The interdisciplinary Flow.Walk.Drag. research team, led by Dr. Natalie Beveridge, made a significant impact at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference held in Liverpool this month (31 March – 3 April).
Groundbreaking Research Poster Presentation
On April 1st, the team presented their innovative research poster titled “Drag Performance as a Methodology for Exploring Human-Microbe Relations: A Case Study of Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli.”
The project challenges traditional science communication methods by employing drag performance art to explore the complex relationships between humans and microbes. Rather than using unidirectional knowledge transfer, this approach creates space for deeper engagement with microbial worlds and their influence on human history and public health.
Dr. Beveridge explains: “Drag is a scientific method that reconsiders relationality. It puts human and non-human bodies and the transmission of information all under the microscope, allowing us to engage with difficult topics in a creative way.”Dr. Alifuoco adds: “Our work with Flow.Walk.Drag. demonstrates how performance methodologies can disrupt traditional hierarchies in scientific knowledge production, enabling horizontal information transmission and non-human perspectives.”
LGBTQ+ Social Event Features Special Drag Performance
The team’s contribution extended beyond academic presentation when project drag-performers in residence, Laura Wyatt O’Keeffe and Brendan Curtis, delivered an ad hoc drag performance for the Microbiology Society’s 4th LGBTQ+ Networking Event with Trans and Nonbinary meet on April 1st.
The performance embodied the project’s core question: “What if microorganisms could talk human science communication?”
As one conference delegate noted: “Seeing microbiology through the lens of drag performance completely reframes how we think about human-microbe relationships. Is drag the new form of applied microbiology? After today’s performance, it’s certainly possible!”
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