Third annual Science Slam becomes first virtual Research Slam
When MIT announced its pandemic polices back in March, all in-person events were canceled, including the Department of Biology’s third annual Science Slam. Instead, the department devised a new plan in tandem with MIT’s Alumni Association: a virtual slam featuring biology alumni. On April 30, roughly 300 attendees gathered via Zoom to hear nine graduates from Course 7 (Biology) and 5-7 (Chemistry and Biology) share their research. A science slam features a series of short presentations where researchers explain their work in a compelling manner, and — as the name suggests — make an impact. These presentations aren’t just talks; they’re performances geared toward a science-literate but non-specialized public audience. In this case, competitors were each given one slide and three minutes to tell their scientific tales and earn votes from audience members and judges. Viewers could type questions into the Zoom Q&A function in real-time, and after the prizes were...