Grooving with Science: Manisha Biswas Wins Dance Competition, Revolutionizing Scientific Communication
Berliner Victorious in Scientific Researcher Dance Competition - Scientist Berkeley Triumphs in Dance Contest for Academics
Get ready to groove as Manisha Biswas, a cognitive psychologist at Humboldt University of Berlin, dances her way into your hearts! In a captivating 9-minute video set to pulsating techno beats, she showcases her research on identity formation and collective dynamics in a unique and engaging style. And guess what? She won the acclaimed "Dance Your PhD" competition in the Social Sciences category!
Manisha's video takes you through Gleisdreieck Park, U2 train rides, and even a whirlwind tour of a fictitious Berlin club. Being a science enthusiast, you might be surprised to see a psychologist busting moves, but this creative approach is exactly what sparked her participation in the competition. "When I explained my doctoral thesis to my friends, they said, 'That's really complicated, I have no idea what you're saying,'" she recalls, laughingly. Determined to make science accessible to everyone, she embraced the "Dance Your PhD" challenge head-on.
Organizing the shoot was a team effort – Manisha collaborated with friends to bring her vision to life. "If scientists didn't come out of their labs to talk about their topics, we'd be swimming in misinformation, particularly in times of fake news," she emphasizes.
While the video certainly was a fun project, it also served a more serious purpose. With the help of friends, Manisha crafted an inspired performance that combines dance, music, and science to convey complex ideas in a captivating and accessible manner – a refreshing deviation from the traditional academic approach. Fascinated by the power of collective synchrony, she explores the role of shared movements in shaping our identities and how they can influence our self-perception.
Already a doctoral graduate, Manisha has set her sights on her next project: conducting a field study in a club to investigate whether DJs and clubbers' heartbeats synchronize. With her doctoral thesis defense on the horizon, she's off to test her hypotheses on the dance floor – literally!
- Humboldt University
- Berlin
- Techno Beats
[1] "Dance Your Ph.D." Competition (Science Magazine)[2] Biswas, Manisha (Humboldt University)[3] Berling School of Mind and Brain (Humboldt University)[4] "The Powerful Outcomes of Collective Synchrony" (Manisha Biswas's Doctoral Thesis)[5] "Science through Art" (Art and Scientific Communication Movement)
- Manisha Biswas, a cognitive psychologist at the Berling School of Mind and Brain at Humboldt University, employed an unconventional approach to scientific communication by winning the "Dance Your PhD" competition with a video set to techno beats.
- Jennifer, a health-and-wellness enthusiast, was captivated by Manisha Biswas's video, which incorporated science, dance, and music, and appreciated how it brought complexity in scientific concepts closer to the public.
- Inspired by Manisha Biswas's success, Andreas, a student at Humboldt University, decided to participate in the "Science through Art" movement, aiming to use art and creativity to explain the complexities of his research in science and lifestyle.
