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Gathering of Lightning Reborn: “Explain Like I’m 5” | 26th March

After a long hiatus, Farset Labs is back with a new take on our hugely successful  Gathering of Lightning ad-hoc presentation series, once again thanks to support from BCS-Belfast Chapter, with a few changes based on our experiences of running GoL over the past 4 years.

While feedback from the events was unanimously positive, it was felt that GoL was drifting away from it’s original intent to share experience, to educate, and to excite people both in and around the Farset community, with more product and sales pitches percolating up to speak than real knowledge sharing.

In an effort to take things back to their bare bones, we’re stealing some nomenclature from “The Front Page of the Internet”, Reddit.com.

“Explain Like I’m 5”, and it’s abbreviation, “ELi5”, is a slang term used on the Internet in response to an overly complicated answer to a question that requires significant in-advance experience before it can be understood.

Albert Einstein - If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself.
Albert Einstein – If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.

“Explain Like I’m 5” is our collaborative speaker series, where local developers, technologists, entrepreneurs, artists, performers, scientists, and business people take a concept that may be highly specific to their area of expertise or work, and break it down to a lay audience from right across the STEAM spectrum with a minimal expectation of prior knowledge.

The target audience is anyone and everyone who loves learning and expanding their horizons. No topic is off limits as long as you are confident that it can be delivered to a lay audience within the constraints of the format.

The event is in two parts; an invited and a free-for-all section, separated by a beer, soft drink, pizza and fresh fruit intermission.

The rules for both groups are the same:

  • Speakers have a maximum of 7 minutes to speak on the subject of their choice, followed by a short open Q&A.
  • No Slides! The use of Non-Projected Visual Aids is heavily encouraged, and projectors may be considered for live demonstrations.
  • Before the event starts and during the break, presenters (invited or unplanned) are asked to put a 3-5 word synopsis of their topic on the blackboard along with their name.
  • The Compère will decide what order presentations will be done, so be nice to him/her!
  • Punishment for rule/time violators is at the discretion of the compère.

If you’ve got something you’d like to share, email events@farsetlabs.org.uk to discuss it with the subject line “ELI5”

Book your tickets here!

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