Dal student takes center stage during Falling Walls pitch competition in Berlin – Dal News

Last September, Dalhousie master’s student Dina Rogers took first place in the Falling Walls Lab – Atlantic Canada pitch competition, earning her the opportunity to represent the region at the global Scientific research into the Falling Walls in Berlin.

She takes center stage this Thursday (November 7), along with nearly 100 competitors from around the world, presenting their research-based ideas to improve the world to an audience of international thought leaders and Nobel laureates.

How does she feel about being in the spotlight?

“No one starts research thinking their idea will be pitched on an international stage, let alone in front of those who have won one of the greatest honors in science, like the Nobel Prize,” she says. “If I’m completely honest, it’s discouraging. It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to present your research to a room full of people in general, let alone some of the leading scientists in this field.”

To win the chance to go to Berlin, the biochemistry master’s student defeated thirteen contenders, armed with evidence-based ideas to reshape the world – and just three minutes to argue their case. She mesmerized the judges with bioengineered fungal proteins, described as ‘Pacmen with superpowers’, that devour plastic waste.

Visitors applaud a presenter during the Falling Walls-Atlantic Canada pitch competition in September.

Dina says the analogy to the famous ghost-eating video game hero came about at family dinner while she was trying to explain to her parents what she was working on in the lab.

“Coming from a large Greek family, it was important to have a metaphor that was internationally recognizable. That’s why I started using Pacman because it was applicable no matter what language I spoke,” she says. “Biochemistry is difficult to understand for any scientist, let alone someone who is not in the scientific world. So making comparative analogies to highlight a principle has been my best friend in explaining my research.”

It turns out that talking to your parents is good training for life. Early birds can register to stream her pitch live on the Website of Falling Walls on November 7. She enters the stage between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Atlantic time.

We spoke to Dina before she left for Berlin.

How did it feel to win the top prize at Falling Walls Lab – Atlantic Canada?

If I had to choose one word, it would be surreal. One thing I’ve realized in my short time in academia is that scientists aren’t often in the spotlight to communicate their ideas. Competitions like Falling Walls give us that opportunity. It seems like just yesterday that as a senior student I formed a crazy, far-fetched idea for a project with Dr. David Langelaan in his office. It is surreal to see the project making progress and being recognized at a regional level. But I also think it’s important to recognize that while the process I’m developing is unique, this project idea emerged from the work of other great scientists in the field whose studies gave us the supporting information we need to develop this kind of technology to develop. Ultimately, scientific discovery and knowledge are possible because together we build on the work of others, so this victory is surreal for me, but also for everyone in the field, not just me.

What did you do to prepare for your winning pitch?

Oh my – honestly it was out of focus. I wrote the script while waiting for the experiments to run, like any graduate student. I had a pretty good foundation since participating in Dalhousie’s 3 Minute Thesis last March, but I wanted to make a statement. Most people don’t know what biochemistry is, so I knew I had to get their attention somehow to make it worth remembering. Together with one of my good friends, Jess Latimer, at the end of my talk we came up with the idea of ​​dissolving cotton candy for dramatic effect and representation of the concept. I tried not to rehearse my pitch too much because I naturally wanted to have a conversation. To calm my nervous energy, I made sure I knew which lines to drop if I was running out of time during the actual pitch. Learning the art of improvisation was my best friend because no matter who I practiced on, no two pitches were exactly the same. But I liked that it felt more authentic this way. I was also absolutely unwilling to compromise the lively energy and giggle with which I usually approach science. It was very important to me that while presenting the awesome science, I remained authentic to myself and my personality.

What are you doing to ensure you’re ready for the global spotlight?

Going to Berlin is as exciting as it is terrifying. The Dal Innovates team has been phenomenal in providing support in preparing for Berlin, including pitch coaching, trip planning, chats on what to expect, professional slide design and much more. I’ve been working with coach Permjot Valia, who is absolutely brilliant. On a more personal level I really rehearsed and edited so that not a second of the three minutes was wasted as I watched the pitches from the previous winners and just got really excited – I’ve always enjoyed sharing my passions with others to share.

There may be Nobel Prize winners in the audience for your pitch. How do you feel about being in the esteemed company?

As a young scientist, I am still learning and growing. It is inspiring and intimidating to be in the presence of those who have won such a prestigious award. But I truly believe that the best way to further your professional development and skills is to aim high and get comfortable being uncomfortable.