The submissions are in and the judging is underway!

Here are this year’s 50 dances!

The party is just getting started when the dreaded question comes: “So, what’s your Ph.D. research about?” You launch into the explanation, trying to judge the level of interest as you go deeper. It takes about a minute before someone changes the subject.

At times like this, don’t you wish you lived in a world where you could just ask people to pull out their phones to watch an online video explaining your Ph.D. research through interpretive dance?

You do live in that world! Not only can you have such a video, you can win $1000, achieve geek fame on the Internet, and be recognized by Science for your effort.

This is the 11th year of the “Dance Your Ph.D.” contest sponsored by AAAS and Science, challenging scientists to explain their research without PowerPoint slides or jargon—in fact with no talking at all. It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting your Ph.D. or you completed it decades ago. All science should be explained with dance.

Prizes: The overall winner receives a $1000 cash prize.

How to enter: Turn your Ph.D. thesis into a dance. Post the video on YouTube. Send us the link by 14 January 2019 at 11:59 pm EST.

The rules: 1. You must have a Ph.D., or be working on one as a Ph.D. student.

2. Your Ph.D. must be in a science-related field (see FAQ).

3. You must be part of the dance (see FAQ).

4. The complete and official rules apply and can be found here. Submission deadline: * * * The judging is now underway! * * *

Looking for the dances from last year’s contest? They live here now.