Improbable Research and the Ig Nobel prize
The Ig Nobel Prizes, awarded annually at a ceremony at Harvard University, honour research that first make people laugh, and then make them think. The awards celebrate the unusual, honour the imaginative, and spur people’s interest in science, medicine and technology.
Join founder and host of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony Marc Abrahams for an in-depth look at some recent mind-popping Ig Nobel Prize winners. Hear Ig Nobel Prize-winner Kees Moeliker describe his Ig-winning study of homosexual necrophilia in ducks and also his recent search for an endangered species: the pubic louse.
| |||||
| |||||
|
Marc ABRAHAMS
Editor and co-founder, Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), Cambridge
Graduated from Harvard College with a degree in applied mathematics. | |
Spent several years developing optical character recognition computer systems (including a reading machine for the blind), and later founded Wisdom Simulators, Inc., a creator of educational software. | |
He was the back-page humor columnist for the late, lamented computer magazine Byte. | |
He wrote a monthly back-page humor column for the engineering magazine Design News. | |
He has been commentator for ABC-TV's World News Now and on public radio. | |
He is the father and master of ceremonies of the Ig Nobel Prize. | |
In addition to editing the magazine, Marc writes a monthly newsletter called mini-AIR, a weekly column for the British newspaper The Guardian, and a daily blog. | |
1990-1994 | , he was the editor of the Journal of Irreproducible Results. |
1994 | , after the magazine's publisher decided to abandon the magazine, the founders and entire editorial staff (1955-1994) of the Journal abandoned the publisher and immediately created AIR. |
He also frequently performs lectures that show both the funny side AND the importance of science, medicine, and technology. |
B.Sc. Kees MOELIKER
Curator, Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam; Chief, European Bureau of Improbable Research; Ig Nobel prize winner 2003, Rotterdam
1980-1984 | Assistant butcher, Rotterdam |
1985 | Nature guide, Costa Rica |
English teacher, Istanbul | |
1986-1989 | Biology teacher, Rotterdam |
1990 | Lecturer in biology, Hogeschool Rotterdam |
1989-1994 | Education officer, Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam |
since 1995 | Chief curator and head of communications, Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam |
since 2003 | Editorial board, Annals of Improbable Research |
since 2006 | Chief, European Bureau of Improbable Research |
Dr. Gisela HOPFMÜLLER-HLAVAC
Freie Journalistin, Wien
1984-2009 | Ressort Innenpolitik in der Radio-Information, ORF - Österreichischer Rundfunk |
1991-1997 | Ressortleiterin, ORF - Österreichischer Rundfunk |
1997-2002 | Sendungsverantwortliche "Report", Moderation des politischen TV-Wochenmagazins des ORF "Report" |
1999 | Sendungsverantwortung für "Report International" |
2001 | Sendungsverantwortung für "Europa-Panorama" |
2002-2005 | Moderation von "Modern Times", des Zukunftsmagazins des ORF |
2002-2009 | Leiterin der Hauptabteilung "Bildung und Zeitgeschehen", ORF - Österreichischer Rundfunk |
seit 2009 | Freie Journalistin und Moderatorin |