Federal researchers get a chance to pitch their research at a special event today

Meg Rodriguez: So this came together when we started both respectively hosted these local, what we call slam events, which are similar. Other folks know it as a “three minute thesis,” and it’s a three minute pitch about someone’s science in a very friendly, accessible way so non-specialist audiences can understand. So it’s a very fun and friendly face on science. And so we started doing this for the career and professional development for our early career scientists. Both Christine and I support postdocs in our labs, and so we started collaborating with each other, and then we we had a regional slam with our four Bay Area national labs, which includes Slack National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory. We did that in 2021. Immediately upon talking about that, we were talking how could we take this national with all 17 DoE national labs? And so what we’re hoping to gain is that we want to foster collaboration among our 17 labs. This is really, really big opportunity for them for exposure for their career and professional development. Christine, do you want to add anything?

Christine Zachow: They gained skills through all of this. That was the whole impetus for our initial slams at our labs, was to make sure that our young scientists are set up to launch their career successfully once they have completed their postdoc and become, you know, staff scientists. It allows them to showcase the impact of national laboratory research on society, strengthening scientific communication skills for early career. Collaboration. Highlighting innovation and creativity within our research community.

Eric White: All right. And so, Christine, maybe you can help just laying out the event itself. It is actually a competition. And they’re going to be making these kind of “Shark Tank”-like pitches to room of, I guess, colleagues in the similar area or just science academics overall? What can you tell me about who’s making up the governing body of this?

Christine Zachow: So they’re given three minutes to give a pitch on what their research is. They’re pitching on solutions to challenge energy security, national security, scientific discovery. The audience is is made up of several different people. So we have research scientists, staff across participating national laboratories. We have leadership, laboratory leadership and management. The DoE leadership is in the audience. We have government officials in the audience. All kinds of fun people.

Eric White: Great. And, Meg, what can you tell me about what this does for a young scientist looking to start or get a head start on their career? Is this something that they are able to mention down the road in applying for another research grant or an additional position? What can you tell me about the folks also that are usually involved in this?

Meg Rodriguez: Yeah, absolutely. So we’ve had a lot of scientists. So now, for example, at my lab, we have 72 alumni that have gone through this, our Slam program. And all of them kind of have this build this invaluable skill, once you can kind of strip down the research in a way that’s understandable to a non-specialist audience, you can always add back in the technical pieces. So this is kind of an invaluable skill that they carry with them throughout their career. And they do name it on their on their CV and then they get to point it out. One thing that we do as well with the National Lab Slam is we record and we do a professional recording, and they get to clip it so that they can, you know, promote it, put it on their LinkedIn, share it out. So we’ve had a lot of really cool testimonials, some of the things that it has helped them to find their next phase in their career. You know, we have a lot of alumni who are impressive positions across the nation. So it’s been a real game changer, I think, for some. And yeah, just helps promote and elevate what they do.

Eric White: Christine, what can you tell me about some of the research areas that folks are going to be hearing about? I know that you may not have any insight into what specifically the folks participating will be talking about, but what are the sorts of topics that are usually shared along at these events?

Christine Zachow: We actually have four categories that they’ll be talking. There’s energy security, we have environment, we have scientific discovery, and we have national security. So there are a whole spectrum of topics within those topics. We have been training with these folks, so we’ve seen a glimpse of some of them. But what’s really great is we get to see how they start and how they end. When they when they start, they’re a little bit green. And when they come out the other end, they are very polished speakers.

Eric White: Yeah. And as far as that, I know you touched on this a little bit already, Meg, but down the road what is you know, what does this do for the confidence in a, in a young researcher who is trying to get his or her foot in the door and, you know, make sure that they are seen as a viable source for any projects that could be up and coming.

Meg Rodriguez: Again, this is a very valuable skill that they can use and gives them a lot of confidence, I think. So, especially, a lot of scientists have to communicate about the research in order to be successful in their careers. And a lot of times, the people that they have to communicate with aren’t scientists themselves, or even if they are, they might be in other disciplines. And so it helps foster collaboration with others when they can communicate effectively, it just helps them to kind of promote and, and that progress.

Christine Zachow: If I can add a piece to that. Actually, we found some of our finalist, they are noticed by our leadership. So when opportunities come up, we’ve had a couple go to the state capital and speak with our government officials there based on the talks that they’ve given at our local labs.

Eric White: Yeah, and let’s talk about that. That was how I was going to finish things off here. Christine is you know, what does this mean for applying for towards federal research has this is has events like these ever actually sparked any of those new projects? Or for a national lab to actually get into a new area of research from hearing testimonial from, you know, one of these folks at a Slam event?

Meg Rodriguez: Yeah. Well, one thing I know, at least locally, when we do our slam talks, I mean, often we have people working on a specific problem from different angles and sometimes doing different pieces of that. And so often, you know, it helps spark ideas, helps folks kind of connect and say, hey, I’m actually tackling a very similar problem in a different way, or I’ve always wanted to utilize this tool. And folks are able to actually form collaborations in that way. And so then they’re able to go after other opportunities, kind of utilizing different people’s expertise, though we have had folks who successfully use that to kind of further their research and the areas of research that they’re doing.

Eric White: Gotcha. All right. And, Christine, any final thoughts from you? I just wanted to make sure I give you ample time as well for any last second pitches to attend or participate.

Christine Zachow: Just want to highlight the judges that we have at this event, because they’re so high-level and they they are excited to do this. So we have Harriet Kung who is the Acting Director, Office of Science, Department of Energy. Theresa Maldonado, Vice President of Research and Innovation, University of California. We have Alton Romig Jr., the executive officer of the National Academy of Engineering. Wendin Smith, the Deputy Undersecretary of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation, US DoE, and Steve Walker, Vice President and CTO of Lockheed Martin. And we also have four congressmen speaking. So Congressman Chuck Fleischmann and Congressman Bill Foster will open the event, and then about halfway through the event, Marsha Blackburn and Senator Ben Ray Luján will be giving giving remarks as well because it’s hosted by the by the National Lab Caucuses.