Daniel Andersson won the Stockholm heat of the Researchers’ Grand Prix
Daniel Andersson, a doctoral student at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, won the Stockholm heat of the Researchers’ Grand Prix on 25 September. With his presentation “A Better Diagnosis for Heart Attacks?”, he managed, in four minutes, to explain his research in a simple, inspiring and educational way. The win means he will progress to the national final in November. The Stockholm heat was held at Albanova as part of the Researchers’ Friday science festival (Forskarfredag).
Daniel Andersson showed in his presentation how the diagnosis of heart attacks can be improved. He is a PhD student at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, with a doctoral project on the use of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), in acute heart attacks.
The major challenge ahead of Researchers' Grand Prix was to summarise a long research process in four minutes.
"It still represents almost three years of research. Explaining the background, method, results and discussion in such a simplified and dramatic way would have been completely unacceptable at a scientific conference", he says.
The preparations were largely about finding the core of the message. Daniel Andersson got help with his first draft to see what could be removed and which words best conveyed the content.
"The final result was really different from what I started with, and in the end I was pleased. Then I recorded my presentation over and over again until I was happy with it. Listening to your own voice is always difficult!"
Proof of capturing attention
For Daniel Andersson, the win is above all proof that he can get his research across.
"The prize is proof that I can give an engaging presentation and capture people’s attention. That can be useful. I’m sure I also benefited from the fact that my doctoral project is very visual and affects many people personally."
Daniel Andersson thinks it is especially important to communicate research outside academia in order to reach children and young people. The Stockholm heat was held as part of Researchers’ Friday (Forskarfredag), where the audience consisted largely of upper secondary school students.
"Everyone is influenced by what they see and hear, not least when they are at school or upper secondary school and forming an idea of what they want to do and work with. Some groups and professions are more visible than others and also become more popular. That is why I think it is important that doctors and researchers are also seen and heard in society and in the media, in a way that sparks interest and does not feel unfamiliar or remote."
National final of the Researchers’ Grand Prix
In the Stockholm heat of the Researchers’ Grand Prix, six researchers from Karolinska Institutet, KTH and Stockholm University competed. From KI, in addition to Daniel Andersson, Samuelle Fajutrao Falk also took part.
The Stockholm heat was part of Researchers’ Friday (Forskarfredag), which in Stockholm is organised in collaboration between, among others, Karolinska Institutet, KTH, Stockholm University and Vetenskapens hus. This year’s Researchers’ Friday brought together more than 2,000 pupils from Stockholm’s upper secondary schools.
Daniel Andersson now goes on to the national final of the Researchers’ Grand Prix, which takes place in Stockholm on 17 November.