Imperial science students to give professors ‘The 3rd Degree’ in live @BBC quiz show

Comedian Steve Punt will host the live recording

Imperial science students are set to take on their professors in a BBC quiz recorded in front of a live audience on campus.

The trio of undergraduate students from a variety of science disciplines will go head-to-head in The 3rd Degree – a BBC Radio 4 programme hosted by comedian Steve Punt.

Staff, students and members of the public are invited to attend the live recording at the College’s South Kensington Campus this Friday evening, 14 February, 17.40-19.20.

From Barthes to Beyoncé: About the quiz

The quiz show, which has been on air for ten years, features three undergraduates against three members of staff in a series of rounds. The rounds vary from general knowledge, to a subject-specific round, to a ‘Highbrow / Lowbrow’ round, where students can challenge their professors on popular culture, with questions ranging from Barthes to Beyoncé.

Competing on the Imperial student team will be:

• Mathematics student Sorcha Owens
• Materials Sciences student Zack Jeanrenaud
• Biochemistry student Rachel Ng

They will go up against three Imperial academics from their respective departments:

• Director of Cross-Curricular Mathematics Education, Dr Philip Ramsden
• Professor of Materials Chemistry, Milo Shaffer
• Professor of Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases, Jake Baum

Friday evening’s recording will feature in a six-episode series due to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 this summer – each episode having been recorded in a different UK university.

“The professors better watch out”

Sorcha Owens, who is studying Mathematics, said: ““I’m super excited for the quiz on Friday! I think it will be a really fun opportunity to challenge our professors with our knowledge in other subjects besides our degrees.”

Professor Baum, from the Department of Life Sciences, said he also was looking forward to the quiz: “The idea of challenging students on questions related to biochemistry/cell biology seems appealing, if only for the comedic value of getting it wrong! Let’s just say I’m always embarrassingly bad at the science rounds of pub quizzes. But – in my defence – I maintain that this is because the quiz-setters always seem to get the answers wrong (or at least imprecise), which I’m sure won’t be the case for The 3rd Degree quiz masters!”

Come along to the live recording

Members of the public, plus Imperial staff and students, are invited to attend the live recording

this Friday 14 February in G16 Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus.

Doors open at 17.40, and the session is scheduled to finish at 19.20.

Entrance is free and no ticket is necessary.