Key Points
- 'Future Science Talks: Comedy Edition' will feature in the 2023 Sydney Fringe Festival, following shows at Sydney Comedy Festival and Science Week.
- The goal is to break down stereotypes about science and researchers.
- Researchers share how their work is inspired by personal loss.
Suraj Samtani was seven when his great-grandfather was diagnosed with dementia.
"We lost him without early detection of dementia when I was a child," Dr Samtani told SBS Urdu.
"Only later I realised that he was lonely and disconnected (after being moved from his old neighbourhood to a care home), and this made me curious about what can be done to keep elders connected with people," he added.
This realisation continues to fuel the Indian-origin researcher's work to this day.
Dr Samtani is a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at the University of New South Wales, where he is involved in the SHARED (Social Health And Reserve in the Dementia Patient Journey) project.
"My research is derived from my personal loss and I am working at the importance of socialisation and networking for the healthy brain," he said.
Dr Suraj Samtani (right) will present his research as part of the 'Future Science Talks: Comedy Edition' program. Credit: Supplied
Harnessing comedy
David Crisante is the founder of the Sydney Comedy School, which has partnered with Future Science Talks for the program during next month's 2023 Sydney Fringe Festival.
Mr Crisante said adding humour to scientific presentations can aid audiences in comprehending intricate subjects.
"It’s a real buzz to see how audience mindsets shift during each show and to showcase the top-class science that is coming out of Sydney,” he said.
The goal of the program is to increase the appeal of science talks and break down stereotypes about science and researchers, he added.
The program aims to break down stereotypes about science and researchers. Credit: Future Science Talks
Narjis Fatima is a Research Officer at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, who has completed her doctorate research in cancer biology and proteomics, biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Sydney.
She is another who will be taking the stage in September, hoping to bring a "lighter perspective" on heavy research topics.
Dr Fatima, originally from Pakistan, completed her undergraduate studies in biotechnology at the University of Karachi.
Subsequently, she pursued further education through a scholarship provided by the Australian government.
Narjis explained that her career has been impacted by the loss of a grandmother she never met to cancer.
"Frequently, I heard from my family about how my grandmother longed to meet me, yet cancer deprived her of that chance. She left while my mother was carrying me.
"When it was time to choose a research topic, I was motivated to focus on breast cancer," she said.
LISTEN TO
Science with a sense of humour
SBS Urdu
04:18
Science with a sense of humour
Both Dr Fatima and Dr Samtani share how they have been trained by comedians to boost their confidence as presenters and inject laughter into their talks.
"I am so excited about the talk and the support received from everyone in gaining confidence as a public speaker has been enormous," Dr Fatima said.
Dr Samtani said he will use self-deprecating humour to engage the audience during his talk.
"I aim to infuse a touch of lightness into my presentation, for instance, I am drawing a comparison between the healthy food triangle (healthy eating pyramid) and the triangular shape of the popular Indian dish, samosa," he said.
Dr Fatima, meanwhile, said she would use clever resemblances to discuss cancer in her talk.
For example, she likens cancer to an uninvited guest ruining a party and compares the storming of cancer cells to the uncertainty of a new research fellow.
"I am employing instances from everyday life in a lighthearted manner to acquaint the audience with the nature of cancer cells and how they can be managed," she added.
will feature in the 2023 Sydney Fringe Festival, with shows taking place on 5, 12 and 14 September.
