Let’s say a new coffee shop/entertainment space with a small stage opened up right near your office and you wanted to hold a “science open mic night” but all you have is the title and no idea how to run it. What would you do??
Replies
Maybe there are some ideas here: tasteofscience.org
sep 9, 2025, 8:55 pm • 1 0 • view
To be clear, I'm running the open mic and soliciting acts/speakers?
sep 9, 2025, 4:59 pm • 1 0 • view
Yup!
sep 9, 2025, 6:55 pm • 0 0 • view
Be careful if you invite any pathologists to an open mike night.
sep 9, 2025, 5:58 pm • 4 0 • view
BYOS! (bring your own scalpel)
sep 9, 2025, 8:16 pm • 1 0 • view
Research Lab Improv: "From the audience: I'll need a technique name, a buffer name, and a model organism that has just escaped containment."
sep 9, 2025, 4:52 pm • 5 0 • view
the Harold Varmus
sep 9, 2025, 4:54 pm • 2 0 • view
How about Laboratory Clue: "It was Dr. P.I. in the Cold Room with the I-135." "I accuse Mr. G. Rad-Student of murder by acrylamide monomer in the breakroom"
sep 9, 2025, 4:59 pm • 2 0 • view
"doing science with me" I just need a suggestion of a household item a vase doing science with me is like a vase, decorative but useless and also terribly fragile
sep 9, 2025, 5:05 pm • 2 0 • view
😁
sep 9, 2025, 5:06 pm • 2 0 • view
Protein charades. "Is it basic or acidic?" "Can you find it in Sacchromyces?" "Is it a monomer or a dimer in the active form?" "Does it have a zinc finger domain?" "Does it require a co-factor?"
sep 9, 2025, 4:50 pm • 1 1 • view
I am not sure what you mean by open mic. There is a group at the University of Florida that has run a Science on Tap event at a local brewery. Their goal is to recruit scientists to give an engaging talk for the public. Here are their tips. www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/wp-content/u...
sep 9, 2025, 4:47 pm • 2 0 • view
I’d be happy to put you in contact with them if this type of programming is of interest.
sep 9, 2025, 4:47 pm • 1 0 • view
Interesting, I’ll check it out! I held a few pint of science events back in the day and it seems similar.
sep 9, 2025, 6:56 pm • 1 0 • view
"Wacky or Genius?": ppl have 5-10m to introduce a field and pitch an out-there project. People rate them as most wacky, most valuable, most interesting. Anything that combines science advocacy, demonstrates the value of science and helps ppl refine their communication skills is righteous. Bravo!
sep 9, 2025, 4:28 pm • 2 0 • view
As an organizer, one of the toughest things would be creating a space where participants feel safe to be a bit vulnerable. Gotta take care to have a host lay down ground rules & enforce them: no booing, no recording w/o permission come to mind immediately. But how to incentivize participants 🤷♂️?
sep 9, 2025, 4:31 pm • 2 0 • view
Maybe contact these folks? They did it in the UK and it's growing elsewhere! pintofscience.co.uk/contact/
sep 9, 2025, 7:05 pm • 1 0 • view
Or maybe also Steve Cross here? scienceshowoff.org
sep 9, 2025, 7:07 pm • 1 0 • view
@sarahmackattack.bsky.social I feel like you would have some fun ideas!
sep 9, 2025, 4:18 pm • 1 0 • view
Oh boy. What existing art scenes exist in the area? Is this at night or during the day? How much time do you have?
sep 9, 2025, 4:19 pm • 2 0 • view
I know an artist who is plugged in, and this is pretty close to the artsy street. 6pm on a Thursday. No time limit.
sep 9, 2025, 4:25 pm • 2 0 • view
I love this idea and it'll be cool to see where it goes. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ But NEVER EVER hand an academic a microphone and use the phrase 'No time limit'. ⚠️⚠️⚠️ 🤣
sep 9, 2025, 4:31 pm • 7 1 • view
What kind of open mic night? Like, artistic, or a beer with short talks kind of thing?
sep 9, 2025, 4:45 pm • 1 0 • view
Probably study Nerd Night for inspiration.
sep 9, 2025, 10:55 pm • 2 0 • view
You would need to watch this and take it from there? youtu.be/4Noo1hJTHsA?...
sep 9, 2025, 5:13 pm • 0 0 • view
Ask the students. They always know.
sep 9, 2025, 10:06 pm • 1 0 • view
i have been to a couple of these, which were held at the bell house, one my fav band venues (close to where i used to live in brooklyn). secretscienceclub.blogspot.com?m=1
sep 9, 2025, 8:34 pm • 1 0 • view
Constrain the format - give speakers solid boundaries within which they operate freely. I love Pecha Kucha, in which each speaker gets exactly 20 slides, 20 sec/slide w/ automatic slide changes. Gotta be quick, organized, & emotionally resonant.
sep 10, 2025, 12:53 am • 1 0 • view
My other fave e.g., from “99 Ways To Tell a Radio Story” - each starts with some manifestation of: "To begin with, they never got along." - each includes a discernible pre-recorded voice, rhythmic noise, and exclamation - each lasts exactly 2:30 minutes exchange.prx.org/series/32064...
sep 10, 2025, 1:05 am • 1 0 • view