Scientists to compete in communicating their research to the public

A major new competition puts research conducted in Greenland center stage as researchers compete to make their work come alive for everyone to see.

A researcher stands alone on stage in Katuaq in front of a panel of judges, a packed audience and a few moving cameras broadcasting everything live on KNR. The task is simple, yet difficult: Explain your PhD research in 5 minutes so that everyone can understand it and why it is important.

The researcher doing the best job of solving this trying task gets to take home the grand prize of DKK 25,000 sponsored by Brugseni - and, with it, the honor of being named the best research communicator. That is the concept of Paasisavut, a new major competition in research dissemination, organized by Arctic Hub and Ilisimatusarfik.

Welcome to Paasisavut 

"There is so much exciting and relevant research going on in Greenland but, unfortunately, a lot of the knowledge never reaches the Greenlandic population. We hope to change that with Paasisavut," Anna-Sofie Skjervedal, head of the secretariat at Arctic Hub, and Gitte Adler Reimer, principal at Ilisimatusarfik, says in a joint statement.

Anyone who is in the process of doing a PhD or has completed a PhD within the last two years can apply, but only the five best candidates will be selected to compete in the big live show on March 1, 2023. Before the selected participants get up on stage, they will participate in a research dissemination bootcamp. Here, they will learn how to sharpen their presentation skills and receive essential tips from an actor so they will feel comfortable on stage.

The show will take place in front of an audience and be broadcasted live on KNR and after the five performances, it is up to the judges to pick the winner of Paasisavut 2023.

"We are certain that Paasisavut can help us disprove any prejudices about research being too dry and inaccessible. As a matter of fact, we believe that Paasisavut can help us prove that Greenlandic research is vibrant, relevant and super entertaining," Anna-Sofie Skjervedal from the Arctic Hub explains.

While this is the inaugural Paasisavut, it is Arctic Hub and Ilisimatusarfik’s ambition to make the competition an annually recurring event.

The application deadline for the inaugural Paasisavut is December 1, 2022. You can read much more about the competition and how to participate at www.paasisavut.gl.