About FameLab®

Brief History

FameLab is the largest, public-facing, science communication competition and training programme in the world. FameLab is a registered trademark of Cheltenham Festivals, who created the programme in 2005 in partnership with NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) and with sponsorship and in-kind support from Pfizer, Silicon 19, Channel 4 and The Daily Telegraph. They were joined by the Research Councils of the UK, and in 2006 by the British Council.

Thanks to a 14-year partnership with the British Council, FameLab has run in over 30 countries across the world together with more than 200 local partner organisations. This vibrant global network brought together over 40,000 scientists and engineers who were able to engage with international audiences.

Although our partnership with the British Council has come to an end, Cheltenham Festivals is delighted to continue FameLab with several international partners. FameLab continues as an online experience across the world each year with several countries.

Cheltenham Science Festival, since its inception in 2001, has a track record of finding and developing new talent in communicating science and engineering to a wider public. FameLab builds on that informal work, using a high-profile national event to attract those with the potential to share their enthusiasm for science and technology.

We have refined FameLab over the years, with a more focused vision of how it can encourage, reward and promote science communication throughout the world. We have defined the target audience of lay adults. We have narrowed the entry criteria to concentrate on those studying or working in science including social sciences, engineering, technology and mathematics, to help them find outlets for communication without abandoning their own work. This has allowed us to deliver a better-quality experience to those entrants, more detailed and constructive feedback, and more help after the events in pursuing opportunities in public engagement with science and technology.

Cheltenham Festivals realises that in another setting, FameLab might be quite different. Without the well-established science communication infrastructure that exists in the UK, there might be no value in restricting entry to practicing scientists and engineers. In a geographically scattered population, it might make more sense to invite applications by video as well as live performances. Where science education resources are limited, it might make no sense to limit the intended audience to adults. Variations to the FameLab competition format are always evolving to make this competition the most important science communication competition in the world. Whilst these variations are valued all must be approved by Cheltenham Festivals prior to commencement.

Aims and Objectives

The main aim of FameLab is to encourage scientists including social scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians to find their voices and inspire and excite the public imagination.

To do this, FameLab aims to achieve the following objectives:

■ Encourage and enable science-related researchers to communicate their work with the public in an engaging and exciting way.

■ Create an active, international community of science-related researchers who are confident and skilled in communicating their research with the public.

■ Facilitate an international network of trainers and institutions sharing resources, best practice and opportunities to support science communication.

■ Support each Host organisation’s vision and objectives.

FameLab also meets higher societal requirements to:

■ Generate public science appreciation and develop a wider audience that enjoys science and advocate science as a beneficial societal endeavour.

■ Break down the perceived barriers between scientists and the public.

■ Provide a recognised and highly sought after source of quality science presenters for media, schools and other science communication networks.

FameLab International Conditions

Cheltenham Festivals is working in partnership with Host Organisations in individual countries to expand FameLab International across the globe. Each country will sign a licence agreement outlining the conditions under which FameLab International is conducted in their country. Please ensure that you read, sign and return the license agreement before you proceed with running FameLab International.

Each licensed Host Organisation will have exclusive permission to run their own National FameLab competitions in partnership with Cheltenham Festivals and UK FameLab under the following conditions:

1. The Competition

■ Each host organisation will assure that FameLab International will run under the quality assurance guidelines of Cheltenham Festivals.

■ The competition title shall be FameLab plus the name of the host country (e.g. “FameLab Bulgaria”), with addition of a local title in the local language, as approved by Cheltenham Festivals.

■ The competitions shall be run according to the same key values of maintaining quality, providing training and offering follow up for the participants.

■ The competition shall be open to contestants regardless of any discriminatory factors related to protected characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender.

■ Criteria of entrance, based on age or occupation shall be agreed with Cheltenham Festivals.

■ Each contestant shall have three minutes to present any scientific, engineering, mathematical or medical topic of their choice, with no PowerPoint or other electronic presentation and limited use of props.

■ Judging panels shall apply the same criteria of quality of content, clarity of presentation and charisma in assessing the contestants’ presentations.

■ Each judging panel shall include respected experts in each of these fields:

– science including social sciences, engineering, mathematics, or medicine

– live communication communication through the media

■ One judge may be an expert in more than one field. The number of judges shall not be less than three or more than five on one panel.

2. Branding

FameLab is a registered Trade Mark of Cheltenham Festivals (TM 2373186, Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom). Therefore, use of the FameLab brand will only be with explicit approval of Cheltenham Festivals, as per branding guidelines in your Licence Agreement.

All branding and information is to be kept up-to-date on the host country’s website – in alignment with any FameLab changes which will be communicated to you by Cheltenham Festivals.

The logos, fonts, backgrounds and guidelines for their appropriate use are located in the branding toolkit found in an exclusive FameLab International Dropbox

This link is not to be disclosed to any other party outside of those immediately involved in the design of your promotional material. Cheltenham Festivals reserve the administrative rights to this site.

Reciprocal virtual content and links will be established between the organisation’s websites.

If Cheltenham Festivals deem any use of the FameLab or Cheltenham Festivals branding to be used inappropriately, the offending material must be removed immediately upon notification from Cheltenham Festivals.

For more information refer to “Note on Branding” in your Licence Agreement.

3. Support for Host Organisations

Initial training and guidance will be provided by Cheltenham Festivals via Zoom along with digital resources, advice and support to assist Host Organizations set up and run FameLab. Ongoing support will be provided through access to the live FameLab International Dropbox and through email communication with FameLab Co-ordinator.

4. FameLab Masterclass

The finalists for each national competition shall receive, in their country, two days of training in communicating science to a live audience and through the media, before their national final. This training for the participants shall be overseen and delivered by an approved FameLab trainer, a list of recommended FameLab Masterclass trainers can be found in the FameLab International Dropbox folder.

The training session shall be called “FameLab Masterclass” and last for two days and be of no cost to the finalists.

Booking and hiring a masterclass trainer is at the cost of each country.

Local trainers may be engaged to deliver the training. These trainers must be approved by Cheltenham Festivals prior to engagement and have undergone FameLab Masterclass delivery training from a FameLab UK trainer. The local trainer(s) must have competency in communications skills training e.g. public speaking, theatre/live performance skills, media skills for example interview training, media production (radio or TV), presenting to microphone and/or to camera. It is preferred that the local trainer has some training or teaching experience. Approved trainers from each country can be added to the International FameLab Masterclass trainers directory.

The costs for Masterclass trainers should be at £500 per day paid on the completion of the Masterclass weekend. The accommodation and travel costs of all Cheltenham Festivals approved trainers will be borne by the host country.

5. Reporting and Evaluation

Timelines outlining the regional heats and finals for each country will be summarised and sent to Cheltenham Festivals in advance.

Each country running FameLab must provide regular email updates on the progress of their competition. Evaluation of the FameLab competition in each country will be carried out at the cost of the host country, outlining such items as the number and location of regional heats, numbers of competition participants, judges’ names and areas of expertise, profiles of contestants (including age and discipline of science), details of finalists, feedback from the contestants on the value of the training and competition, audience numbers at the country’s finals, and a media report. This will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the FameLab competition implementation in each country. This evaluation will be forwarded to Cheltenham Festivals by the agreed date following the international final. See Appendix 1: Annual Report Template

Some countries may also incorporate their own evaluation methodology, particularly if they need to report to funders and partners. Feel free to also include, photo evidence and quotes from participants, attendees, partners, etc.

6. Support Materials

Each Host Organisation adhering to these conditions will be provided with a copy of the following materials:

■ The FameLab International Host Organisation Handbook

■ The FameLab International Masterclass training guide

■ FameLab design logos, branding, templates and branding guidelines

■ Examples of forms and templates which are used for the implementation of the competition

■ FameLab promotional footage and archive videos on our YouTube Channel.

These materials are for use ONLY in connection with organising, promoting and running a FameLab competition in association with FameLab UK and Cheltenham Festivals. This permission includes license to broadcast or to make copies of this material ONLY for use in connection with organising, promoting and running a FameLab competition in the country to whom the material was supplied.

Copyright in all such material remains with Cheltenham Festivals.

7. Collaboration and Opportunities

Cheltenham Festivals will offer International winners the chance to take part in FameLab digital International Final and offer speaking spots at the Cheltenham Science Festival. Costs of travel and accommodation to be met by the Host Organisation if they choose to accept this opportunity, with the exception of the International Final winner whose UK travel cost and accommodation will be met by Cheltenham Festivals.

8. Innovations and Variations

Any innovations or variations from the prescribed FameLab International format will be discussed and approved by Cheltenham Festivals prior to implementation. The use of the FameLab brand and timeline of new innovation or variation will be defined by representatives of Cheltenham Festivals to the best implementation of the new innovation or variation.

9. Partnerships

All partnerships should ensure the goodwill and quality assurance of all brands are protected. All external partners running FameLab in their country are responsible for upholding the quality of the competition outlined in this “The FameLab International Host Organisation Handbook”.

All training for FameLab International competitions to new countries and new partners is to be provided by Cheltenham Festivals.

10. Governance

Bi-annual meetings in March and October, between Cheltenham Festivals and the Host Organisations will be arranged to ensure the maintenance of the FameLab International integrity.