The Center for Chemical Evolution employs host of techniques and media to relate its science and to engage diverse audiences. 

Comedy is an especially powerful tool to broaden the fold of people interested in science. Everyone loves to laugh, and scientists are funny. Comedy events are nowhere near as intimidating to most people as research in the chemical sciences. By pairing our research with comedy, we can expose new audiences by appealing to their interest in humor rather than their lack thereof in research. 

The Center for Chemical Evolution has worked with three different partners on comedy programs: The Encyclopedia Show, You're the Expert, and, most recently, Solve for X. 

Solve for X

As part of the 2017 Atlanta Science Festival, the CCE brought Solve for X back to Atlanta. Graduate students and postdocs played an integral role in the development of an evening of skits centered around research from the Center for Chemical Evolution. This initial collaboration showed us how beneficial it can be, for both scientists and performers, for researchers and communicators to spend time and develop products together. Check out the video from the show below:

You're the Expert

You're the Expert is a podcast and radio show based out of Boston. Hosted by Chris Duffy, the program features scientists from all fields. A panel of three comedians does their best to guess what the scientists spend their days doing. In 2016, the CCE partnered with sister CCI, CCHF, to host the program in Atlanta. The scientist that day was the CCE's own Stefan France. Listen below to hear how whether or not the comedians got it right.