition was a good opportunity to train young scientists in public speaking and popularizing. It also offered a breath of fresh air far from the usual office or laboratory.
Find Jarod’s MT180 (in French) here:
