By Riona McArdle
This year I was invited to give a talk for the Beautiful Brains session of Pint of Science in Durham. What did I gain from this experience? Quite a bit actually.
Firstly, it gave me an opportunity to present my research (gait analysis in dementia) to an audience who were interested in science and the brain generally, but were not specialised researchers or even scientists! This meant that I had to adapt my language so that they could grasp difficult concepts that may be totally foreign to them. That in itself is a learning experience! Like Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”. It also meant I got direct feedback from the audience, which allowed me to assess how people outside of my research bubble viewed my research – do they think it is worthwhile? Luckily, I had quite a positive experience with this!
Secondly, the type of questions one receives at POS are a little different to questions you might be asked at a conference in your specialist field. They can be simple, but they can also address the bigger picture – something you might forget about when you are so wrapped up in your rabbit hole of scientific expertise. This means you have got to think outside the box which is always beneficial in science!
Lastly, POS is in general a lovely experience. It’s relaxed, its informative, its an opportunity to showcase your passion for your research and science. In my case, the organisers were fabulous and so enthusiastic. The audience thoroughly engaged, the other speakers gave fascinating overviews of their research. So if you are a researcher, I urge you to take part in POS; either as an audience member or a speaker. You won’t regret it!