And the winner of this year's 'Dance Your Ph.D.' contest is

[cbabe]

https://www.science.org/content/article/winner-2025-dance-your-ph-d-contest

And the winner of this year’s ‘Dance Your Ph.D.’ contest is

Helsinki chemist’s food-themed frolic wins overall honors as other awards recognize physics laser raps, swaying leaf cells, and collective dancing takeovers

1 MAY 20258:00 AM ETBYALEXA ROBLES-GIL

The stinging heat of chili peppers, the cooling taste of mint, and the drying sensation from drinking tea were all part of Sulo Roukka’s winning entry in Science’s “Dance Your Ph.D.” contest this year. During the dance, the University of Helsinki food scientist flamboyantly sheds a white lab coat to reveal a red suit, complete with a coattail, symbolizing a chili pepper. He leaps and twirls with sequined partners amid flashing lights in his sensory lab and through the school’s hallways. To Roukka, the best part of the process was bringing friends together “to create something amazing.”

Based on the thesis he defended in January, Roukka’s dance explored the differing sensations among people caused by food compounds such as the fiery capsaicin found in chili (“Hot! Hot! Hot!” accompanying lyrics go) or the icy menthol found in mint (“Cool! Cool! Cool!”). Roukka studied how those sensations, known as chemesthesis, influence human experience, such as remembering the pleasantness of certain foods. These insights can help create better foods, such as plant-based products or nonalcoholic drinks.

Roukka, who took home the $2750 overall and chemistry category prizes, recruited some friends who created costumes, directed, and filmed the action. He also enlisted dancers from one of the university’s musical theater groups. “I got to experience a ‘Kylie Minogue’ fantasy,” he says, recalling a part of the video where he’s lifted up by other dancers in the same way that pop singer often is. The video also features a cameo by his Ph.D. supervisor, food chemist Mari Sandell.

… video at link …

Or watch here:

https://www.neatorama.com/2025/05/01/The-2025-Dance-Your-PhD-Winner-is-Hot/

(See what you’re missing if you don’t love science.)