Does science bring back bad school memories? Ever wondered how scientists spend their days? Left a talk too ashamed to ask any questions? Or just looking for something different and entertaining to do during the week? Perfect! You found the right place!

Daejeon's recent initiative "Science on Tap" brings scientists to share their passion for science, and pulls them out of labs and into bars. Once a month, a new captivating topic is presented and discussed. Events like Science on Tap, and the akin Pint of Science, have spread across five continents but are still a bit scarce in Asia. Home for 20,000 researchers and South Korea's hub of science and technology, Daejeon seems the ideal place to kick off such an initiative.

The idea was born last year in the bar Watering Ghost, when two scientists and public engagement enthusiasts Eleni Petrakou, previously post-doc at IBS Center for Axion and Precision Physics Research and Juan Carlos Algaba, post-doc at Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), found that Jonathan, the bar owner, was happy to host informal science talks.

"Our goal is to be professional and communicative, but having a lot of fun in the process. Rather than using the traditional format of "I talk, you listen", we promote interactivity, engaging with the audience and letting them become part of the talk," points out Algaba. Over a mug of beer, talks are engaging and entertaining, so that a science background is not required. A casual setting and relax atmosphere help to loosen up and encourage interesting conversations: Which molecules make up our favorite drinks? Are robots going to steal our jobs? How reliable is the science in science-fiction movies? Are gut bacteria to blame for our weight and mood? What is going on inside black holes?

At the next talk, Sushant Raut, postdoc at IBS Center for Theoretical Physics of the Universe, will introduce mysterious particles called neutrinos, which are one of the most abundant, but less understood particles in our universe. "I will talk about how difficult it is to detect neutrinos, the enormous machines that we have to build to study their properties and which questions are left unsolved. I have always felt that along with research and teaching, scientists should also get involved in outreach," he enthuses. Beyond his excitement for science, he also considers these events a way to inform taxpayers about how their money is spent.

The previous speakers have already touched several topics at the forefront science. Keen on demos and visually stimulating props, the bar-owner himself presented the workings of his two passions: deep diving and an open-source hardware platform known as Arduino.

"Science on Tap is a fun way to explore different fields of science presented by knowledgeable and passionate people. The conversations are always great and I have always learned something new," explains Jamal Barbari, who works as English teacher. Moreover, since the talks are in English, non-native speakers can take the opportunity to brush up their English and make new friends. So everybody has the chance to quench their thirst for knowledge!

Next talk: "Neutrinos: The fugitive of the universe in your backyard!", September 5, 2017, 9 pm, at Watering Ghost (Dunsan-dong, located on the 3rd floor of the building opposite the club Sponge. Korean address: 워터링 고스트 대전광역시 서구 둔산동 1057 3층).

Read more on the Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/217426385385913/ and on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/Science-on-tap-Daejeon/

For any info and if you want to give a talk, please contact the current Science on Tap coordinator: letizia@ibs.re.kr