Dona Alburi, a master’s candidate in Professor Simon Krattinger’s Cereal Genetics and Genomics lab, has won the People’s Choice Award in the WEP 2021 SciComm video competition. 

The contest invited scientists at KAUST and in-Kingdom partners to present their research to a non-specialist audience in 90 seconds or less. Alburi’s submission received an astounding 34,344 votes out of the total 100,000.

“Dear barley,” her video begins, “my intentions are not to hurt you, but up until now, infecting you with pathogens is the only means I have to understand your resistance strategies.” Her video goes on to explain her research in an interesting and accessible way, highlighting the need for solutions to rust-infection in the world’s fourth most widely-grown cereal crop. The entire discourse is addressed directly to the plants in her lab.

“I really had fun thinking of a creative way to explain my research project and make the audience engaged. Thanks to [CDA postdoc] Naveen for helping me with the shots & all my amazing friends and family for being extremely supportive!”

Dona Alburi’s video is available to watch on the KAUST Official YouTube Channel.