It is no small feat for young PhD candidates, immersed in academic material, to step onto a stage in front of a beer-drinking, party-spirited audience to talk entertainingly and engagingly about the topic of their PhD work. These are often quite niche subjects, such as how to identify when male pigs are sexually mature.
That is precisely the topic of the thesis by this year’s Researcher Battle winner, Asmita Shrestha.
At Fabrikken in Lillehammer, eight PhD students from INN’s various doctoral programmes met in an informal competition where they each had four minutes on stage to present their research in an accessible and entertaining way.
Overcame her fear
Asmita belongs to the biotechnology community in Hamar and the PhD programme in Applied Ecology and Biotechnology.
– Researcher Battle was a completely new and exciting challenge for me, where I had to step out of my usual academic style. It helped me overcome the fear of performing in public. I never thought I would be standing on a stage like that – it was a big step and an incredible experience for me, she says.
She explains that through the work on her presentation, including a workshop she attended, she changed her perspective on communicating research.
– Previously, I was more focused on academic presentations, but Researcher Battle taught me that humour and storytelling can be powerful tools to break down complex ideas.
And her self-ironic humour about her research on pig puberty won over both the judges and the audience, charming them enough for her to take the top spot.
From Nepal to Hamar
Asmita is from Nepal and moved to Europe to pursue her master’s degree in animal breeding and genetics. She is now in her second year of a PhD at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University), working in reproductive biotechnology.
The main focus of her work is to identify biomarkers for sexual maturity in male pigs using various molecular techniques such as transcriptomics and metabolomics, as well as evaluating quality parameters for semen.
This research aims to lead to more efficient food production and improved animal welfare.
– My goal moving forward is to continue working in the field, either in academia or in the industry, says Asmita Shrestha.
The other participants in this year’s Researcher Battle at INN University were Anja Gjærum, Ane Christensen Tange, Synne Bråten, Diana Katherine Castillo Avila, Takunda Archlove, Dilara Valiyeva, and Steffen Egge Frøyhov.
