The search is on for the new voices of science communication. Over the autumn FameLab UK heats will be taking place across the country from Aberdeen to London, Cardiff to Cambridge. New for this year, and with help from the Royal Academy of Engineering, FameLab UK has also been able to produce two engineering specific heats to encourage more engineers to enter the competition and develop their skills.

19 scientists from across four continents will head to The Times Cheltenham Science Festival to compete in the International Finals of the world’s greatest science communication competition – FameLab.

Olimpio Ritota, a high school teacher, who fascinated the judges by using a “Cartesian devil” to illustrate Archimede’s principle of density and Pascal’s law of fluid-pressure, and Maria Grazia Filippone, a doctoral student in genetics and molecular medicine, who spoke about the effects of sun radiation on unprotected skin. Both contestants have won a place at Italy’s FameLab national final which will take place in Perugia on 4 May.

This year FameLab is also in Italy. Four cities, for the first time, will host the local heats: Bologna, Naples, Perugia and Trento.