Meet the FameLab International Finalists
Get to know more about the finalists competing for the title of FameLab International Champion
Nine early-career researchers from across the world are preparing to compete for the title of world’s best science communicator in the final of FameLab International.
Contestants will have just three minutes to convey their chosen concept within the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths to a global online audience and expert panel of judges. The result is an engaging and exciting way to encourage curiosity and expand the public understanding of scientific topics and research.
The 2023 final will be streamed live on Cheltenham Festivals YouTube Channel on the 24th November 10:00 GMT.
Afiq Abdul Hamid | Malaysia
Twitter: @scienceepicyt
Current position: PhD Student, Universiti Malaya
Field of Study: Radio Astronomy, Radio Pulsar Astronomy, Computational Astrophysics
Highest level of education: Master of Science (MSc)
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: I was once able to tie my shoe laces with three fingers in the middle of the woods
What are your interests and hobbies: Mountains. Motorcycles. Thinking about the possibilities of extra-terrestrial life.
What are three things you like: Life.
What are three things you are not keen on: People who gaslight others. Territorial disputes in the Middle East. Food wastage at all you can eat buffets.
What three words describe you: Inquisitive, serendipitous, charming
Aysel Ahadova | Germany
Current position: Principal Investigator, Heidelberg University Hospital
Field of Study: Applied Tumor Biology
Highest level of education: PhD
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: I am happy to have been able to realize my dream of doing a PhD in Germany and acquiring
What are your interests and hobbies: Cooking. Arts. Astrophysics (particularly StarTalk podcast)
What are three things you like: Summer. Sea. Stage
What are three things you are not keen on: Artificial sweeteners. Waiting. Bureaucracy
What three words describe you: Responsible, Creative, Impatient
Francesco Giacomarra | Italy
Current position: PhD Student, University of Trieste
Field of Study: Data Science
Highest level of education: Master of Science
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: having a lot of close people who are always there for when I need them
What are your interests and hobbies: cooking, tabletop games, acting
What are three things you like: cooking, hanging out, beer
What are three things you are not keen on: dishonesty, fussiness and some dog breeds
What three words describe you: empathic, funny, understanding
Jaehyeon (Jayden) Park | Republic of Korea
Current position: biology teacher, Myong-ji high school (Seoul, Korea)
Field of Study: I teach about life sciences in general in high school.
Highest level of education: bachelor's degree in natural sciences (Biology)
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: It is rewarding to see students understand life science concepts that they have heard of but have yet to understand through classes.
What are your interests and hobbies: I like to draw simple pictures. Sometimes, I use symbolic methods and pictures to explain life science concepts.
What are three things you like: Learning new biology knowledge, sharing this and making metaphors or pictures to explain new concepts
What are three things you are not keen on: Riding scary amusement park rides, passing through dark and eerie places, mindlessly repeating purposeless tasks.
What three words describe you: Positive, caring, and witty
Marek Brousi | Czech Republic
Current position: 3rd year medical student, Laboratory of Cancer Treatment and Tissue Regeneration, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University
Field of Study: I study general medicine. My research is focused on spontaneous in-vivo recellularization of decellularised pig liver grafts.
Highest level of education: graduation exam
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: I assisted, as a lecturer, with the Summerschool of Experimental Surgery despite only being a student. I'm proud I'm a part of the Global Talent Mentoring program and have been awarded by the Neuron Foundation.
What are your interests and hobbies: hiking, tramping, classical music and swing, my research and studies
What are three things you like: beauty of nature, delicious steaks, deep classical books
What are three things you are not keen on: football, math, unpleasant people
What three words describe you: energetic, curious, visionary
Olivia Carroll | Australia
Twitter: @OliviaCarroll97
Current position:Final year PhD Student, University of Newcastle, Australia
Field of Study: Immunology and Microbiology
Highest level of education: Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours)
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: After winning FameLab Australia. I woke up to a message from my cousin (13) which read: "Hey Liv, can you teach me science, you make it fun!". I strive to make science fun and accessible to all so this feedback meant a lot and was something I was really proud of.
What are your interests and hobbies: I am a keen soccer (football) player and fan and have loved having the FIFA Womens world cup in Australia. In my spare time, I am often with my kelpie, Ned or at the beach.
What are three things you like: Road trips up the coast. Crosswords and wordle! A good pastry.
What are three things you are not keen on: things popping! ie balloons, not the biggest fan of heights, turkish delights!
What three words describe you: eager, overthinker, and growing
Panisara (Dream) Vongthaveephithayakul | Thailand
Current position: Business Owner, Dream's Dream
Field of Study: Graduated in Industrial Engineering major. Research in the field of global warming, SDGs, food and health, technology
Highest level of education: Bachelor (Full scholarship, First honor)
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: The thing that i proud of is within this 1 year, I stepped out of my comfort zone and challenged a lot of new aspects in various type of competitions that I never try in my life. I faced obstacles, but the most thing that I proud of is I stepped out of my comfort zone. Improvise, adapt, overcome.
What are your interests and hobbies: MMA (Mix-martial arts),Bjj (Ju-jitsu), Muaythai, Wrestling, Kick boxing
What are three things you like: Challenges, Speech, Science
What are three things you are not keen on: Laundry, Ironing, Washing dishes
What three words describe you: Dream chaser
Tania Miguel Trabajo | Switzerland
Current position: PhD student, University of Lausanne
Field of Study: Microbial Ecology
Highest level of education: Master Degree
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: Creating a board game for kids to teach them microbiology.
What are your interests and hobbies: Exercising, hiking, drawing.
What are three things you like: Nutella, Dogs, Dinosaurs
What are three things you are not keen on: Running, Spiders, Conflict
What three words describe you: Cheerful, empathic, fun
Taskeen Hasrod | South Africa
Current position: Master of Science Candidate (Chemistry), University of the Witwatersrand
Field of Study: Artificial Intelligence in Environmental Analytical Chemistry
Highest level of education: Bachelor of Science Honours (Chemistry)
Tell us about an experience or achievement that you are proud of: Completing my Bachelors and Honours degrees with distinction.
What are your interests and hobbies: Canvas painting
What are three things you like: Cats, Chocolate, Tulips
What are three things you are not keen on: Snakes, Biology, Pesto
What three words describe you: Peaceful, Tranquil, Satisfied
