3 minutes of science

At the FameLab in Karlsruhe, science is presented in three minutes in an understandable and entertaining way. This year’s event will once again feature a number of digital innovations.
Three minutes. There is no more time. The FameLab participants have three minutes to present their scientific projects. And not only that. Everyone should understand what is being talked about on stage – whether expert or not. Nobody can get bored during the 180 seconds. In the end, a jury decides on victory or defeat. On April 12, a preliminary round with research talents from all over southern Germany will take place at the Tollhaus cultural center in Karlsruhe. The event is free of charge and starts at 7 pm. Admission starts at 6 pm, first come, first served. The regional competition is organized by the Science Office of the City of Karlsruhe, and the evening will be hosted by Philipp Schrögel.
Three participants provide insights into their stage program
“How often have you felt that you can’t use modern technology without giving up your privacy? Does the cell phone ask for your contact list or location all day long?” Patricia Guerra Balboa asks these questions on stage. And the IT security expert at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) also has some good news. “Mathematics has shown that it is possible to calculate global information about the population, such as where a traffic jam will occur, without violating people’s privacy,” she says. The first idea to solve the problem appears where you least expect it.

Michael Martin Dukek from the FZI Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe will also be on stage. The scientist will then give an entertaining insight into his research into cyber security and attacks on artificial intelligence. “Attacks often aim to use alternative channels rather than attacking sensitive information directly. Instead of cracking a password through direct guessing, attackers can, for example, observe or eavesdrop on the typing of the password,” says Dukek. In his presentation, Dukek compares how modern processors work to a person who always orders the same thing from a bakery. “At first it takes two minutes, but soon the staff prepare the order in advance and the time is halved.”
Potential security problems in the aviation industry are the topic of the three-minute presentation by Aisha Zahid Junejo from the University of Stuttgart. “I compare it to a house that you want to secure against intruders,” says the scientist. As with aviation technology, the first step is to identify potential weak points in a building and then develop solutions to increase security.
The lecture competition has been around for almost 20 years
FameLab was developed as a lecture competition for young scientists in 2005 and has been organized by the British Council ever since. Annual FameLab competitions have also been held in Germany since 2011. Whoever wins the preliminary round in Karlsruhe will win a ticket to the German final on June 12, 2024 in Bielefeld. In the fall, the annual FameLab “World Championship” takes place.

The title went to Germany for the first time in 2023
On November 24, 2023, Aysel Ahadova brought the international trophy to Germany for the first time. In the world final, the tumor biologist from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg beat off competition from Australia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Malaysia, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland and Thailand. Ahadova had previously won the South German preliminary round in Karlsruhe and the German title fights in Bielefeld.

In her entertaining three-minute talk, Ahadova compared human cell division to repairing a car.
Regional decision in Karlsruhe on April 12, 2024
At the Karlsruhe preliminary round of the international science communication competition FameLab, young research talents from all over southwest Germany will compete against each other on Friday, April 12 from 7 p.m. at the Tollhaus cultural center. The evening will be hosted by Philipp Schrögel.
The event starts at 7 pm, admission is at 6 pm. Admission to the Tollhaus cultural center is free of charge and the first-come-first-served principle applies.