Bringing Science Festival magic to Stratford
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Published
13 September 2024
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It’s officially the halfway point of this year’s British Science Festival (BSF) at the University of East London. Running until 15 September, the multi-day celebration of all things science has already proved a smash hit with large numbers making their way to Docklands campus each day for thought-provoking sessions and hands-on scientific discovery.
Day three sees the Festival move to bustling Stratford with a series of events, workshops, and talks taking place at Westfield. From self-driving cars to a deep dive into the phenomenon of synaesthesia, there’s bound to be something for everyone to enjoy.
For those with an interest in understanding how sounds move and surround us, UEL lecturer Tommaso Perego’s workshop ‘Sonic Adventures’ is a must-attend. Join him to have a play with some of the complex technology used to better understand sonic movement and discover how we might perceive our surrounding environment through sound.
If you want to learn more about the causes of – and treatments for – depression, join UEL Professor Mark McDermott for what promises to be a thoughtful and informative talk at Vue Cinema at 6pm. Professor McDermott’s session will explore how focusing on adversity and personal vulnerability leads to a better understanding of mental health conditions, including depression.
Meanwhile, Dr Mary Spiller invites you to discover just how complex your brain is and some of the weird things that can happen when we get our wires crossed, in her session ‘The many colours of your mind’ at Westfield’s Cabana from 6-8pm.
Finally, if you fancy a different kind of eye test, pop along to Bat & Ball for a series of interactive demonstrations with UEL’s Mark Harwood, revealing the various tricks that our eyes, and their movements, play on us to construct the world around us.
It follows an action-packed day two of the festival at the University of East London’s Docklands campus, where hundreds of people enjoyed a thrilling programme of cutting-edge research, academic workshops, and interactive public activities.
Kicking off the day was UEL’s Dr Meera Tiwari and her team of researchers exploring the stigma around menstruation. During the session, participants heard about important research to combat societal stigma around menstruation across rural India.
Speaking to a captivated audience, Dr Tiwari said
This is a scientific bodily function and is not just about the challenges for women, but about the makeup of the whole family and society."
Continuing the Festival’s focus on inclusivity in health, artist and researcher Camile Baker used her session to shine a light on women’s cancer with her unique and thought-provoking series of artworks.
UEL’s student social collaboration space The Lounge played host to climate and nature scientists diving into the fascinating world of zebrafish research, sharing tales of oceanic marine life and our very own Ria Devereaux on life in plastic, not-so-fantastic.
Ms Devereaux and colleagues are researching the different types of microplastics and other plastic pollutants that plague our rivers and seas and reveal the abundance of plastic hidden in our waters. They delve into the complex journey that unexpected items like fireworks, car tyres and much more take through our capital, to the sea.
A crowd gathered in West Building for a live recording of The Guardian's Science Weekly podcast with Science Editor Ian Sample. The podcast's panel of experts debated whether AI could provide humans with real companionship, potentially alleviating loneliness and isolation.
Speaking of podcasts, listen again to our very own Science Out East podcast this week where we interview British Science Festival Director James Brown alongside Dr Sheeba Viswarajan to answer: What are the told and untold stories of science?
We rounded off day two in the company of the legendary BBC astronomy programme The Sky At Night and presenters Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Chris Lintott, George Dransfireld, and Pete Lawrence.
Celebrating its 193rd anniversary, the British Science Festival is one of Europe’s longest-running science festivals. This year, in partnership with UEL, the event has returned to London for the first time since 2000, continuing its tradition of bringing cutting-edge science to new audiences and offering a platform for innovators, researchers, and artists alike.
The Festival is the culmination of UEL’s Year of Science which has been phenomenally successful in highlighting the importance of science in every aspect of our lives.
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