Dr. Martin Skrodzki received the best slammer award at GAIN20 Science Slam on Aug. 28, 2020.

The GAIN Science Slam is all about science communication. The objective is to impart current research results to a diverse audience in an understandable and entertaining way. Science Slams started in German university towns in the mid-2000s: Darmstadt, Braunschweig, Hamburg. Today, Science Slams are held all over Germany on a weekly basis. The virtual GAIN20 Science Slam took place in the Auditorium of the virtual GAIN20 conference on August 28, 2020. The annual GAIN conference is the largest German science and research career fair in the US. Early career researchers and representatives from all areas of the German research landscape come together for two days of exchange, learning and networking in a virtual space.

Seven international researchers from various fields presented their findings in a five-minute pitch in front of the virtual audience. This virtual GAIN audience was the Science Slam Jury. The best slammer received a cash prize of $3,000, proudly presented by the German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH). This year's winner is Dr. Martin Skrodzki from RIKEN iTHEMS. He gave a talk on seeing, recognizing, and self-driving cars. The talk is available on YouTube.