Taking Science to your local bar - Pint of Science!
You might have heard of the Lamb & Flag pub in Oxford where you can ‘Drink for Science’ and the profits fund research projects. But have you heard about drinking with scientists in a bar near you and learning about their research? This is what the Pint of Science is all about and is another gem of an idea sprouting from the UK. Since then, it has been spreading all over the world attracting thousands of volunteers and audiences that are keen to enjoy a pint with a sprinkle of science.
This year the Pint of Science festival is taking place from 9-11th May and its international director, Elodie Chabrol is very glad to have it in person again. “I love that relaxed informal atmosphere where people feel free to ask all the questions, they always wanted to but never could. Seeing sparkles in people's eyes is my reward for the hard work we put in organizing the evening”, she adds.
Happening in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia simultaneously, and in local languages, this provides researchers and science communicators a creative platform to engage with the public.
Many countries are going to have their first #PintofScience event this year and each has a unique theme. The Norway team is gearing for their first physical event and all of those revolve around the theme colors of sustainability-red, green, and blue -how new technology, smart devices, biotechnology solutions and our consumption of these is affecting our daily lives.
In some countries, the Pint of Science has been already very popular. Kasturi Mahadik, a postdoctoral researcher who is gearing for her first #PintofScience event as a volunteer, eagerly narrates, “Our evening of How can our brain mislead us? was the first in France to be sold out, within a couple of hours really! So I am eager to meet all the science enthusiasts that purchased the tickets. Additionally, I am looking forward to seeing the audience's engagement”.
We completely agree with how Estelle Nakul, the social media manager of #pint22 Swiss, describes it, “Pint of Science is really the opportunity for everybody to meet scientists, discover how science is being done around their city and have a fun evening“.
Take a look at all the events taking place this year and how to book your tickets here. See you at #pint22!