How do you make science funny?

A Stand-up Comedian's Take on Science Communication

Comedian and science journalist Kasha Patel has spent years studying, experimenting, and practicing the skill. Now, she will share her insights with you. In her more than seven years of performing science-themed stand-up comedy, Kasha has had many successes and failures—from performing for the Director of the NIH to getting heckled by a high school student at a STEM festival. In this presentation, she will highlight different projects that use humor to make science more accessible and give tips on how to think about writing a joke, whether you’re a scientist, engineer, or science communicator. She will also share her own research on the effectiveness of using comedy to communicate science. And, who knows, you may leave the session with a newly written science joke of your own.
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Bio

Kasha Patel is an American science comedian and journalist. She was listed on Thrillist magazine’s “Best Undiscovered Comedians in the US” where she was called a unicorn for her uniqueness. She primarily focuses her jokes on her life as an Indian-American and science, producing one of the only science-themed comedy shows in the US. She also hosts and acts as emcee for monthly book-themed comedy shows, weekly mics, and special events.

She is the deputy weather editor for the Capital Weather Gang at The Washington Post, covering weather, climate change and the environment. Before joining The Post, she produced news stories, videos and features about the Earth sciences, climate change and satellite research for NASA.