Ever asked an academic about their research only to be subjected to 20 minutes of nonsensical droning? Thanks to YouTube, it just got a whole lot easier to explain a complicated thesis at a cocktail party. In early October, Ph.D. students worldwide were challenged by Gonzo Labs/AAAS to re-create their dissertations through interpretive dance and post the videos on YouTube. Dozens of performances were submitted, ranging from tangos to Lindy Hops to night-vision hula-hooping. The choreography was scored on its ability to bridge the gap between art and science, though you should feel free to judge based on levels of jubilation and pure absurdity.
I think "The Role of Vitamin D in Beta-Cell Function" was my personal favorite:
I would have loved to have seen some social science contributions. Think of these possible topics for interpretive dance:
Haha sure the idea of me explaining a thesis on a cocktailparty with the help of youtube sounds excellent, though I (unfortunately) don't think it'll hold much for my field of research (Strategic management in business, writing about onshoring offshoring now).
my collaborator and I also submitted a video based on our research applying 25 dimensional string theory to Joyce's "Finnegans wake":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?zBKpszxX554
(almost better than the original, to tell the truth...)
Daniel W. Drezner is professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
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