A stem cell scientist who is adamant that lab-grown meat will be the new sustainable way to make better meat for the world will represent Thailand at FameLab International next month, the world's largest science competition.
Napat Tandikul won the finale of FameLab Thailand 2019 on Saturday, which was organised by the British Council and its partners at the Bangkok Art and Culture. She was one among 10 other contestants who also took part in the contest.
In second place was Benyapa Wongsaravit, a medical student at Rangsit University. Her topic was Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy CTE (Punch Drunk Syndrome).
Meanwhile, Nawapol Chuamvarasart, a computer science student at Chulalongkorn University came third with her topic "Can Android become human?"
During the competition, each contestant had three minutes to explain a complicated scientific topic in a simple, straightforward, and engaging manner.
The topics the finalists chose to discuss ranged from sleep paralysis, laser dentistry, time dilation, to lab-grown meat.
Ms Napat, a former researcher at EpiBone Inc in New York, was able to convince the judges, calling on what observers said were a calm and engaging presence on stage and fine storytelling skills.
She was awarded 20,000 baht in cash and will represent Thailand at FameLab International 2019 which will take place at the Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK on June 5-6.
She will also have the opportunity to visit a research lab or university of her choice in any of the 28 member countries of the European Union, an initiative supported by Euraxess Asean.
Each year, the British Council runs the national FameLab contest in countries across the world.
The winners of the national level competition are awarded the opportunity to go to the Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK where the FameLab International Final takes place.
Cheltenham Festivals held the first FameLab in 2005. Since 2007, a partnership with the British Council has seen the competition go international.
To date, more than 10,000 scientists and engineers have taken part.