Dance: The less boring way to explain your PhD

You are at a cocktail party and someone asks about your PhD research. Do you give them a 20-minute lecture? Or do you dance?

For the past three years, Science Magazine has hosted a "Dance Your PhD" video competition. This year, 45 people submitted videos to explain complex subjects (such as "Analysis of Red Blood Cell and Photon Interaction for Noninvasive Thrombus Prevention"). The contest was open to those with PhDs or students working towards one.

Last week, a panel of judges (scientists, choreographers and past winners) announced finalists in four categories (physics, chemistry, biology and social sciences) -- and you can submit your vote now for the grand prize winner, who has been promised "immortal geek fame on the Internet." (Click here for the online ballot)

One of my favorite videos is a dance inspired by Radek Lach's biology PhD.

Synthetic lethality screen for an anticancer treatment. from Radek Lach on Vimeo.

Special thanks to Lori Aratani here at the Post who spotted this competition on Smithsonian's Surprising Science blog.

An earlier version of this post incorrectly said the videos were submitted by graduate students. They were submitted by students working on their PhDs -- and people who earned theirs long ago.

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