Science POP: Inès Cherkaoui and Perrine Coquelet will represent the CRCHUM in the provincial final

On April 19, the 2^nd edition of the Science POP popular science competition took place at Université de Montréal's affiliated hospital research centre, the CRCHUM.

The event, which was open to the public, began with an engaged discussion between three popular science figures: Olivier Bernard, aka Le Pharmachien, Mathieu Nadeau-Vallée, nicknamed Doctor TikTok and Antoine Salaün, known under the pseudonym Antoine vs Sciences. They were able to share their experiences as science communicators on social media with the public.

Following this exchange, 17 students took part in the popularization game by presenting their research projects to an audience of around fifty people from the CRCHUM community and the general public.

At the end of the day, two students in particular stood out. Inès Cherkaoui, postdoctoral intern in the laboratory of Guy Rutter, won the popularization challenge with her presentation The extraordinary potential of strains. Perrine Coquelet, PhD candidate, received the media prize after popularizing her project entitled Who has never had back pain?

“It is important for our generation to use all the media available to it, whether it is a microphone, a PowerPoint or a pencil, in order to make science accessible to all,” comments Cherkaoui. “It is by spreading knowledge that we will fight disinformation!”

The two winners of this 2^nd edition of Science POP were each awarded a $300 scholarship. They will represent the CRCHUM at the provincial final of the scientific popularization competition, which will be held on November 21 and 22, 2024, at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM).