FAMELAB HALL OF FAME

Claude Moshobane

FameLab SA 2016 Runner up

What are you currently doing (studies/work)?

I am currently employed as a Junior Scientist by the Directorate for Biological Invasion of the South African National Biodiversity Institute.

What drove you to enter FameLab?

Participating in FameLab provided me with a unique opportunity to show my talent and challenge myself. The most important thing about my involvement in Famelab was that it came to be more than just a competition, but also a journey. My success at the national finals was another stepping stone to the next horizon in my journey in science communication.

How did you find your FameLab experience? What still stands out today?

Its format to communicate scientific and technical information to a diverse audience is a unique and valuable life experience. The very nature of Famelab – presenting through aids other than the usual PowerPoint and the diversity of the audience – still stands out for me.

How did your perceptions about science communication and public engagement with science change through participating in FameLab?

I learned a lot, and based on the questions that the audience asked me at the national finals, I also realised that I can learn a lot about my science through public engagement. The questions challenged me to think beyond the confines of traditional scientific research.

Did FameLab impact you in any other way?

At Famelab not only do participants share their research but they also “sell” their research to a wider audience, which is not always possible in traditional means of research dissemination.  

What would you say to young scientists thinking about taking part in FameLab?

I certainly think that a participant can gain more than just a prize, but the experience and the skills. It also goes without saying that one can also harness the network and possible future research collaborations. Although I emerged as one of the winners at the SA finals, my plea to the young scientist is that they should forget the prize; the experience is more than words can explain.

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