Mon 9 Mar – Sun 22 Mar 2020
Bookings open: Mon 10 Feb 2020
To pre-book, visit: www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk or call: 01223 766766 There is no need to pre-book events unless specifically stated in the programme
Lines open: 11AM – 3PM Mon – Fri
Useful information JJ Make sure children under the age of 16 are accompanied by an adult at all times. The Festival gets very busy so please keep a beady eye on them too! JJ Some of our buildings are quite old! Please check our accessibility information and give us a call on 01223 766766 if you have specific requirements. JJ Please contact us if you would like all, or part, of this programme in large font. We can provide an audio programme too. JJ Our volunteers will be on hand to help point you in the right direction and help with access. If you have specific Festival questions or comments, please search out a member of Festival staff. We generally have our Festival hoodies on!
JJ Bring a water bottle with you; we will direct you to the nearest water fountains. JJ Book your tickets in advance at our website. Because some people book but do not turn up (oops!) there are almost always tickets available on the door even for fully booked events. We can’t guarantee a seat but pop along and join the queue and we will do our best. JJ Don’t be late! If you are not on time, we think you are a no-show, and we may reallocate your space to someone waiting. JJ Be social! Check for announcements and share your Festival stories with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too. We’re CambridgeScienceFestival, @CamScience #CamSciFest
The University of Cambridge and our sponsors and partners are proud to present the Cambridge Science Festival:
Welcome to the 2020 Cambridge Science Festival
Explore this year’s theme of vision © Toby Smitht
14
54
66
© Sue Long
55
5
Welcome to the 2020 Cambridge Science Festival.
Key Pre-book this event
The 26th Cambridge Science Festival takes a view of our past and suggests a vision for the future. Join us for a close-up look at Cambridge research and see how our scientists are working to understand and solve some of the greatest challenges of our time.
(events are free unless a price is indicated)
Exhibitions and displays Talks and debates Performance, comedy, theatre and music Films Hands-on events and workshops Tours
Please tell us what you think of the Festival
Accessibility
The Science Festival takes place over many different venues with differing levels of accessibility. Everyone is welcome at the Festival and if you require specific access arrangements, please call: 01223 766766 or email: csf@admin.cam.ac.uk T S Li PA
Toilet, wheelchair accessible Step free Lift to all floors Partial access: phone or email to discuss your requirements
The University of Cambridge Disability Access Guide is available at: accessable.co.uk/university-of-cambridge
sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/ feedback
CambridgeScienceFestival CamScience I #CamSciFest Š Jacqueline Garget
71
6
Throughout the Festival SIGNIFICANT: A BUNCH OF VIRUSES This exhibition, by artist Helen Birnbaum, celebrates pioneering individuals who lead the way in medical science. 9AM – 5PM � THU 5 MAR TO FRI 10 APR WEEKDAYS ONLY Alison Richard Building, Sidgwick Site, 7 West Road, CB3 9DT
CELEBRATING WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION Explore the Museum galleries for stories of the women at the forefront of zoological and conservation research, including new stories in our displays celebrating International Women’s Day.
ALVEARIUM: THERE IS NO PLAN BEE An interactive art installation exploring Climate BeeMergency. This piece challenges participants to investigate the effects a possible extinction of honey bees could have on pioneering medical research.
NORMAL OPENING HOURS � SAT 7 MAR TO SUN 22 MAR Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ
10AM – 4.30PM � MON 9 MAR TO FRI 20 MAR WEEKDAYS ONLY Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
24 PORTRAITS: RECOVERING AND REIMAGINING WOMEN’S LABOUR Artist Emma Copley has created an immersive, sitespecific, painted portrait installation to celebrate and address the representation of women who currently work in all areas of the Department of Pathology. 10AM – 4PM � MON 9 MAR TO SAT 14 MAR Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP
ART IN ART: SYMBOLIC REPRODUCTION Gina Glover’s images focus on the theme of reproduction, particularly IVF, and were inspired by both science and art. These works were influenced by her exploration of Bourn Hall Fertility Clinic, and the archive of IVF pioneer Professor Sir Robert Edwards. 10AM – 5PM � MON 9 MAR TO SUN 22 MAR Jock Colville Hall, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, CB3 0DS
7 PLANTS INSPIRING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION Nature is a rich source of inspiration for innovative solutions to our environmental problems and new synthetic products. This new trail for adults and students takes you around the Botanic Garden to see plants that have already solved many of the problems that we are currently facing.
TRAVELLING COMPANIONS This exhibition by Judy Goldhill and Fay Ballard explores personal belongings as ‘travelling companions to life’ that unlock thoughts, feelings and memories, and the notion of the skies and stars as travelling companions to explorers navigating their passage across the globe. Curated by Dr Ro Spankie.
NORMAL OPENING HOURS � MON 9 MAR ONGOING Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, CB2 1JE
9AM – 5PM � MON 9 MAR TO THU 9 APR WEEKDAYS ONLY Alison Richard Building, Sidgwick Site, 7 West Road, CB3 9DT
Normal admission charge
THE BIOSPHERE PROJECT This visually enthralling exhibition by international artist Joaquín Fargas acts as a platform to raise awareness about important issues around the preservation of Earth. Contemporary art can be used to develop a constructive criticism of our own context in relation to the need to understand nature’s properties. 10AM – 4.30PM � MON 9 MAR TO FRI 20 MAR WEEKDAYS ONLY Ruskin Gallery, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
WOOD BELOW THE LENS: EXHIBITION A gallery display of gorgeous colour photographs of wood anatomy. This exhibition is a lush journey into the extraordinary micro-anatomy of vascular plants from all over the world. 10AM – 4PM � MON 9 MAR TO FRI 20 MAR WEEKDAYS ONLY Department of Geography, Downing Place, CB2 3EN
SHARPENING PERCEPTIONS An exhibition of copies of paintings in the Fitzwilliam Museum made by students at the Hamilton Kerr Institute as part of their training to become painting conservators. The copies are displayed alongside the original paintings. The act of copying focuses the students’ attention and helps them see things in paintings that casual observers might easily miss. NORMAL OPENING HOURS � TUE 10 MAR TO SUN 17 MAY Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RB
WALKING ON THIN ICE Experience the vision of 12 teenagers selected from around the UK to work directly with polar researchers. Walking on Thin Ice: Co-operation in the face of a changing climate is a co-curated exhibition about climate change as they see it. NORMAL OPENING HOURS � TUE 10 MAR TO SUN 22 MAR Scott Polar Research Institute, The Polar Museum, Lensfield Road, CB2 1ER
8
Week one
There is no need to pre-book events unless indicated by our booking icon
To pre-book, visit: www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk or call: 01223 766766
9 Dr Peter Wothers, Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Credit: Nathan Pitt
Mon 9 Mar
Pre-Festival CELEBRATING WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION Join us as we celebrate the amazing women working to understand and better protect the world around us. Hear from women at the forefront of zoology and conservation with a series of talks ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March. 2PM – 4PM � SAT 7 MAR Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ
TRAVELLING COMPANIONS Science meets humanities in this talk, which explores the notion of travelling companions: from a personal belonging charged with significance to a star guiding you across the globe. Join us to investigate this theme. Held in conjunction with the exhibition Travelling Companions by Judy Goldhill and Fay Ballard, and curated by Dr Ro Spankie. 3PM – 5PM � SAT 7 MAR Alison Richard Building, Sidgwick Site, 7 West Road, CB3 9DT
WHIPPLE MUSEUM: 75TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION TOUR “I little thought when I bought an old telescope, for the sum of 10 francs from an antique shop in Tours in 1913, that I was embarking on the slippery slope of collecting,” said Robert Whipple, upon donating over 2,000 books and instruments to the University. Join Curator Dr Josh Nall to investigate Whipple’s significant collection, from astrolabes, to telescopes, to railway glasses. 1PM – 2PM � MON 9 MAR MON 16 MAR Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Free School Lane, CB2 3RH
10 AN INTRODUCTION INTO TREE-RING RESEARCH The Department of Geography presents a brief history of the science of dendrochronology and explains how tree rings are used to investigate past climate and environmental variability several centuriesto-millennia back in time. Visitors are then invited to tour the labs to discover more about tree rings, wood anatomical measurements and dendrochronological dating techniques. 6PM – 7PM � MON 9 MAR WED 11 MAR Department of Geography, Downing Place, CB2 3EN
DISCOVERY AND THE DEAD PLANTS SOCIETY With 1.1 million plant specimens collected over the past 300 years, the University Herbarium is especially rich in those collected by 19th century greats like Henslow, Darwin and Wallace. Herbarium Curator Dr Lauren Gardiner discusses why these treasures are so important today. 6PM – 7PM � MON 9 MAR Sainsbury Laboratory, 47 Bateman Street, CB2 1LR
EXOMARS ROVER: ENGINEERING THE RED PLANET ExoMars is Europe’s first Rover mission to Mars, a mission in search of life, past or present, to answer one of humankind’s oldest questions: are we alone in the Universe? Abbie Hutty, Platform Delivery Manager for the Rover, discusses the mission’s aims and objectives, the major challenges and design drivers of a mission to Mars, and how the team are engineering solutions to meet those challenges. 6PM – 7PM � MON 9 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
MORE LIGHT THAN HEAT: USING DATA TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO DISEASE TRANSMISSION In partnership with Cambridge University Press 2020 is the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. Join Professor Christl Donnelly, Imperial College London, as she takes a long view of using data visualisation and analysis to inform policymakers about how diseases spread, how control measures are working (or not working) and who is at greatest risk. 6PM – 7PM � MON 9 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
OUR SUSTAINABLE FOOD JOURNEY Horizons Public Lecture Nick White, University Catering Service, Emma Garnett, Department of Zoology, and Amy MunroFaure, Environment and Energy Section, discuss how a Sustainable Food Policy at the University of Cambridge has dramatically reduced food-related carbon emissions. 6PM – 7.30PM � MON 9 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
HARNESSING BIG CLINICAL DATA IN MEDICINE: CAN AI IMPROVE BREAST CANCER SCREENING? 2.2 million women are screened for breast cancer each year in the UK. Can artificial intelligence identify women at most risk of cancer, improve the performance of the radiologists reading the mammograms or even replace the readers? 6PM – 8PM � MON 9 MAR Newnham College, Sidgwick Avenue, CB3 9DF
11
50 YEARS IS NOT LONG ENOUGH PROFESSOR DAME ATHENE DONALD 6PM – 7.15PM � TUE 10 MAR Fifty years ago, women in physics in the University were a rare breed. They still are, although slightly less so. Matriculating in 1971, there were eight of us in physics in my final year cohort of perhaps 80. Numbers of women in the University have increased substantially since then, but in some subjects far more than others. In physics, not least because of issues starting much earlier in life and in our schools, numbers remain stubbornly low at around 20%. Better than in my graduating class but nevertheless dismal. Across the University, we are still celebrating ‘firsts’ – such as the first female Master of one of the formerly male Colleges or the first female Marshall. Only about 20% of the professoriate are currently women. Despite having had a female Vice-Chancellor long before Oxford, no one could pretend we haven’t a long way to go.
In the past 50 years, there have been massive changes, not least the shift from all singlesex-Colleges to almost uniform co-education. Women can be found in every subject, but not equally at every level. The gender pay gap in the University substantially reflects the large proportion of women in the lowest grades and, conversely, the high proportion of men at the top. It is no trivial matter to change the numbers but that is the task for the University looking forward. Numbers aren’t everything of course. Ensuring that policies that work to support everyone are fully implemented is fundamental too. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it is worth looking back over the 150 years since women first started studying in this University and reflecting on where we’ve got to and how far we still have to go.
12 MOLECULAR AND METABOLIC DISSECTION OF A RARE TUMOUR Gastrointestinal stroma tumours are diverse in many aspects. Dr Olivier Giger and team, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, perform a morphological, molecular and metabolic dissection of these tumours and tell the award-winning story of interaction between a patient group, clinicians and scientists here in Cambridge.
OUR DISGUSTING PLANET Welcome to Our Disgusting Planet, where taboos are busted and the disgusting normalised through frank, funny and filthy comedy. Belle Taylor and Char Mykura combine science facts, personal anecdotes, silly games and frank audience discussion to talk about the typically disgusting in a candid, confessional environment.
6.30PM – 7.30PM � MON 9 MAR Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP
7.30PM – 9.30PM � MON 9 MAR Thirsty Cambridge, 46 Chesterton Road, CB4 1EN 16+ years, £8
AI AND SOCIETY: THE THINKING MACHINES Drones, driverless cars, films portraying robots that look and think like humans… Today, intelligent machines are present in almost all walks of life. So it is not surprising that people are wondering about our future and asking questions like: will artificial intelligence be superior to the human brain? Dr Mateja Jamnik, Computer Laboratory, answers this question from a scientific perspective and talks about building AI systems that capture some of our informal and intuitive human thinking. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � MON 9 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT Part of Wesley Methodist Church’s Science meets Faith Lecture Series Professor Emerita Joanna Haigh, Imperial College London, has research interests in radiative transfer in the atmosphere, climate modelling, radiative forcing of climate change and the influence of solar irradiance variability on climate. She discusses climate change and what we can do about it. 7.45PM – 9.15PM � MON 9 MAR Wesley Methodist Church, Christ’s Pieces, CB1 1LG
THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL CEILIDH Put on your dancing shoes and join the Red Rock Ceilidh Band to celebrate the start of the Science Festival! Featuring Festival favourite dances, The Very Large Hadron Collider and Mr Schrödinger’s Maggot. 7.30PM – 9.30PM � MON 9 MAR University Social Club, Mill Lane, CB2 1RX £7 / £4 / under-12 free
“Excellent talk. Really well presented and pitched just right. I really enjoyed it, as did my students.”
13
Tue 10 Mar WOOD BELOW THE LENS: WELCOME TALK This hands-on journey introduces you to the structure of local and exotic timbers. Visit the Department of Geography and discover the fine patterns and textures of wood using a hand lens and learn the principles of wood identification. NOON – 1PM � TUE 10 MAR THU 12 MAR Department of Geography, Downing Place, CB2 3EN
LINES OF SITE: ARTISTLED WORKSHOP Explore the exhibition Lines of Site with artist Debbie Loftus, followed by an artist-led drawing tour. Looking at her works which were inspired by the Parthenon Frieze, Loftus focuses on the resonance of shattered shapes and broken lines – and her use of digital and analogue techniques. 2PM – 4PM � TUE 10 MAR Museum of Classical Archaeology, Sidgwick Avenue, CB3 9DA 16+ years
WOMEN RISING IN STEM: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE The Rising Network proudly presents an interactive mentoring event spotlighting on inspirational women in science. Three inspirational female scientists tell their science stories, including overcoming obstacles, and how they have, and are, contributing to the body of scientific knowledge while enjoying rich and rewarding careers. 5.30PM – 8.30PM � TUE 10 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
AI NARRATIVES From R.U.R (1920) to The Terminator (1984) to Big Hero 6 (2014), fictional narratives have an incredible influence on how we talk about and imagine artificial intelligence – even inspiring new developments. Researchers from the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence discuss the importance of stories in understanding AI. 6PM – 7PM � TUE 10 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
AN ALPHABET OF AMAZING ANIMAL VISION: FROM ANTS TO ZEBRA FINCHES We often like to think of ourselves at the top of some evolutionary ladder and that includes our vision. But actually dogs, and cats, eyes vastly outperform ours when it comes to seeing in the dark, birds of prey have amazing telescopic sight and animals from ants to zebra finches see a much wider range of wavelengths than we do. Join Dr David Williams, Veterinary School, to find out just how amazing animal vision is. 6PM – 7PM � TUE 10 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
PETER PAN AND THE BRAIN: PERSPECTIVES FROM NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE What does Peter Pan have to do with cognitive psychology? What can Victorian theories of the brain tell us about Captain Hook? Dr Rosalind Ridley and Dr Sarah Green consider how neuropsychology and the history of medicine can work together to bring new light to the familiar tale. 6PM – 7PM � TUE 10 MAR Fitzwilliam College, Storey’s Way, CB3 0DG
14 50 YEARS IS NOT LONG ENOUGH: WITH PROFESSOR DAME ATHENE DONALD Why do we still have a significant gender pay gap and only 20% female professors? What can we do to speed up progress? We need to look both backwards and forwards if we are to achieve true gender equality. To mark International Women’s Day, Professor Dame Athene Donald addresses these statements and discusses them in conversation with the ViceChancellor, Professor Stephen J Toope. 6PM – 7.15PM � TUE 10 MAR Memorial Court, Clare College, Queen’s Road, CB3 9AJ
ICE ON THE MOVE From slippery solids to liquid lakes, Dr Neil Arnold, Department of Geography, presents a whistle-stop introduction to glaciers and ice sheets. Following the talk, join us for a short tour of the Polar Museum. 6PM – 7.20PM � TUE 10 MAR Scott Polar Research Institute, The Polar Museum, Lensfield Road, CB2 1ER
EVERYDAY LIFE IN MEDIEVAL IRELAND: THE CRAFT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE POWER OF WORDS How much garlic did the medieval Irish use in baking bread? The answer to this and other questions about daily life in medieval Ireland can be found in written and material sources used to construct the past. Dr Sharon Arbuthnot and Professor Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, AngloSaxon, Norse and Celtic, and Professor Aidan O’Sullivan and colleagues, University College Dublin, bring to life the everyday objects of medieval Ireland. 6PM – 7.30PM � TUE 10 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
MEDICAL IMAGERY LIFE DRAWING CLASS Presented in partnership with TTP plc Life drawing with a scientific twist! Draw the human form projected with images of MRIs, CAT scans and X-rays. 6PM – 8PM � TUE 10 MAR Cambridge Science Centre, Unit 44, Clifton Road Industrial Estate, CB1 7EP Please bring your own drawing materials, tea and coffee provided 16+ years, £8
DRINK-SPIKING MYTHS: TRUTHS AND ADVANCES IN FORENSIC SCIENCE As a consequence of increased public awareness and media attention, there has been a 108% rise in the reporting of drink-spiking incidents over the past three years in the UK. Dr Lata Gautam and Christopher Davies, ARU, discuss how delays in reporting, however, can lead to problems confirming incidents using forensic techniques. 6.30PM – 7.30PM � TUE 10 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
NOW YOU SEE ME: UNDERSTANDING HOW FLOWERS MANIPULATE POLLINATORS How do some flowering plants produce the striking pigmentation patterns and amazing microscopic features that are key to attracting pollinators? Dr Edwige Moyroud, Sainsbury Laboratory, explores the function and evolution of floral patterning and looks at what plant scientists are doing to try to solve this enigma. 7PM – 8PM � TUE 10 MAR Sainsbury Laboratory, 47 Bateman Street, CB2 1LR
15
CAFÉ SCI CAMBRIDGE Grab a coffee with a large slice of science and join us for an evening exploring the latest ideas in science and technology. Organised by the Public Engagement Team at the Wellcome Genome Campus. 7PM – 8.30PM � TUE 10 MAR Espresso Library, 210 East Road, CB1 1BG
PREDICTIVE BRAINS, MODELLING MINDS, OPTIMISING MENTAL FUNCTIONING Cambridge Biomedical Campus on tour According to contemporary neuroscience our brain is constantly building a model of the body and the world it inhabits. How does it do this? How does this help us think about our mental functioning and other minds around us? Join Dr Hisham Ziauddeen, Department of Psychiatry, to find out how things go awry in mental illness. 7PM – 9PM � TUE 10 MAR The Lab, 90 Regent Street, CB2 1DP
STAR MAPS TO CELL MAPS Discover how astronomers are helping medical researchers in the battle against cancer. With Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge funding, this project aims to build a 3D tumour that can be studied using virtual reality. Hear from researchers involved in this exciting project and (weather permitting) do some stargazing! 7PM – 9.20PM � TUE 10 MAR Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, CB3 0HA
ONCE UPON A FOOD SYSTEM How can our food tackle global challenges like the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and world hunger? Join Global Food Security’s Maia Elliott and bestselling author and BBC presenter Dr Adam Rutherford for a unique scientific storytelling event, where five scientists are challenged not only to inform food system change, but to inspire it. 7.15PM – 9PM � TUE 10 MAR Student Services Centre, New Museums Site, Bene’t Street, CB2 3PY
FROM POLICING TO FASHION: HOW THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS SHAPING OUR WORK Artificial intelligence has created a lot of buzz about the future of work. Alentina Vardanyan, Judge Business School, and Lauren Waardenburg, KIN Center for Digital Innovation, Amsterdam, discuss the social and psychological implications of AI, from reshaping the fashion design process to predictive policing. 7.30PM – 9PM � TUE 10 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
HEALTH & INEQUALITIES: A VIEW OF THE FUTURE Cambridge Institute of Public Health Lecture Did you know health is influenced by where you live, who you live with and what you earn? Join Professor Ann Louise Kinmonth, Dr John Ford, and Dr Mia Gray as they discuss how these, and other socio-economic inequalities, might influence your future wellness. 7.30PM – 9PM � TUE 10 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
16
Wed 11 Mar A VISION OF THE UNIVERSE: THE ASTRONOMICUM CAESARIUM OF 1540 Apianus’s Astronomicum Caesarium of 1540 is one of the high points of 16thcentury printing. A visualisation of the Universe according to Ptolomaic astronomy, it provides readers with paper calculating machines to work out the positions of the planets. Edward Cheese, Fitzwilliam Museum, discusses how a recent conservation project gives fresh insights into its production. 1.15PM – 2PM � WED 11 MAR Seminar Room, Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RB Admission by token, available from 12.45pm
A FEMINIST TOUR AT FOUR Join us for a feminist look at the history of the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences and explore some gender themes within the collection. The tour introduces you to some of the hidden figures: the pioneering women who have contributed to the study and understanding of geology in many different ways. 4PM – 5PM � WED 11 MAR Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Downing Street, CB2 3EQ
2020 ANNUAL WISETI LECTURE: YOU COULD DIE OF INFECTION The march of drug-resistant infections goes on, but who is doing what? Professor Dame Sally Davies, the newly appointed first female Master of Trinity College, spent the past nine years as Chief Medical Officer, during which time she led the UK Government’s international campaign on antimicrobial resistance. The rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, and what is being done to tackle it, is the focus of Professor Davies’s WiSETI Lecture. 5.30PM - 6.30PM � WED 11 MAR Wolfson Hall, Churchill College, Storey’s Way, CB3 0DS
AI MYTH-BUSTING: SEPARATING SCIENCE FACT FROM FICTION Hype around artificial intelligence, big data and machine learning has reached a fever pitch. Yet for all of their promise, there remains a lot of confusion about what these things mean and what they can actually do. Join Dr Jennifer Cobbe, Department of Computer Science and Technology, and Dr Christopher Markou, Faculty of Law, as they debunk some of the biggest myths around AI today. 6PM – 7PM � WED 11 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
ILLUSIONS AND HALLUCINATIONS: OUR TENUOUS GRIP ON REALITY Perception is not a passive process. Professor Paul Fletcher, Department of Psychiatry, discusses how we construct our picture of reality using a combination of sensory data and stored knowledge. Usually, this strategy serves us well but it does not take much for the system to become perturbed and for us to create a reality that other people do not share. 6PM – 7PM � WED 11 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
LOOKING AT SKIN AND SKIN COLOUR IN ANCIENT GREECE How do we see skin colour in the ancient Greek world, and how did the ancient Greeks? Join Professor Tim Whitmarsh, Faculty of Classics, as he interrogates what skin colour is: a fact of nature, a cultural construction or something else? 6PM – 7PM � WED 11 MAR Museum of Classical Archaeology, Sidgwick Avenue, CB3 9DA
17 THE DINOSAUR RESURRECTION: HOW THE DEMISE OF THE DINOSAURS PAVED THE WAY FOR THE ORIGIN OF MODERN BIRDS An asteroid impact 66 million years ago may have wiped out the giant dinosaurs, but it also resulted in the rapid evolution of birds. From this point onwards, bird body size and genomes were changed forever. Dr Daniel Field, Department of Earth Sciences, explores the evidence and sheds light on the way modern animals may respond to Earth’s current biodiversity crisis. 6PM – 7PM � WED 11 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
VISUALISING HIGH DIMENSIONS In partnership with Cambridge University Press Most of us are happy visualising three-dimensional objects. We can draw them, or make models of them, and so on. Professor Imre Leader, Department of Pure Mathematics and Statistics, asks: how would we visualise a four-dimensional object? What would a ‘fourdimensional object’ even mean? And what about going beyond four dimensions? 6PM – 7PM � WED 11 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
CBU VISION NIGHT: LOOKING AT THE BRAIN An evening at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (MRC CBU) exploring research in psychology and neuroscience through practical hands-on activities and experiments followed by some short talks. 6PM – 8.30PM � WED 11 MAR MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, 15 Chaucer Road, CB2 7EF
CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY: INNOVATION FROM LABORATORY BENCH TO BEDSIDE Cancer immunotherapy harnesses the power of our immune system in the fight against cancer. But what exactly is cancer immunotherapy? How does it work? How is it helping patients? How can this new treatment be improved? Join Professor Klaus Okkenhaug, Department of Pathology, together with clinicians to find out more. 6.30PM – 7.30PM � WED 11 MAR Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP
CIVIL ENGINEERING IN A CHANGING WORLD From safe water supplies and flood defences to driverless cars and the A14 improvements, these are just some of the projects professional civil engineers are working on to improve our day-to-day lives. Nick Baveystock, Director General of the Institution of Civil Engineers, looks at global infrastructure and the challenges of planning for the impact of increasing populations, climate change and technology. 6.30PM – 8PM � WED 11 MAR Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, CB2 1PZ
BEYOND 2020: WHAT NEXT FOR GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY? In 2011 the Aichi Biodiversity Targets set out an ambitious plan to conserve global biodiversity. Join conservationists from the University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute and the Cambridge Conservation Initiative to reflect on the achievements of the targets as they reach the end of their implementation period in 2020. 7PM – 8.30PM � WED 11 MAR Zoology Lecture Theatre, Department of Zoology, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ
18
HOW ‘MINI-ORGANS’ ARE REVOLUTIONISING BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH DR EMMA RAWLINS Gurdon Institute
6PM – 8PM � THU 12 MAR
Scientists have been growing animal and human cells in the laboratory for more than 60 years. While these lab-grown cells are a powerful research tool, providing the basis for important developments in modern medicine, including some cancer drugs, anti-HIV therapies and vaccines, they are grown in very artificial conditions and therefore don’t actually resemble any cells in our bodies. Ten years ago, Professor Hans Clevers and colleagues in the Netherlands invented a more complex cell culture system in which ‘mini-organs’, or ‘organoids’, could be grown. The Clevers team first worked out how to grow cells from the mouse gut in a way that preserved normal gut architecture and cell behaviour. This discovery has led to a worldwide revolution in cell growth, and mini-organs are now being grown from almost all parts of
the human body. Scientists in Cambridge are at the forefront of this research, and mini-guts, livers, lungs, kidneys, placentas and even brains are growing in labs all over the city. This ability to study cells in a more natural setting provides many new and interesting research opportunities. Organoid technology has already been used to study human embryonic development, to test personalised treatments for cystic fibrosis and to replace some of the animals used in drug testing. Scientists are now exploring its potential for growing replacement organs, repairing damaged genes and providing personalised treatments for other diseases. I will discuss current and future uses of mini-organs: some are science fiction, but many are exciting research horizons.
19 FLOWER POWER: MAKING CROPS BETTER AT BEING POLLINATED By 2050, the global population is estimated to hit 10 billion, and we’re going to need to feed them all. Around a third of our food depends on pollinating insects, but they’re in decline. Hamish Symington explores how food crops rely on insects, and how research at the Department of Plant Sciences aims to make flowers more efficient at being pollinated, and help to feed all those mouths in future. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � WED 11 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
ROBYN PERKINS: MATING SELECTION On 14 August 2018, Robyn Perkins participated in a dating show in front of a live audience. Her experience led her to question human morality and the social constructs of present-day dating. She tells this epic true story while weaving in some hilarious explanations about the science of love. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � WED 11 MAR Cambridge University Centre Wine Bar, Granta Place, CB2 1RU 16+ years, £7.70
BOOM! Join the Naked Scientists for an explosive hour of Festival science fun, featuring a host of sensational scientists, exciting experiments and demos, and a chance to ask those scientific questions you’ve always wondered about. 8PM – 9PM � WED 11 MAR Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington Avenue, Eddington, CB3 1AA Ideal for teenagers
MATT HOBS BSC (BRISTOLIAN OF SCIENCE) This stand-up comedy show is about the ups and downs of Matt Hobs’ career in the world of science. It’s about what led him into science (the hubris of thinking he could win a Nobel prize), what led him out of science (issues with the aforementioned hubris) and how he has finally come to love science. 8.45PM – 9.45PM � WED 11 MAR Cambridge University Centre Wine Bar, Granta Place, CB2 1RU
Thu 12 Mar OBJECTS OF INGENUITY This interdisciplinary interactive workshop with the Department of Archaeology explores the extraordinary creativity and ingenuity of communities across the world in the making of objects: from swords and jewellery, to pottery and textiles. Join us, get inspired and unleash your own inventiveness! 12.30PM – 2PM � THU 12 MAR Department of Archaeology, Downing Street, CB2 3QY
THE WORLD OF TOMORROW NEEDS YOU How can people live in harmony with nature? Travel forward in time and create your ideal world with this artist-led workshop in partnership with the Cambridge Conservation Initiative. Make your ideas in 3D, add them to the map and see the future world unfold.
16+ years, £7.70
3.30PM – 7.30PM � THU 12 MAR Learning Lab, Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ Great for families
20 BUG YOUR BEDROOM WITH SCRATCH AND PIBRELLA Come along to this fun workshop and learn how to create the beginnings of an intruder alarm to protect your bedrooms from being invaded by parents and siblings! We’ll be using Scratch programming language on a Raspberry Pi to control a Pibrella ‘hat’. For everyone 8+ years old.
EVERY DROP COUNTS: BLOOD DONORS OF THE FUTURE What happens to your blood sample donated for research? Professor Emanuele Di Angelantonio, Director of the NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Genomics, talks about recruiting blood donors, identifying blood types and understanding the effects of frequent donation.
4PM – 6PM � THU 12 MAR Centre for Computing History, Rene Court, Coldhams Road, CB1 3EW
6PM – 7PM � THU 12 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
Great for families, £12 / £8
OUR VISION AND UPDATES ON RESEARCH PROGRESS FOR DEMENTIA Dementia with Lewy bodies is the second most common type of neurodegenerative dementia in elderly people. Professor Ian McKeith, Newcastle University, discusses how the public can help improve our understanding of this littleknown condition. This talk is followed by discussions about dementia, led by researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, East Anglia and Essex. 4PM – 6PM � THU 12 MAR School of Clinical Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, CB2 0SP
GROWING UNDERGROUND Urban agriculture is increasingly being investigated as a local source of food. Integrating urban farms within dense environments has the potential to utilise waste infrastructure and resources and have environmental benefits. Dr Ruchi Choudhary, Department of Engineering, presents data from the world’s first underground farm in London and highlights the challenges and opportunities of growing food in abandoned city spaces. 6PM – 7PM � THU 12 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
THE MOON: A HISTORY FOR THE FUTURE Oliver Morton explores the history and future of humankind’s relationship with the Moon. A counterpoint in the sky, it has shaped our understanding of the Earth from Galileo to Apollo. Its gentle light has spoken of love and loneliness; its battered surface of death and the cosmic. For some, it is a future on which humankind has turned its back. For others, an adventure yet to begin. 6PM – 7PM � THU 12 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T: HOW OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM TELLS FRIEND FROM FOE Cambridge Immunology Public Lecture Our body is under constant attack by microbes. These extremely small particles, such as bacteria and viruses, hijack our bodies to live and reproduce, after all they are parasites so this is how they survive. How then does our body defend itself against this constant attack and how does it tell a potential invader from the friendly bacteria that are beneficial to us and which we can’t live without? 6PM – 7.30PM � THU 12 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
21 MINI-ORGANS IN A DISH: HOW ORGANOIDS ARE REVOLUTIONISING RESEARCH Using state-of-the-art technology, researchers are now able to grow organoids, – miniature versions of organs – in the laboratory. Dr Emma Rawlins, whose work focuses on creating minilungs, explains how organoids are grown and discusses why this new technology is so important for biomedical research. Followed by informal discussions and drinks with scientists from the Gurdon Institute. 6PM – 8PM � THU 12 MAR Gurdon Institute, The Henry Wellcome Building, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QN
NATURA URBANA: A VISION OF BERLIN’S NEWEST PHASE OF URBAN TRANSFORMATION Presented with the Cambridge Natural History Society Natura Urbana, a film by Professor Matthew Gandy, Department of Geography, offers a vision of the Brachen of Berlin, spaces of spontaneous nature, a field for pioneers, holding the promise of happiness.
THE HORRIBLE HISTORY (AND THE BRIGHT FUTURE) OF ORGAN PRESERVATION Organ transplantation is a medical success story. Behind that success, advances in organ preservation techniques have played a pivotal role. Join Mike Nicholson and Sarah Hosgood from the NIHR Blood and Transplant Unit in Organ Donation and Transplantation for a whistlestop tour of the history of organ preservation. 7PM – 8PM � THU 12 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
MATT HOBS BSC (BRISTOLIAN OF SCIENCE) This stand-up comedy show is about the ups and downs of Matt Hobs’ career in the world of science. It’s about what led him into science (the hubris of thinking he could win a Nobel prize), what led him out of science (issues with the aforementioned hubris) and how he has finally come to love science. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � THU 12 MAR Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington Avenue, Eddington, CB3 1AA 16+ years, £7.78
6.45PM – 8.30PM � THU 12 MAR Department of Geography, Downing Place, CB2 3EN
SMOKE IN THE LUNGS OF THE EARTH In 2019 ‘mega-fires’ raged across Brazilian Amazonia and Indonesia’s peat swamp forests. Dr Rachel Carmenta, Department of Geography, discusses the extent of the fires, distinguishes between types of fires, assesses their drivers and impacts and considers the measures needed to mitigate future events. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � THU 12 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY: TIME FOR ACTION Cambridge Climate Lecture Series Climate change and biodiversity are closely interwoven and we have seen in recent months a dramatic increase in awareness and activism on both. Lord Martin Rees, Baroness Bryony Worthington, Dr Emily Shuckburgh and Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta discuss the urgency of our predicament and explore options for action. Chaired by science writer and editor Oliver Morton. 7.30PM – 9PM � THU 12 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
22 THE VARIABLES PRESENT: AN EVENING OF SCIENCE VARIETY Join us for an evening of comedy from some of Cambridge’s top science stand-ups. The Variables return to the Cambridge Science Festival for a fourth year, with a brand new line-up from across the sciences. Be informed and be amused, as professional scientists show us the funny side of their work. 7.30PM – 10.30PM � THU 12 MAR The Portland Arms, 129 Chesterton Road, CB4 3BA 16+ years, £6
THE KOHLI BIBLE After researching Hinduism in depth, Raul Kohli found everything he knew about his religion was completely and utterly wrong. He also found it gave him a reluctant faith that he previously thought that the preserve of climate-sceptics, anti-vaxxers and people who use vaporizers. Raul now seeks to explore religion and perhaps prove there’s more logic in believing than not. 8.45PM – 9.45PM � THU 12 MAR Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington Avenue, Eddington, CB3 1AA 16+ years, £7.78
Fri 13 Mar SUPER SIGHT: THE WORLD’S BIGGEST, BRIGHTEST, SHARPEST AND FASTEST EYES From deep-sea squid to owls, chameleons to dragonflies, discover some of the most amazing eyes in the animal kingdom with Professor Simon Laughlin, Department of Zoology. 1.15PM – 1.45PM � FRI 13 MAR Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ
WALKING ON THIN ICE Join us for a unique chance to hear from our Museum team about our latest exhibition over a cup of tea! Walking on Thin Ice: Co-operation in the face of a changing climate is a co-curated exhibition about climate change from the viewpoint of 12 teenagers. 3PM – 3.45PM � FRI 13 MAR Scott Polar Research Institute, The Polar Museum, Lensfield Road, CB2 1ER
SCIENCE BECOMES ART Our new art exhibition displays stunning scientific images produced by our own researchers within the Department of Pathology as part of their investigations. 5.30PM – 8PM � FRI 13 MAR 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP
ALAN TURING AND THE ENIGMA MACHINE Alan Turing may best be remembered as one of the leading code breakers of Bletchley Park during World War II. It was Turing’s brilliant insights and mathematical mind that helped to break Enigma, the apparently unbreakable code used by the German military. Dr James Grime presents a history of both Alan Turing and the Enigma Machine leading to this triumph of mathematical ingenuity. 6PM – 7PM � FRI 13 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
23
FRONTIERS FOR LIFE IN ANTARCTICA Part of Wolfson Explores Borders Leading polar marine biologist Professor Lloyd Peck, British Antarctic Survey and Fellow of Wolfson College, works at the forefront of investigation into animal adaptations in extreme environments. Having conducted nearly 30 seasons of research in the Antarctic, he offers fascinating insights into how species survive and thrive in the coldest, driest, windiest, most isolated place on Earth. 6PM – 7PM � FRI 13 MAR Lee Hall, Wolfson College, Barton Road, CB3 9BB
THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY DEAL BETWEEN NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Focusing on climate-changerelated issues of the Earth’s past and humanity’s future, Professors Ulf Büntgen, Mike Hulme, Christine Lane, Clive Oppenheimer and Bhaskar Vira discuss how human and physical geographers jointly address the most urgent global tasks. Chaired by Professor Paul J Krusic. 6PM – 7.30PM � FRI 13 MAR Department of Geography, Downing Place, CB2 3EN
AN EVENING OF INSECTS AND WINE TASTING Join us for a decadent evening of insect tasting and wine pairing. Learn more about the future of food sustainability in this enjoyable and culinary event. 6PM – 8PM � FRI 13 MAR Cambridge Science Centre, Unit 44, Clifton Road Industrial Estate, CB1 7EP Adults only, £10
SCIENCE MEETS POETRY Sometimes we all get frustrated because science can be complicated. Don’t worry, you can still learn and have a great time as we offer you lots of science wrapped in rhyme! 6.30PM – 7.30PM � FRI 13 MAR 1PM – 1.30PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP
MUSICAL VISIONS Music can powerfully evoke visions in the listener. Join the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra for an exploration of musical visions and human psychology. After a preconcert talk, we perform Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides, his Violin Concerto with soloist Miriam Davis, and Dvořák’s 8th Symphony. 7PM – 10PM � FRI 13 MAR West Road Concert Hall, 11 West Road, CB3 9DP £15 / £10 / £7
GENETICS RESEARCH IN AUTISM: ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES The Spectrum 10K study will collect DNA and life history information from 10,000 autistic people in the UK to identify genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the varied outcomes they have, with a view to ultimately improving wellbeing. Professor Simon Baron-Cohen and Dr Varun Warrier, Autism Research Centre, Dr Virginia Bovell and David Thorburn discuss the ethical issues, fears and opportunities surrounding such research. 7.30PM – 9PM � FRI 13 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
24
Sat 14 Mar HOW BABIES LEARN TO SEE Dr Susanna Mierau, discusses how Nobel Prize winning discoveries in the 1960s revolutionised our understanding of how the brain works and shows activities for babies that help them develop vision skills. 10AM – 11AM � SAT 14 MAR Physiology Lecture Theatre, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Downing Site, CB2 3DY
GENE EDITING The CRISPR-Cas system gives biologists precise molecular scissors to edit DNA. This workshop introduces this revolutionary tool, using an experiment with yeast turning a blue fluorescent protein green! 10AM – 3PM � SAT 14 MAR � SUN 15 MAR Biomakespace Cambridge, Clifford Allbutt Building, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH £40 to cover materials. Adults only
ANATOMICAL MODELS: AN EXHIBITION From digital brains to giant horse hearts to historical wax models to ‘exploded’ human skulls, anatomical models come in many forms and have a lot to teach us. The Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience invites you to see our most prized human and animal anatomical models. You’ll not look at your own body in the same way again! 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Anatomy Building, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Downing Site, CB2 3DY Visitor’s discretion advised
BRINGING DINOSAURS BACK TO LIFE! Bones are all we have left for many fossil species. The DAWNDINOS team from the Royal Veterinary College show how bones are full of information which can be used to rebuild extinct animals and help us understand how they lived. 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Downing Street, CB2 3EQ
SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAY: THE MUSEUM TAKEOVER Celebrate the Cambridge Science Festival with Super Science Saturday as we take over the Sedgwick Museum for the day. Meet the researchers to explore new ideas and immerse yourself in the wonders of Earth Sciences. Look out for our special guests from DawnDinos and discover more about the world of early dinosaurs. 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Downing Street, CB2 3EQ
UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY Pin the body part, play with a life-sized version of the Operation game, use our virtual dissector touchscreen, and more! Part of the Anatomical Models exhibition. 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Anatomy Building, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Downing Site, CB2 3DY
25 SENSE-ATIONAL Did you know that lots of birds can see in UV? Or that bats use sound to ‘see’ in the dark? Find out about amazing animal senses with hands on activities at the Museum of Zoology. 10AM – 4.30PM � SAT 14 MAR Museum of Zoology, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ
CRASH, BANG, SQUELCH! CHAOS AT THE SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2020 Get to grips with exciting, fascinating and just plain weird science that shows you how the world around us works. Enthusiastic students from CHaOS will show you what goes on in our experiments, looking at lots of science that goes ‘crash’, ‘bang’ and ‘squelch’! 10AM – 4.45PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Zoology, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ Great for families
CHAOS ROBOTICS WORKSHOPS AT CRASH, BANG, SQUELCH! Join us at CHaOS for robotics workshops packed full of hands-on design and programming. Zero experience is required, as we’ll teach you all the basics and you can start making your own robots do amazing things in no time at all! 10.15AM – 11AM 11.15AM – NOON 1.15PM – 2PM 2.15PM – 3PM 3.15PM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Zoology, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ Great for families
CHAOS TALKS AT CRASH, BANG, SQUELCH! Find more crashes, bangs and squelches here, and discover all sorts of weird and wonderful science with talks from our CHaOS student volunteers! 10.10AM – 10.40AM Loops, boosts and dives: the physics of rollercoaster rides. With Esmae Woods. 11.10AM – 11.40AM Emperors, spies and seaweed: writing messages only you can read. With Matthew Le Maitre and Ben Akrill. 12.10PM – 12.40PM Recipes from a star: from puzzling planets to bizarre black holes. With Andrew Sellek. 1.10PM – 1.40PM: Journey to the centre of the Earth! With Sophie Miocevich. 2.10PM – 2.40PM: Operation: escape Earth! With Matthew Le Maitre and Ben Akrill. 3.10PM – 3.40PM: Sight unseen: human beings to machines. With K-M White. 4.10PM – 4.40PM: Is the ocean like an onion? With Hero Bain and Friso de Graaf. � SAT 14 MAR Department of Zoology, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ Great for families
26 THE SCIENCE OF ARCHAEOLOGY Were Neanderthals fussy eaters? What can bones tell us about a person’s life? How were stone tools made? Science can help archaeologists answer these questions, and many others. Join researchers from the Department of Archaeology and discover the secrets revealed by pots, plants, metals, bones and maybe even fossilised poo! 10.30AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing Street, CB2 3ER Great for families
HANDS-ON SCIENCE AT CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE CENTRE Cambridge Science Centre goes all out for #CamSciFest with fun-filled, hands-on workshops for all the family. Join us to take part in creative activities and conduct your own scientific investigations. 10.30AM – 5PM � SAT 14 MAR SUN 15 MAR SAT 21 MAR SUN 22 MAR Cambridge Science Centre, Unit 44, Clifton Road Industrial Estate, CB1 7EP Normal admission charge
JUST BUGS! Bugs are all around us, but how do scientists use them to understand the nitty-gritties of the human body? Enter the basement of the Department of Zoology and discover what we learn by looking at insects in the laboratory – from fruit flies to crickets to friendly burying beetles! 11AM – NOON NOON – 1PM 1PM – 2PM 2PM – 3PM 3PM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Meet at the entrance to the Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ Great for families
HOW TO MAKE A PIANO TALK: WORKSHOP How do you make a piano talk? Award-winning composer Richard Causton has the answer! In this handson workshop aimed at 8- to 12-year olds, participants will have the chance to create compositions of their own using new hardware that brings the piano to life like never before! 11AM – 12.30PM � SAT 14 MAR Recital Room, Faculty of Music, 11 West Road, CB3 9DP 8-12-year olds
27 DARWIN’S SCIENTIFIC WOMEN What do Charles Darwin’s letters tell us about the remarkable women who contributed to his scientific work? This workshop explores how Darwin’s correspondence can help to build up a picture of the lives of women involved in his research, and how they challenged what was expected of them. 11AM – 12.30PM 2PM – 3.30PM � SAT 14 MAR Milstein Seminar Rooms, Cambridge University Library, West Road, CB3 9DR
IMAGINING SCIENCE: VISIONS OF THE PAST AND THINGS TO COME Take a walk with the Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides highlighting where visionary Cambridge scientists ventured into the unknown and made their groundbreaking discoveries and inventions. There will also be tours in French and Russian. 11AM – 12.30PM 2PM – 3.30PM � SAT 14 MAR SAT 21 MAR Meet opposite the Great Gate, St John’s College, St John’s Street, CB2 1TP
MOBILE TEACHING KITCHENS: A COMMUNITY-LED FOOD REVOLUTION IN INDIA India faces many challenges in improving food security. Obvious issues like drought are intertwined with a complex socio-economic landscape. Community-led education is one way to overcome these challenges. Visit the TIGR2ESS Mobile Teaching Kitchen and taste one possible vision of India’s food future. 11AM – 1PM � SAT 14 MAR Barnwell Baptist Church, Howard Road, Cambridge, CB5 8QS
SCIENCE ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS IN CAMBRIDGE Cambridge has a wealth of sources for those interested in the history of science. Find out about the science archives and special collections across Cambridge, and how to access them. Discover more about the records that scientists leave behind, what they tell us about their work and life, and how they can be used for historical research. 11AM – 3PM � SAT 14 MAR Watson Building Stones Gallery, Department of Earth Sciences, Downing Site, CB2 3EQ
GENES AND INHERITED TRAITS Have you ever seen strawberry DNA? Explored science through virtual reality? Seen fruit flies through a microscope? Join researchers in the Department of Genetics to discover how genetics pops up in our everyday life. 11AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Genetics, Downing Site, CB2 3EH
28 THE RAINBOW REVOLUTION: PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND THE POWER OF PIGMENTS Visit the Department of Biochemistry and become a scientist. Explore the synthesis of the photosynthetic machine and investigate how we can exploit it for green electricity. Discover how organisms trade technologies, and probe the dark side of sharing that resulted in malaria and similar diseases.
FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT: VISION, CONTRAST AND SENSITIVITY Human vision has evolved to operate over an enormous range of light intensities, which can be a challenge for our visual system. Dr Hugh Matthews, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, examines how the visual system can function reliably over this intensity range, and how it can be tricked to produce visual illusions.
11AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Hopkins Building, Department of Biochemistry, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QW
1.30PM – 2.30PM � SAT 14 MAR Physiology Building, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Downing Site, CB2 3DY
WHIPPLE MUSEUM: 75TH ANNIVERSARY SATURDAY OPENING The Whipple Museum of the History of Science is having a special opening to celebrate it’s 75th anniversary. Visit our special exhibition, which brings together much of Robert S Whipple’s founding donation to the University of Cambridge. 12.30PM – 4.30PM � SAT 14 MAR Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Free School Lane, CB2 3RH
THE GRANDER VIEW: HOW MODERN MICROSCOPY ILLUMINATES A RARE DISEASE Professor Stefan Marciniak, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, discusses how modern microscopes illuminate a rare disease. Light microscopy was already old when Victor Hugo pondered its grander view 150 years ago. Today microscopy continues to develop and now allows us to glimpse the movement of individual proteins in a cell. Hosted by Alliance Française. 2PM – 3PM � SAT 14 MAR The Ramsden Room, St Catharine’s College, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RL
29 HOW TO MAKE A PIANO TALK: TALK How do you make a piano talk? Award-winning composer Richard Causton, Faculty of Music, has the answer! In this talk, illustrated with film clips and live demonstrations, he introduces the hardware he devised in collaboration with the Engineering Department to give a voice to the piano like never before. 2PM – 3.30PM � SAT 14 MAR Recital Room, Faculty of Music, 11 West Road, CB3 9DP
VISION IN NATURE: PERFORMANCE AND SENSITIVITY Join Dr Hugh Matthews Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, and colleagues to discover more about the performance and limits of vision in humans and animals from basic mechanisms to evolutionary adaptations. 3PM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Physiology Building, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Downing Site, CB2 3DY
HOW IS TECH CHANGING HOW WE WORK, THINK AND FEEL? Tyler Shores, Faculty of Education, Anu Hautalampi, Head of Social Media, and colleagues discuss the impact of online technology in our everyday habits and behaviours. They take a look at current and near-present mainstream technology to better understand how we think about data and communication. 7.30PM – 9PM � SAT 14 MAR Frankopan Hall, Jesus College, Jesus Lane, CB5 8BQ
30
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY 10AM – 5PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Psychology, Downing Site, CB2 3EB PSYCHOLOGICALLY INSPIRED VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY Dr Lee De-Wit, Department of Psychology, explores whether ideas from psychology and social psychology could help us develop better democratic processes that might reduce political polarisation.
BECOME A NEUROSURGEON! Become a neurosurgeon and learn the procedure used to implant life-changing deep brain stimulating electrodes. With researchers from the Department of Psychology.
9AM – 10AM
CAN YOU CONTROL YOUR IMPULSES? Join researchers from the Department of Psychology and take part in tests on executive functions designed to understand more about impulsivity and cognitive control.
MATHEMATICS ANXIETY IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL Dr Denes Szucs, Department of Psychology, shares his latest results stemming from a large study on mathematics anxiety in primary and secondary school. 10AM – 11.30AM
LOOKING, LEARNING AND LANGUAGE Make things happen with your eye movements and brainwaves! Join us at the Centre for Neuroscience in Education and find out how we use this technology to study how babies learn language. 10AM – 2PM
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SPOT PROHIBITED OBJECTS IN BAGGAGE X-RAYS? Take part in a live eyetracking experiment and find out if you can identify the objects that shouldn’t make it through airport security! Join researchers from the Department of Psychology to discover what eye movements reveal about how we search the world around us.
DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE Our visual experience comes not only from what we look at, but also from what we have learned about the world. Come and find out how the brain puts it all together! With researchers from the Adaptive Brain Lab.
OPENING A WINDOW INTO THE BRAIN Using microscopes, get acquainted with the anatomical landscape of the brain and identify structures and neurons from individuals displaying addiction and compulsive behaviour.
POLITICAL COGNITION Which politicians best represent your views? Research shows that people don’t always pick the ‘best’ party for them. Discover how good you are at seeing which is the best in this live interactive computer-based experiment with researchers from the Department of Psychology.
31
HOW I GREW TO SEE THE WORLD BRIGHT is a global health project in the Gambia and Cambridge studying early development across the first two years of life. Through this collage-making workshop, find out more about the milestones of visual development and learn about BRIGHT research in Africa. 11AM – 5PM
THE SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Dr Daniel Bor, Department of Psychology, presents miniexperiments and cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques to enlighten you on the most important and intimate feature of yourselves: consciousness. NOON – 1.15PM
INSIGHT AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: DO WE NEED TO ACCURATELY FEEL OUR BODIES TO UNDERSTAND OUR URGES? Dr David Belin, Department of Psychology, discusses the latest research on the role of interoception and its contribution to impulsivity and the associated vulnerability to develop compulsive disorders, such as drug addiction or obsessive compulsive disorder. 1.30PM – 2.30PM
IN CONVERSATION WITH DADS Join researchers from the Centre for Family Research to discuss fathering in different family contexts, focusing on primary caregiver fathers and their experiences of parenting and wellbeing.
THE BRAIN AS A PREDICTION MACHINE Is the brain a prediction machine, and what does it mean for me? Researchers from the Department of Psychology introduce the Bayesian Brain hypothesis and its meaning inside and outside the laboratory. 3PM – 5PM
NICKY AND CLIVE LIVE Join Professor Nicky Clayton and Clive Wilkins, Department of Psychology, and discover the ways they integrate science, art and the performing arts to explore the subjective experience of thinking with and without words, and what this reveals about the cognitive road blocks in cognition. 4PM – 5PM
2.45PM – 3.45PM
“My daughters were very excited by this event, they buzzed at home afterwards! It really caught their imagination. Absolutely brilliant!”
32
DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, CB2 1PZ LICENCE TO HEAL: THE WORLD OF SELF-HEALING CONCRETE Are smart materials science or science fiction? Dr Regeane Bagonyi, Dr Chrysoula Litina and Dr Livia Ribeiro de Souza from the Resilient Materials 4 Life Research Team introduce you to the world of intelligent construction materials and how they can shape the future of infrastructure.
KITE MAKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING How do wings work? How can sticks, plastic bags, sticky tape and string make a flying machine? What do all kites have in common to make them fly? Choose a design, make a kite, test it, improve it and start on a journey of exploration of practical. With researchers from Aeronautical Engineering.
THE SCIENCE OF ICE CREAM Discover the science behind why ice cream tastes so good with researchers from the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, and taste our home-made ice cream, which we make using the ultra-fast cooling power of liquid nitrogen.
BUILD AN ELECTRONIC SENSOR WITH AN ARDUINO MICROCONTROLLER Presented in partnership with TTP plc Ever wondered how a digital thermometer works? Build one yourself from scratch using an Arduino microcontroller, and learn about the basic electronics and software behind everyday sensors.
3D PRINTING FOR HEALTHCARE Presented in partnership with TTP plc Dr Yan Yan Shery Huang, Department of Engineering, gives an overview on how 3D printing technologies could transform the way implants are produced, drugs are screened or perhaps even how damaged organs are ‘repaired’.
10.45AM – 11.45AM 12.30PM – 1.30PM
9.30AM – 10.30AM
CONSTRUCTIONARIUM WITH FIBE-CDT Find out about civil engineering concepts the fun way! Future Infrastructure and Built Environment research students take you on a hands-on tour of civil engineering. Build defences to survive a tsunami, test your engineering skills by building a tensegrity sculpture and discover how soil and water interact to influence the stability of structures.
11AM – NOON 10.30AM – 11.15AM 11.15AM – NOON NOON – 12.45PM Ideal for teenagers
33 PHYSICS OF EMERGENCE IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY Simple rules can lead to rich and complex behaviours that shape natural objects such as flowers and fingerprints. Dr Alexandre Kabla, Department of Engineering, shows how controlling these instabilities offers new ways to design materials and processes.
THE FUTURE OF ENERGY IN A CLIMATE CHANGING WORLD We all know how nice it can be in a warm, sunny greenhouse, yet our daily activities are turning Earth into a too cosy place too fast. Professor Simone Hochgreb asks: What are the realistic pathways for saving ourselves from collapse, how much change and investment will that take and can we still use fire for some things?
11.15AM – 12.15PM
CONCRETE RIDDLES What can be wet but carry water, is never the same and has something in common with the electric light bulb? Professor Janet Lees, Department of Engineering, discusses these and other riddles about concrete, the most widely used human– made material in the world.
SMART BUILDING, SMART CONSTRUCTION Join researchers from the Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction and Laing O’Rourke Centre for hands-on demonstrations with Microsoft HoloLens, and acoustic and fibre-optic sensors to discover how we use technology to make infrastructure smart.
12.45PM – 1.45PM
1PM – 4PM
GROWING UNDERGROUND Urban agriculture is an alternative local source of food putting urban farms into dense environments can use waste infrastructure and resources. The world’s first underground farm is in London, in World War II air-raid shelters. Dr Ruchi Choudhary, Department of Engineering, shows the opportunities and challenges of this new way of farming.
SIZE REALLY DOES MATTER Presented in partnership with TTP plc Dr Colm Durkan, Department of Engineering, dispels the myths and unravels the truth about nanotechnology, a new science that has already touched our lives. From cheaper and faster medical diagnostic tools to helping to create new medicines and electronic devices, Size Really Does Matter looks at real-life examples of how it is used.
1PM – 2PM
2.15PM – 3.15PM
2.30PM – 3.30PM
PLASTIC PLANET Waste plastic has a devastating effect on our environment but packaging can save huge amounts of resources if used and disposed of wisely. Dr Claire Y Barlow, Department of Engineering, looks at the big picture around the environmental consequences of plastics for packaging, and examines the alternatives. 2.45PM – 3.45PM
34
TALKS AT THE BABBAGE 10AM – 5PM � SAT 14 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street (through the Pembroke Archway), CB2 3RS
THE GREAT ANIMAL RACE Join zoologist Dr Matt Wilkinson to meet the fastest animals on land, in the air and in the water, and find out how they do it. 10AM – 11AM Great for families
TINY BUT TERRIFIC: THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF INSECTS Although individually tiny, insects dominate the animal world in number of species, number of individuals and sheer biomass. They are also crucial for the healthy functioning of ecosystems and for much of our food production. Dr Ed Turner, Museum of Zoology, explores this amazing diversity, as well as why insect numbers are declining and how they can be conserved. 11.45AM – 12.45PM Great for families
BRAIN-FIZZING FACTS Why is your elbow called your funny bone? How could you escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaw? Which animal breathes through its bottom? How do you block a tickle?! In this interactive quiz show, with fun experiments and live demonstrations, TV science expert and STEM Ambassador Dr Emily Grossman uncovers the answers to these and many more weird, mind-fizzingly awesome and funny science questions! 2PM – 3PM Great for families
UNLOCKING THE UNIVERSE Calling all budding young scientists! Have you ever wondered how the universe began? Or what it takes to put humans on the moon – or even Mars? What would you do if you could travel through space and time? Join Lucy Hawking to find out all about the mysteries of the universe! 4PM – 5PM Great for families
35
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY Supported by the Walters Kundert Charitable Trust 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW
CHEMISTRY IN ACTION Hands-on activities, demonstrations and games with students and researchers from the Department of Chemistry.
FUN WITH CRYSTALS Explore the wonders of crystals and structural chemistry surrounding you in your daily life with researchers from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre. Expect impressive visualisations, holograms, virtual reality and model building.
THE CHEMISTRY OF LIGHT: A DEMONSTRATION LECTURE BY DR PETER WOTHERS Dr Peter Wothers’ action-packed demonstration lecture explores the elements involved over the centuries in mankind’s quest to light his way. Warning: LOUD BANGS! 11AM – NOON 1.30PM – 2.30PM 4PM – 5PM � SAT 14 MAR 7PM – 8PM � MON 16 MAR BMS Lecture Theatre Great for families
36
DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Department of Pathology, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QP DISEASE DETECTIVES: OUTBREAK ALERT Demonstrate your disease detection skills with researchers from the Department of Pathology – there’s an outbreak and we need your help to find the cause. Discover how to identify infections and how we beat them! 10AM – 11AM 11.30AM – 12.30PM 1PM – 2PM 2.30PM – 3.30PM
GROW YOUR OWN CRYSTALS Learn how to crystallise a protein and look down a microscope to see your crystals grow. Growing crystals is important for research in the Department of Pathology; we use them to work out the detailed structures of proteins that are important for health and disease.
HECTOR THE VECTOR Hector is a disease vector: an insect who can spread diseases like malaria from person to person. Do you want to learn more about how this works and how we might control it? Join researchers from the Department of Pathology to dress up as Hector and spread some disease!
LIFE OF A NATURAL KILLER Join researchers from the Department of Pathology to find out about your natural killer cells, how we study their receptors and how they defend our bodies. Make bracelets and discover how your genes shape your immune responses and influence the risk of cancer, diabetes, pre-eclampsia and the success of organ transplantation.
LOOKING OUT FOR THE IMMUNITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY What is immunisation and how do vaccines protect our bodies against disease? Join researchers from the British Society for Immunology and play our interactive games showing how the immune system and vaccines work. Talk to our experts to get fact-based information on immunisations.
SEE THE MOST IMPORTANT ORGAN YOU NEVER KNEW YOU HAD! For the first nine months of our lives we are dependent on our placenta, the organ connecting us to our mother. Join researchers from the Department of Pathology to discover how this vital organ develops and talks to a mother’s immune system, using an innovative culture system that allows us to grow miniplacentas in a dish.
THE SECRETS OF MOSQUITOES’ PERCEPTION Noisy, irritating and potentially dangerous, mosquitoes are associated with a bad night and/or bad holidays. Vectors of many different diseases from dengue to malaria, mosquitoes see you in many different ways. Join researchers from the Department of Pathology to discover the many ways mosquitoes see you.
UNDERSTANDING THE GENETIC CODE Join biologists from the Department of Pathology for an arts and crafts activity to discover how changes in DNA result in differences between individuals. Use the rules of the genetic code to create your own pipe-cleaner creature, and observe how mutations to the code influence your creature’s characteristics.
VIRUS ROULETTE RNA viruses like flu, Ebola and measles consist of proteins, a membrane and genetic information. In virus roulette, you can build your own virus and use the ‘Wheel of the Host’ to discover which components are essential to let your virus infect and thrive.
37 VISUALISING CELLS How do scientists see inside cells? What can we see, and what does it tell us? Microscopy is a powerful tool that allows us to see how our cells grow, divide, move and respond to pathogens or stimuli. Join researchers from the Department of Pathology and use fluorescence microscopy to see the hidden world inside cells.
COLLABORATE AND MAKE A GIGANTIC VIRUS! Hairy, spiky, rounded, geometric; viruses come in all shapes and sizes. Dr Liz Hook and Emma Copley, Department of Pathology, provide images of real viruses to use as inspiration and materials to help makers build their own 3D virus for our giant virus installation! 10.30AM – 3.30PM
TECHNIQUES USED TO VISUALISE SCIENCE ON A CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LEVEL Have you ever wondered how scientists are able to visualise what is happening within cells at a molecular level? Dr Rachel Dobson, Department of Pathology, introduces some of the techniques used to help scientists gain insight into what is going on at a level too small to visualise with the human eye alone. 11AM – 11.30AM
THE HEALING POWER OF CRYSTALS How do we use X-rays to see protein molecules, and what can they tell us about disease? Join Dr Stephen Graham, Department of Pathology, to find out more.
SEEING INSIDE CELLS How do scientists see inside cells? What can we see, and what does it tell us? In this short talk, Dr James Edgar, Department of Pathology, explores how microscopy allows us to see the hidden world inside cells. NOON – 12.30PM
MEDICAL MASTERCLASS Interested in applying for medicine at any university? Join Dr Liz Soilleux, senior lecturer in Preclinical Pathology and Director of Studies in Medicine at Churchill College, for a talk ‘From autopsy to cutting-edge medicine’, combined with a question and answer session on medical school applications and interviews. 2PM – 3PM
11.30AM – NOON THE PATH CAF Looking for somewhere to relax and take a short break from all the excitement of the Cambridge Science Festival events? Perhaps are you looking for an opportunity to have a one-to-one chat with a scientist? Then why not join us in the Path Caf for a cuppa! 10.30AM – 3.30PM
THE DRAWING LAB: ORGANOIDS Inspired by images of miniplacenta organoids from Dr Margherita Turco, this workshop, led by artist and art lecturer Emma Copley, uses laboratory tools, transfer printing and ink painting methods to experiment and draw our visual response to this imagery and environment. 2PM – 4PM
38
HANDS-ON AT THE PLANT AND LIFE SCIENCES MARQUEE 10AM – 4PM � SAT 14 MAR Marquee on the Lawn, Downing Site, CB2 3EA ALGAE: FOOD FOR THE FUTURE The Smith Group, Department of Plant Sciences, introduce you to the algal species that could be a bigger part of your diet in the future.
CROPS IN A CHANGING WORLD: THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PLANT HEALTH 2020 is the International Year of Plant Health. Find out how NIAB is at the heart of answering questions on sustainability for crops in a changing world. How do plants cope with changes in pathogen dynamics, water availability and nutrients? How can we breed crops with greater plasticity to be able to cope with changes to come?
ELECTRORECEPTION: A SIXTH SENSE How do fishes use electroreception as an additional sense, and how does this system develop? With the Baker Lab, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.
EMBRYOGENESIS: THE PROCESS THAT MAKES AND SHAPES EMBRYOS Discover how we use fluorescence proteins to light up the cells of developing animals so that we see what is happening as an animal develops from a fertilised egg. With the Lye Lab, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.
GROWING UNDERGROUND Plant roots change their shape to get the most out of the soil they grow through. How do they sense different conditions and how do they react? With the Davies group, Department of Plant Sciences.
HOW TO FEED THE WORLD: UNDERSTANDING PLANTS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT Join the Kromdijk Group, Department of Plant Sciences, to find out more about how plants react to their environment. Perform your own experiments, and learn how researchers are trying to improve crops to meet dramatically increasing food demands.
LIFE’S CRITICAL LINK: THE AMAZING ROLE OF THE PLACENTA IN PREGNANCY AND LIFE-LONG HEALTH What is the placenta and what is its role during pregnancy and birth? Join researchers from the Centre for Trophoblast Research and discover more about the formation and function of this remarkable organ, its importance to pregnancy and health beyond the womb and the pioneering work that is going on in Cambridge.
MAPS IN THE BRAIN Discover the navigation functions of the hippocampal formation with video games and virtual reality! With the Krupic Lab, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.
39
NEURONS FEEL THE FORCE How do brain cells explore their environment? It turns out they use simple physics! Play our interactive computer game, feel some realistic model tissues and find out more about how cells use tissue mechanics to guide their growth and motion! With the Franze Lab, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience.
SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES TO INCREASE FUTURE FOOD PRODUCTION VIA PLANT GENOME ENGINEERING Join the Henderson Group, Department of Plant Sciences, to discover how wild species could play a role in foods of the future – such as purple tomatoes!
THE BEE TRAIL Bees are under threat. How can we help save them? Possibly by planting the best wildflowers, but which flowers do bees like to visit, and where? Using the famous Earlham Institute LEGO DNA sequencing machine, our bee trail takes you on a journey from pollen collection, through sequencing the DNA to discovering which plants bees like to visit.
THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOURS OF PLANTS Join researchers from the Sainsbury Laboratory to explore how experiments, advanced microscopy and mathematical modelling are helping us better understand the highly dynamic behaviour of plants.
USING TWO EYES TO SEE THE WORLD IN 3D How do we perceive depth? Our brain combines information from both our eyes to see the world in 3D. Can other species with smaller brains also do this? Can we teach a computer to do the same? Join researchers from the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience to discover more.
40
HANDS-ON AT THE GUILDHALL 10AM – 5PM � SAT 14 MAR NOON – 4PM � SUN 15 MAR The Guildhall, Market Square, CB2 3QJ A RECIPE FOR PRIMORDIAL LIFE Have you ever wondered how life first began? Join researchers from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology on a step-by-step adventure back in time to find the first molecules and assemble the primordial cells that kicked off biology! �
SAT ONLY
A VISION INTO ANIMAL RESEARCH The University of Cambridge’s openness agenda has received national recognition. The Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body 3Rs Committee is dedicated to showing new innovations and an insight into our animal research. Meet people involved in ensuring the welfare of our animals. See how the 3Rs of reduction, replacement and refinement are applied and how the AWERB is involved. �
SAT ONLY
AUTISM RESEARCH IN CAMBRIDGE Join Autism Research Centre scientists to learn more about their research into autism genetics, neuroscience, vulnerability, health, education and policy, among other themes.
BEAT THE BOAT RACE CREW: THE SCIENCE OF ROWING Experience the demands of rowing against the Boat Race crew as you challenge yourself to hold the same relative power output. Learn how the generation of power in your muscles is linked to the availability of oxygen and why lactate, which is considered a waste product of metabolism and cause of fatigue, is actually an athlete’s friend. Presented by ARU.
BIOSTATISTICS CAN BE FUN! Discover how the MRC Biostatistics Unit turn data into knowledge. Play our game of statistics, skill and luck, and find out if you are truly better at throwing than your friend, or are you just lucky? Tease your brain with our app-based probability puzzle, and find out how statisticians are able to understand the different elements of diseases to improve patient care. �
SAT ONLY
CELLULAR MACHINES IN 3D The development of electron cryo-microscopy has allowed many more proteins to be visualised at the atomic level, providing us with a greater understanding of many biological processes and potential targets for drug design. But how does it work? Join researchers from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology to see how 2D projections of proteins are reconstructed into 3D images! �
SUN ONLY
41 CYCLING: SEEING IS BELIEVING Using virtual reality and special glasses, you can experience a new sensation in cycling. You get to cycle around a virtual environment, trying to avoid obstacles including pedestrians and parked cars. Then see what you were actually looking at as we track your eyes while you ride. Presented by ARU.
DISCOVER NEUROSCIENCE WITH CAMBRAIN Join CamBRAIN scientists and researchers from the PostDoc Neuroscience Network to find out more about neuroscience. Make your own neuron: we each have a hundred billion neurons; what happens when they go wrong? �
SUN ONLY
FOCUS ON EPIGENETICS Epigenetic modifications represent layers of information superimposed onto the DNA sequence. Environmental stress and lifestyle can cause these modifications to change how our genes behave. Join Cambridge Epigenetix scientists to explore epigenetics in action and discover its potential now and in the future.
FOLLOW A NEW MEDICINE’S JOURNEY WITH DR WELL AND NIHR CAMBRIDGE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTRE There are lots of steps to take before a new medicine can be used on patients. Help Dr Well and our researchers work out what they are on our giant map puzzle. But take care – put them in the wrong order and your medicine won’t reach the patients!
HELP US BUILD OUR CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL We would like your help in designing the new children’s hospital – all creative ideas welcome! Join us at the Department of Paediatrics, get creative and find out about the research that children are already helping us with.
HYPERTENSION AWARENESS: AIM HY STUDY Research shows that different ethnic groups respond differently to high blood pressure medication. Discover more about the AIM HY INFORM Clinical Trial, which aims to deliver personalised treatment for hypertension by establishing which medication suits South Asian, Black African/Caribbean and White people the best. �
� DOING FORENSIC SCIENCE Take a closer look at the evidence left behind at the scene of crime, from fingerprints to footwear marks. With researchers from the School of Life Sciences, ARU.
SAT ONLY
SAT ONLY
HANDS-ON BIOLOGY WITH HILLS ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE Join staff and students from Hills Road Sixth Form College to have a go at our arthropod identification and smells quizzes, take on the mirror challenge and learn about biological specimens.
“Amazing! Fun, informative and something for all interests and ages!”
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY See how technology allows energy to be stored to run a train with engineers from the IET. Make your own LED torch to take away, watch how plasma can create light and discover how Faraday’s law can ‘slow’ gravity.
MEET THE SCIENTISTS Pop into our science booth and have a chat with our scientists about their research!
42 NUCLEAR ENERGY: VISIONS OF THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE In the 1940s, people believed the future was nuclear. Even with unprecedented technological advances, nuclear power, however, still only contributes for a sixth of the world’s energy supply. With the looming climate crisis, could nuclear energy now provide a clean, sustainable energy source we all can rely on? Join nuclear energy researchers to find out more. �
SAT ONLY
OXYGEN UPTAKE AND UTILISATION DURING EXERCISE When we exercise, we use energy. Have a go at cycling and let us measure your oxygen uptake in real time and see how this changes with workload. Presented by ARU.
PAIN AND BRAINS! How do we feel pain? How do painkillers work? How are potential new painkilling medicines tested? Discover some of the answers by taking the cold pressor test with scientists from Mundipharma, Napp and Bard. Then make one of our (in)famous brain hats to wear with pride!
PHARMACOLOGY OF THE HEART Join researchers from the Department of Pharmacology and experiment with our SimHeart virtual laboratory and discover how your body knows when you’ve taken a medicine. �
SUN ONLY
SEE, HEAR! Join us at Cambridge Science Centre to explore your senses and find out a little more about how we see and hear with our interactive exhibits and drop-in activities. �
SAT ONLY
SEEING SEPSIS Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can affect anyone of any age. Meet researchers from Public Health England and learn more about the bacteria you can catch from rivers, such as leptospirosis, which can result in sepsis, and how the early signs may be recognised.
THE DIET DISCO! Discover how something as simple and fun as dancing to your favourite songs can raise your heart rate and affect how your body uses energy. Researchers from the Clinical Research Facility at Cambridge University Hospital will see which songs raise heart rates the most. Embarrassing dance moves from parents are fully encouraged! �
SAT ONLY
THE GRANDER VIEW: HOW MODERN MICROSCOPY ILLUMINATES DISEASE From light waves to X-rays! Join Cambridge Institute for Medical Research researchers for hands-on activities to discover how different microscopes illuminate the individual proteins in cells and how this can help us understand what goes wrong in disease. �
SAT ONLY
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF BACTERIA: HOW CLEAN ARE YOUR HANDS? How well do you really wash your hands? Researchers from the School of Life Sciences, ARU, reveal how germs can be spread on items that we regularly touch, even when we wash our hands.
43
“Just wanted to say over & over & over & over again THANK YOU for the opportunities to enjoy such spectacularly high class events, great variety of topics, and for free. I enjoyed laughing and absorbing so much.” VISUALISING HOW MEDICINES MIGHT WORK Join AstraZeneca scientists to learn about how we can use holograms and models of proteins to visualise how medicines might work. Can you solve the puzzle to find the shape that fits the target?
WHAT DO ANIMALS SEE? Animals differ in the colours that they can see. For example, some bird plumage signals are hidden to humans. Researchers from the School of Life Sciences, ARU, demonstrate using spectrophotometry, and ask why animals see in different ways.
WHY SNOT? Why do our noses make snot? It’s part of our body’s defence against viruses and other bugs. Make your own (fake!) snot and find out about our bodies’ amazing immune army from Cambridge Immunologists. �
SUN ONLY
ESCAPE ROOM: RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH! In a new pop-up escape room from the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, we invite you to tackle fun puzzles as you develop a future weight-loss therapy. Achieve breakthroughs to win the funding you need to go forward. Will you reach your research goal before you’re locked in? 11AM – NOON NOON – 1PM 1PM – 2PM 2PM – 3PM 3PM – 4PM � SUN ONLY £15 per group (4–6 people). Adults and families with older teenagers
44
THE DINOSAUR RESURRECTION:
HOW THE DEMISE OF THE DINOSAURS PAVED THE WAY FOR THE ORIGIN MODERN BIRDS DANIEL FIELD 6PM – 7PM � WED 11 MAR Modern birds are the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrate animals, comprising nearly 11,000 living species. They inhabit virtually every corner of the modern world, and exhibit a mind-boggling variety of forms and lifestyles. But how has this aweinspiring diversity arisen? My talk will explore recent research into how, where and when the spectacular diversity of living birds, their specialised features and their extraordinary phenotypic variety have evolved. This exploration will reveal how extraordinary new fossils, cutting-edge visualisation techniques, and a wealth of new phenotypic and genomic data are providing revolutionary new insights into these long-standing evolutionary questions.
Advances in all of these areas point to a key event in Earth history as having kickstarted the radiation of modern birds: the extinction of the giant dinosaurs. Our research illustrates that the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event nearly wiped out birds alongside their dinosaurian brethren, but the interval immediately following this mass extinction event appears to have witnessed the extremely rapid diversification of modern birds – giving rise to the early ancestors of the major groups of birds alive today. We will seek to unravel the effects of this mass extinction on the avian ecology, anatomy and diversity, and will explore how the signature of this mass extinction event can still be discerned in the genomes of living birds.
45
Sun 15 Mar TREES UNDER THREAT Tree diseases are a major threat to urban trees and forests in the UK. To understand the spread of diseases and develop methods to combat their spread, researchers need help with mapping trees across the UK. Join Dr Cerian Webb, Department of Plant Sciences, at the Botanic Garden to learn how we can all contribute to this project. 10AM – 3PM � SUN 15 MAR SUN 22 MAR Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, CB2 1JE Normal admission charge
POLLINATOR PRINT MAKING Join artist Kaitlin Ferguson and scientist Jake Moscrop on an adventure in the Botanic Garden, imagining what the world looks like from a bee’s perspective as it visits flowers. Experiment with different print making techniques to create your own large-scale print inspired by scientific research into pollination. 10.30AM – 12.30PM � SUN 15 MAR Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, CB2 1JE Ideal for teenagers
BOTANIC GARDEN: SCIENCE ON SUNDAYS Science on Sundays is a programme of informal, monthly drop-in talks at the Botanic Garden, which run from March to August. The series launches with a talk by Dr Sarah Robinson, Sainsbury Laboratory, on the mechanics of plant development. 11AM – 11.30AM 2PM – 2.30PM � SUN 15 MAR Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, CB2 1JE
GENOMICS: THE MUSICAL Join Rishi from Singing Science to explore your DNA and the world of genetics, all through musical minilectures where scientific ideas are put to catchy tunes and funky visuals. Find out about Mendel’s pea plant experiments, variants and the phylogenetic trees that link all life on Earth! 1PM – 2PM � SUN 15 MAR Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington Avenue, Eddington, CB3 1AA
Normal admission charge Great for families
HANDS-ON AT THE GUILDHALL: AUTISM–FRIENDLY HOUR For one hour, our Guildhall hands-on space is open to adults and children who have an autism spectrum condition and their families. Explore and discuss Cambridge science in a quieter and less-crowded space. 11AM – NOON � SUN 15 MAR The Guildhall, Market Square, CB2 3QJ
2050: A NEW WORLD How will we adapt to climate change? What would you be willing to change for a sustainable, resilient life? Own your vision of the future with our board game and explore how your choices impact society in 2050. 2PM – 3.30PM 4.30PM – 6PM � SUN 15 MAR Thirsty Cambridge, 46 Chesterton Road, CB4 1EN Great for adults and families with teenagers
HANDS-ON AT THE GUILDHALL: SUNDAY SCIENCE Join Cambridge Science Festival at the Guildhall for another packed day of activities. See Saturday’s entry for all the events taking place. NOON – 4PM � SUN 15 MAR The Guildhall, Market Square, CB2 3QJ
46
BABBAGE LECTURE THEATRE � SUN 15 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street (through the Pembroke Archway), CB2 3RS
THE CLIMATE CHANGE EMERGENCY Deadly heatwaves, floods and devastating storms, melting ice sheets threatening sea level rise displacing hundreds of millions of people and ecosystems under threat of extinction. If we continue to emit greenhouse gases as today, we will alter our world imaginably. Dr Emily Shuckburgh, Cambridge Zero, explains the science of climate change.
WERE DINOSAURS SPECIAL? Why did dinosaurs survive the Triassic period, whereas many crocodile-like contemporaries became extinct? Was the answer in their legs? Professor John Hutchinson, Royal Veterinary College, looks at this long-standing mystery, wielding 3D computer models and simulations of motion that combine anatomy, physiology and physics.
10.30AM – 11.30AM
2.30PM – 3.30PM
Great for families
Ideal for teenagers
MAGICAL MATHS Magic and maths have gone together for hundreds of years. The reasoning behind many magic effects is inherently mathematical and logical, and mathematical tools can reveal the secrets if you’re brave enough to use them. Ben Sparks examines some classic mathematical magic tricks, and gives you some new skills and tricks to take home!
MATHEMATICAL STORIES When you study maths, it’s easy to forget that the ideas and techniques you’re learning were invented and discovered by human beings. Dr Katie Steckles tells the stories of a few of the people who spent months, years or even lifetimes developing the maths we use today, and how their lives and work are connected across the centuries, through numbers.
12.30PM – 1.30PM
4.30PM – 5.30PM
Ideal for teenagers
Ideal for teenagers
MC
MR
MS
M
M
<
CE
C
π
√
7
8
9
/
%
4
5
6
*
1/X
1
2
3
-
,
+
0
=
SUNDAY PAPERS LIVE Cambridge Union Society, 9A Bridge Street, CB2 1UB NOON – 5PM � SUN 15 MAR
Imagine the perfect social Sunday: great food, newspapers and beer and Bloody Marys, then add some science! My Little Festival brings Sunday Papers Live back to the Science Festival, bringing the broadsheets to life, section by section with high-profile speakers, creative activities and food and drink. This special Science Festival edition returns to the beautiful Cambridge Union and offers a thoughtprovoking and enjoyable Sunday. Bring your slippers, eat, drink, relax, giggle and laugh and engage with current science through talks, poetry and comedy. Great food and drink available to purchase.
£15 / £10 12–16 years
47
48
Week two There is no need to pre-book events unless indicated by our booking icon
To pre-book, visit: www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk or call: 01223 766766
49
Mon 16 Mar PRIMARY ROCKET LAUNCHPAD Primary school groups are invited to the Department of Engineering to explore 3D geometry. As a finale, we make paper rockets and launch them using compressed air. A well-made rocket will go as high as our roof! 10.15AM – NOON 1PM – 2.45PM � MON 16 MAR WED 18 MAR Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, CB2 1PZ For Year 5 and 6 primary school pupils
IMAGINING SCIENCE: VISIONS OF THE PAST AND THINGS TO COME Take a walk with the Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides highlighting where visionary Cambridge scientists ventured into the unknown and made their groundbreaking discoveries and inventions. 11AM – 12.30PM � MON 16 MAR TO FRI 20 MAR Meet opposite the Great Gate, St John’s College, St John’s Street, CB2 1TP
ESCAPE ROOM: SAVE YOUR CELLS! Your body’s cells are threatened; can you get the message through to activate a counter-attack? Experience how cells communicate by recreating a signalling pathway that regulates how cells act and react. Enter the Babraham Institute’s popup escape room, master laboratory techniques and solve scientific puzzles to untangle the mysteries to help your cells survive. 11AM – 9PM � MON 16 MAR LockHouse Escape Games, 70 Regent Street, CB2 1DP Hourly sessions from 11AM, last entry 9PM 16+ years £15 per team (4-6 players)
Feature Image Roger Long’s Great Sphere, an early version of a planetarium Credit: Pembroke College
WAYS OF WORKING: THE ARCHIVE OF PROFESSOR SIR ROBERT EDWARDS AT CHURCHILL ARCHIVES CENTRE This symposium focuses on ways of working with the newly opened archive of IVF pioneer Bob Edwards, and ways of working evidenced in the archive. There will also be a chance to see a related art exhibition by Gina Glover and a display from the archive. 1PM – 6.30PM � MON 16 MAR Churchill College, Storey’s Way, CB3 0DS
CRISPR TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE OF GENOME EDITING Cambridge Gravity Lecture The discovery of CRISPRCas9 genetic engineering technology has changed genomics research forever. Co-discoverer Professor Jennifer Doudna, University of California, Berkeley, discusses the implications of this new gene-editing tool and advocates for thoughtful approaches to policies around its use. 6PM – 7PM � MON 16 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
50 CAN WE REGULATE THE INTERNET? How can we combat disinformation online? Should internet platforms be responsible for what happens on their services? Are platforms beyond the reach of the law? Is it too late to regulate the internet? The Cambridge Trust & Technology Initiative explores these questions and more. 6PM – 7.30PM � MON 16 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
IMAGING IN FOUR DIMENSIONS Join us for a game event building an understanding of quasicrystalline materials. Working in teams of 4–5, explore physics ideas related to crystal tilings, forbidden crystal symmetries and higher-dimensional mappings onto quasicrystal structures. 7.30PM – 9PM � MON 16 MAR Frankopan Hall, Jesus College, Jesus Lane, CB5 8BQ
THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN Cambridge Neuroscience Public Lecture Adolescence is often characterised by behaviours that seem irrational, such as excessive risk-taking and impulsivity. Professor SarahJayne Blakemore, Department of Psychology, suggests these behaviours can be interpreted as adaptive and rational given that a key developmental goal is to mature into an independent adult, while navigating a social world that is unstable and changing.
PINTS AND PUZZLES Presented in partnership with TTP plc Enjoy a pub quiz without the annoying competitive aspect. Solve puzzles rather than answer general-knowledge questions – use problemsolving skills instead of fact-hoarding. Join puzzlemad mathematicians Katie Steckles and Ben Sparks for a brain-teasing selection of mathematical puzzles, with plenty of hints and clues if you get stuck, and some surprising answers along the way.
7.30PM – 8.30PM � MON 16 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
8PM – 10.30PM � MON 16 MAR Cambridge Science Centre, Unit 44, Clifton Road Industrial Estate, CB1 7EP Adults only
Tue 17 Mar LITTLE EXPLORERS: AURORAS Join us for a colourful story of the Northern Lights in this sensory story session for the under-5s only, with storyteller Marion Leeper. An experiment is included too! 10AM – 11AM 11.15AM – 12.15PM � TUE 17 MAR Scott Polar Research Institute, The Polar Museum, Lensfield Road, CB2 1ER For children under 5 years and their parents or carers
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FOR GLOBAL EQUALITY Researchers, change actors and experts in the needs of the developing world are joining forces across the world to advance international development through research. Discover some of the scientific collaborations that are empowering countries to lift their populations out of poverty and improve livelihoods. 5.30PM – 6.30PM � TUE 17 MAR Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Site, Downing Street, CB2 3EA
51
DR SAM STRANKS THE FUTURE OF PEROVSKITES FOR SOLAR POWER AND LIGHTING 6PM – 7PM � THU 19 MAR Imagine a world with cheap, abundant solar power and lighting, where we roll off spools of inexpensive and even coloured, high-performance solar panels or LEDs like newsprint. Such prospects would drive expansive carbonfree electrification, which is ultimately necessary for achieving critical emission targets. Moreover, these innovations would enable electricity to reach the 1.3 billion people around the world who currently cannot access such resources. A recently discovered semiconducting material, metal halide perovskites, have the potential to realize this exciting future. This family of man-made, ionic minerals have over the last decade taken the academic world, and now the industrial solar cell community, by storm. Sunlight-to-electricity power-conversion efficiencies of perovskite solar cells have moved from 3% in 2012 to >25% in 2019, rivalling the market-leading silicon solar panels that we see on rooftops (26%). A similarly astonishing pace has been seen for perovskite LEDs in which electrical power is converted into light. Furthermore, these new materials appear to be tolerant to most defects and blemishes during fabrication, enabling inexpensive large-scale processing.
In this talk, I show the remarkable potential for these materials for both the solar power and lighting industries. I highlight recent breakthroughs in our own and other academic labs as well as key challenges still to be overcome to enable commercialisation of these promising technologies. It will take a concerted academic and industrial push to see widespread deployment, but the potential prize – cheap, ubiquitous power and lighting – will be worth the effort.
RELATED EVENT CEB VISIONS 11AM – 3PM � SAT 21 MAR
52 FORECASTING VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS Volcanoes are a formidable natural phenomenon and claim lives every year during eruptions. Dr Marie Edmonds, Department of Earth Sciences, discusses how volcanoes work, how they are monitored and how eruptions may be forecast. 6PM – 7PM � TUE 17 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
THE LONDON PATIENT: THE WORLD’S SECOND HIV CURE Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease Public Lecture Currently, the only way to treat HIV is with antiretroviral therapy that suppresses the virus but cannot eradicate it from the body. Professor Ravi Gupta, Department of Medicine, and colleagues achieved a milestone this year by successfully eliminating the HIV virus from a patient through a bone-marrow transplant. This breakthrough could help experts who are looking for new ways to tackle HIV and achieve a cure. 6PM – 7PM � TUE 17 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
UK DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY: 10 YEARS OF GOING BACKWARDS Professor David Nutt, Imperial College London, reflects on the backwards direction of UK drug policy in the decade since he was sacked as chief drugs advisor. Examples such as the rising death rates from fentanyls, synthetic cannabinoids and alcohol all betray policy failures and, he argues, a wilful disregard of evidence. He demonstrates examples of good policy and other sensible ways forward. 6PM – 7PM � TUE 17 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
MEET YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD CLIMATE SCIENTISTS Join local climate and polar science experts at the British Antarctic Survey for a climate science conversation. Hear about the plans for the new RRS Sir David Attenborough, one of the most advanced polar research vessels in the world, and find out more about the science we do. 6PM – 7.30PM � TUE 17 MAR British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET
THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS: MODERN PERSPECTIVES FROM LEMAÎTRE TO HAWKING Leading cosmologist and Director of COSMOS Professor Paul Shellard leads us through the fascinating advance of science. Event organised by the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. 6PM – 7.30PM � TUE 17 MAR Emmanuel College, St Andrew’s Street, CB2 3AP
EXPLORE THE WORLD OF GENOMICS AND BACTERIA Explore the genomes of bacteria through a range of online e-learning activities with researchers and educators from the Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conference programme. We will be delving into the microbial world using genome sequencing techniques to track harmful disease and antimicrobial resistance. 6PM – 8PM � TUE 17 MAR Titan Teaching Room, Cockcroft Building, New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, CB2 3QH Great for families with older teenagers
53 THE CAMBRIDGE LASER (LEONARDO ART SCIENCE EVENING RENDEZVOUS) The Cambridge LASER questions the separation and propagation of art and science as distinct categories of knowing and being. It asks: What is creativity in science and the arts? Where do scientific and artistic attitudes, inquiries and methods overlap? Can such understanding help shape our technological, urban and environmental futures. 6PM – 8PM � TUE 17 MAR Buckingham House Lecture Theatre, Murray Edwards College, Huntingdon Road, CB3 0DF
GLOBAL PROBLEMS, LOCAL SOLUTIONS: SHAPING HEALTHCARE ISSUES WITH EMERGING INNOVATIONS Presented in partnership with Gates Cambridge Gates Cambridge Scholars address key healthcare challenges in resource-limited settings, with a particular focus on emerging public health technologies and local innovations that may serve as templates for the rest of the world. 7.30PM – 9PM � TUE 17 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
STARFRUIT: LISTENING TO THE UNIVERSE The organisation of the cosmos has been described as a kind of musical harmony. So how might music let us experience the cosmos in a way that takes us far beyond the visible? Composer Tim Watts, St John’s College, and astronomer Matt Bothwell, Institute of Astronomy, explore the links between music and astronomy, centring on a newly composed piece, Starfruit, that tells the story of the Big Bang. 8PM – 9PM � TUE 17 MAR St John’s College Old Divinity School, All Saints Passage, CB2 1TP
Wed 18 Mar THE MAMMOTH MOVE: PROGRESS AT THE GEOLOGY RESEARCH CENTRE Six months have now passed since the Sedgwick Museum’s new Collection Research Centre opened in West Cambridge. See the progress made with our mammoth move of 150 tonnes of rocks and fossils, and learn more about the work that takes place at the Centre. 10AM – 10.45AM 11.15AM – NOON � WED 18 MAR Brighton Building, Sedgwick Museum Conservation Unit, Madingley Road, Madingley Rise, CB3 0EZ 16+ years
HARMONEYES Join musicians from the Academy of Ancient Music for a playful look at the Inspire exhibition. We’ll retell the story of Cupid and Psyche through sound and explore how music can create visions of things that we cannot see in real life. 10AM – 11AM 1.30PM – 2.30PM � WED 18 MAR Meet at the Courtyard Entrance, Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RB 3–5 year olds and their parents or carers
54 CUPID AND PSYCHE: SCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS INTO THE PAINTING BEHIND INSPIRE 2020 Inspire is an art exhibition made by primary school children. It celebrates the creativity of teachers and champions the ongoing importance of cultural learning. Dr Paola Ricciardi, Fitzwilliam Museum, and Victoria Sutcliffe, Hamilton Kerr Institute, discuss the project, which focuses on one painting, Cupid and Psyche by Jacopo del Sellaio, as a source of ideas and inspiration. 1.15PM – 2PM � WED 18 MAR Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RB Admission by token, available from 12.45PM
ANCIENT VIEWERS AND VIEWING THROUGH ANCIENT EYES When we visit the Museum of Classical Archaeology, we are locked in the present: we can’t step into ancient sandals and view the sculptures through Greek and Roman eyes. So how can we understand ancient viewers? Join Curator Dr Susanne Turner as she explores how thinking about viewers and viewing helps us to see and understand ancient art differently. 2PM – 3PM � WED 18 MAR Museum of Classical Archaeology, Sidgwick Avenue, CB3 9DA
MY SELF AND MY BRAIN How does our brain create our sense of self and identity? Dr Jane Aspell, ARU, examines how studying patients with disorders of self can help scientists answer this question. 4PM – 5PM � WED 18 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
SEEING THROUGH OLDER AGE While age-related distinctions are very common, the question is whether reduced capabilities can be straightforwardly linked to chronological age. This workshop, presented by Dr Helga Hejny, ARU, helps you to see beyond that and to question ‘is age really just a number’? 5.30PM – 7.30PM � WED 18 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
WOMEN RISING IN STEM: BIOTECH AND BEYOND Within the context of a multigenerational workforce, sharing stories of achievement from successful women at different stages of their career can provide a compelling reason for women to stay within the scientific profession. The Rising Network is proud to present this interactive mentoring event spotlighting inspirational women in STEM. 5.30PM – 8.30PM � WED 18 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
AMBITION WITHOUT LIMITS: WOMEN IN STEM Part of Wolfson Explores Borders A panel discussion chaired by Professor Jane Clarke FRS, distinguished biophysical chemist and President of Wolfson College. 6PM – 7PM � WED 18 MAR Lee Hall, Wolfson College, Barton Road, CB3 9BB
55 ART AND SCIENCE FOR A FUTURE PLANET What can art tell us about ecology? How can artists play a role in creating alternative climate futures? In this talk, Dr Joanna Page, Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, presents innovative multimedia art projects that draw on new scientific research to help us imagine more sustainable relationships between humans, technology and the environment. 6PM – 7PM � WED 18 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
MORE THAN A BLOCKED PIPE: THE HARDENING OF ARTERIES AND THEIR ROLE IN STROKE AND HEART ATTACKS Hardening of the arteries is a widespread condition that is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke. Despite the huge impact that hardened arteries have for human health, there are still no cures. Dr Nick Evans, Department of Medicine, and Professor Melinda Duer, Department of Chemistry, discuss their combined efforts to find better diagnoses and treatments. 6PM – 7PM � WED 18 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, THE HUMAN BRAIN AND NEUROETHICS When you think of artificial intelligence, do you get excited about its potential and all the new possibilities? Or rather, do you have concerns about AI and how it will change the world as we know it? Join Dr Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, Tom Feilden, BBC Radio 4, and Professor Barbara Sahakian, Department of Psychiatry, and share your views. 6PM – 7.30PM � WED 18 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
THE GOOD AND BAD OF FOOD PRODUCTION Photos are powerful storytelling tools, but their meaning is open to interpretation. Food-related images increasingly divide opinion. Join scientists and social scientists from the TIGR2ESS project for an exhibition exploring the underlying meanings of images from India that capture the good and bad of food production. 6PM – 8PM � WED 18 MAR The Michaelhouse Centre, Trinity Street, CB2 1SU
THE SUB-TWO-HOUR MARATHON: WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? 1h:59min:40s for the marathon is an extraordinary achievement. How was this feat of human endurance and endeavour achieved? Join Dr Dan Gordon, Dr Justin Roberts, Dr Ash Willmott and Dr Francesca Cavallerio, ARU, as they debate the physiological, nutritional, technological and psychological components of this challenge and where the limits to human endurance may lie. 7PM – 8.30PM � WED 18 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT
CHANGING CLIMATE: LESSONS FROM THE HISTORY OF THE CLIMATE SCIENCES How can a better understanding of the history of the climate sciences help us change our climate? Dr Richard Staley, History and Philosophy of Science, investigates the complex relations between making and knowing climates. He focuses on changing perspectives on climatic eras to explore the tensions scientists experience when attempting to achieve political and economic change for the sake of the future. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � WED 18 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
56 SEEING IS BELIEVING: IS DETECTING THE SAME AS SEEING? Nowadays scientists typically look at images and graphs generated by computers analysing data from potentially complex experiments. We explore whether this is still the same thing as seeing, and whether the development of more-complex experiments changed the way we do physics. 7.30PM – 9PM � WED 18 MAR Frankopan Hall, Jesus College, Jesus Lane, CB5 8BQ
THE ASTROHOLIC LIVE Do you like science? Do you like cocktails? Of course you do! Come along and experience that and more at a recording of The Astroholic LIVE, where science, comedy and alcohol mix hilariously for your entertainment. Dr Alfredo Carpineti and Luís Costa da Silva are joined by two phenomenal Cambridge researchers for a very different kind of science evening. 8PM – 10PM � WED 18 MAR Espresso Library, 210 East Road, CB1 1BG
Thu 19 Mar A LAB OF ONE’S OWN For too long, women’s contribution to science has been downplayed. Yet the archives of the Sedgwick and Whipple Museums and the University Library are rich with books, PhD theses, manuscripts and other objects showing the discoveries that have been made by Cambridge women. See examples of their work at this pop-up display. 10AM – NOON � THU 19 MAR Milstein Seminar Rooms, Cambridge University Library, West Road, CB3 9DR
EXPLORING FUTURES WITH TWINE Using your creative writing skills and some simple code you can develop a branching narrative complete with score and inventory items. Channel a dystopian future in the style of Black Mirror, or could you, perhaps, imagine a brighter future? 4PM – 6PM � THU 19 MAR Centre for Computing History, Rene Court, Coldhams Road, CB1 3EW £12 / £9
INNOVATIVE DRONES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND AGRICULTURAL MONITORING Professor Roland Siegwart, ETH Zurich, discusses humankind’s future with robots as they replace most of the unsophisticated but physically demanding jobs in agriculture and supply chain processes. 5PM – 6PM � THU 19 MAR Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, CB2 1PZ
LAW, HORMONES AND SPORT: A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD? The Baron de Lancey Lecture How do we ensure a level playing field in sport given the natural variations in human biology? When athletes’ hormone levels differ from the norm, what is to be done? Is it fair to force female athletes to take testosterone-lowering drugs to be eligible to compete? Does this comply with doping laws? Professor Bartha Knoppers, McGill University, gives the 2020 Baron de Lancey Lecture. 5.15PM – 7PM � THU 19 MAR Faculty of Law, Sidgwick Site, 10 West Road, CB3 9DZ
57 UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING The University of Cambridge 17th Annual Disability Lecture Kjetil Knarlag and Elinor Olaussen from Universell, a Division of Student and Academic Affairs at the Norwegian Technical University in Trondheim, give this year’s Annual Lecture. Universell works on behalf of the Ministry of Education as the National Coordinator for Accessibility and Universal Design in higher education in Norway. 5.30PM – 6.30PM � THU 19 MAR Fisher Building, St John’s College, St John’s Street, CB2 1TP
IMAGING AND VISION IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE In partnership with Cambridge University Press Dr Anders Hansen, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, discusses new developments in AI and demonstrates how AI systems designed to replace human vision and decision processes can behave in very non-human ways. This raises many fundamental questions in the sciences, but also initiates an ethical and philosophical debate. 6PM – 7PM � THU 19 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
THE FUTURE OF PEROVSKITES FOR SOLAR POWER AND LIGHTING Halide perovskites are generating enormous excitement as next-generation solar cells and lighting technologies that can be produced at extremely low cost on flexible spools. Dr Sam Stranks, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, discusses their future as a groundbreaking technology and the challenges to get there. 6PM – 7PM � THU 19 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
SKINNY GENES There is increasing evidence that an intricate biological system underpins our choices about when, what and how much we eat. Professor Sadaf Farooqi from the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science discusses research into the genetics and neuroscience of appetite and the relevance of research findings to eating disorders and obesity. 6PM – 7.30PM � THU 19 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
TACKLING OVARIAN CANCER: TURNING THE TIDE ON ONE OF THE TOUGHEST CANCERS Hear from scientists and clinicians across Cambridge about how they are trying to turn the tide on ovarian cancer and change patient outcomes. Learn about innovative new ways to detect cancer at an earlier stage, and how new treatments, such as Olaparib, are already giving patients hope. 6PM – 7.30PM � THU 19 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
MAKESPACE ANNUAL SHOWCASE Join us as we celebrate seven years of making, inventing and collaboration at Cambridge’s city centre makerspace. Tour our workshops and see our range of engineering and making equipment and techniques and some of our members’ past and current projects. 6PM – 8PM � THU 19 MAR Makespace, 16 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
58
GROWING UNDERGROUND
DR RUCHI CHOUDHARY 6PM – 7PM � THU 12 MAR 1PM – 2PM � SAT 14 MAR Urban farming is on the increase as an alternative local source of food. But how do you integrate urban farms into densely populated environments? Located in tunnels in West London, designed as World War II air raid shelters in the 1940s, is the world’s first underground farm. Growing Underground uses hydroponic systems to produce sustainable, pesticide-free crops of micro greens and salad leaves.
Integrating urban farms within dense environments has the potential to utilise waste infrastructure and resources within cities with environmental benefits. My group’s involvement has proved an ideal opportunity to gather data on the impact of plants under controlled conditions. By monitoring temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, air velocity and light, we are able to develop our simulation models and develop this tool as a means to simulate the impact of plants at the design stage for all types of building. As part of my talk at the Festival, I highlight some of the challenges and the opportunities of growing food in abandoned spaces within cities.
59 SEASEARCH: ENVISAGING THE UNDERWATER WORLD AROUND BRITAIN AND IRELAND Cambridge Natural History Society Talk Paul Mylrea, Office of External Affairs and Communications, talks about Seasearch, a project for volunteer scuba divers and snorkellers mapping out the various types of seabeds found in the nearshore zone around the whole of Britain and Ireland. 6.45PM – 8.30PM � THU 19 MAR David Attenborough Building, New Museums Site, CB2 3QZ
ASTRONOMY ON TAP Science is even better with beer! Come to Astronomy on Tap for an evening of accessible, engaging science talks and astronomy-themed games.
OUT THINKERS @ THE CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE FESTIVAL Just like white light is made by all the colours of the rainbow, so science is made by the contributions of a cast of thousands. Meet some of these researchers in an informal setting, and we hope to provide some laughs and a lot of science! 7PM – 10PM � THU 19 MAR Cambridge University Centre Wine Bar, Granta Place, CB2 1RU
THE ‘P’ WORD: RETHINKING OUR WASTEFUL PLASTIC WORLD Horizons Public Lecture Plastic has become a malevolent symbol of our wasteful society. It’s also fundamental to almost every aspect of our lives. How do we shift our ‘take, make, throw-away’ plastic world towards ‘recycle, recover, re-use’? With Dr Sally Beken, Innovate UK, Bryony Rothwell, Recycling in Cambridge and Peterborough, and researchers Professor Erwin Reisner, Department of Chemistry, and Dr Patrick O’Hare, University of St Andrews. 7.30PM – 9PM � THU 19 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
7PM – 9.30PM � THU 19 MAR The Maypole Pub, 20A Portugal Place, CB5 8AF
“Fantastic, intelligent, absorbing, entertaining, engaging, relatable - I cannot say enough good things.”
60
Fri 20 Mar SCIENCE AND THE FUTURES OF MEDICINE Cambridge Philosophical Society One-Day Meeting Recent advances in the sciences underpinning medicine, and their translation to clinical impact, are transforming our ability to understand and treat human diseases. This one-day meeting organised by the Cambridge Philosophical Society explores emerging areas in which the convergence of fundamental science and translational opportunities promises to shape the futures of medicine. 9AM – 5.15PM � FRI 20 MAR Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW
ALEX HOPKINS LECTURE: THE JOY OF DISCOVERY Synthetic chemistry provides unlimited opportunities to design our own molecular world. Moving from molecules to dynamic molecular systems, the challenge is to control and exploit motion at the nanoscale. Join Professor Ben Feringa, University of Groningen, on a journey through molecular switches and motors, and find out how molecular beauty has guided him on his journey. 5PM – 6.15PM � FRI 20 MAR Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Road, CB2 1EW Great for families
DISEASES WITHOUT BORDERS Part of Wolfson Explores Borders Professor James Wood, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fellow of Wolfson College, explores over a decade of collaborative investigations of diseases thought to be transmitted between animals and humans in sub-Saharan Africa. He highlights the importance of working with local experts and the benefits to Cambridge science, as well as those to African collaborators supported by the CambridgeAfrica programme. 6PM – 7PM � FRI 20 MAR Lee Hall, Wolfson College, Barton Road, CB3 9BB
MENDING BROKEN HEARTS: STEM CELLS FOR HEART DISEASE Dr Sanjay Sinha, Wellcome – MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, describes the problem of heart failure after a heart attack and how we can use stem cells to regenerate the damaged tissues. 6PM – 7PM � FRI 20 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
MORE PUZZLING SURPRISES By popular demand, Dr Hugh Hunt and Rob Eastaway return with another collection of puzzling curiosities linked to familiar everyday objects. Who knows what surprises they’ll be (literally) pulling out of the hat this year – expect playing cards, balls, envelopes and much more. 6PM – 7PM � FRI 20 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS Ideal for teenagers
ART & SCIENCE SOIRÉE Cavendish Labs, SciArt in Cambridge and the Art & Science Soirée cordially invite you to mingle at our SciArt party. Makers, creative scientists and SciArt enthusiasts are all welcome – and feel free to bring something with you to share! 6.30PM – 9PM � FRI 20 MAR Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, JJ Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE
61
INSTITUTE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION 1.30PM – 5PM � FRI 20 MAR Institute of Continuing Education, Madingley Hall, Madingley, CB23 8AQ
BIOLOGICAL ANNIHILATION: A THREAT TO HUMANITY? We hear a lot on the news about infectious diseases such as influenza, Ebola and MRSA. How dangerous are these diseases? Should we be worried? Dr Tom Monie, Institute of Continuing Education, provides historical context to the threat of infectious diseases and their impact on mortality, as well as looking to the future and discussing how worried we should be. 1.30PM – 2.30PM
COMMUNICATING SCIENCE Experience the views, knowledge and insight of students on our Postgraduate Certificate in Practical Science Communication.
HERBALISTS AT MADINGLEY HALL Join us to discover the hidden science of humble plants with three local herbalists, and see new ways of using them that you may not have seen before!
VISION: USES AND APPLICATIONS A selection of hands-on activities to let you explore the importance of vision, the application of vision and visions of the future.
THE BEAUTY OF BIOMATERIALS Energy is the basic currency of life, and resources are limited. How does nature produce incredibly functional materials with simple material building blocks and limited energy? Dr Darshil Shah, Department of Architecture, discusses what we can learn from the biomaterials that spiders, silkworms, trees, plants, elephants and marine worms produce, to design our own sustainable material world. 2.45PM – 3.45PM
PERCEIVING THE WORLD THROUGH SENSORS Today, sensors have become a cheap and versatile commodity, producing data that is often called the ‘new oil’. Dr Oliver Hadeler, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, highlights how the huge amount of data collected by sensors influences our perception of the world. 4PM – 5PM
62 ANIMAL CABARET Grab a drink and snigger at the sillier side of the animal kingdom at this fact-filled evening of zoology fun with scientists and staff of the Museum of Zoology. 7PM – 8.30PM � FRI 20 MAR Whale Café, Museum of Zoology, Downing Street, CB2 3EJ
HOW DOES A BATTERY WORK? THE WONDER OF EVERYDAY SCIENCE We use simple batteries all the time, but very few of us really understand how they work. The working of batteries was actually a subject of real contention in 19th century science and engineering. Professor Hasok Chang, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, shows how many everyday phenomena turn out to be complex and fascinating. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � FRI 20 MAR Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, 8 Mill Lane, CB2 1RX
HOW TO ARGUE WITH A RACIST: HISTORY, SCIENCE, RACE AND REALITY Race is real because we perceive it. Racism is real because we enact it. But the appeal to science to strengthen racist ideologies is on the rise. Science writer and broadcaster Dr Adam Rutherford argues that, if understood correctly, science and history can be powerful allies against racism, granting the clearest view of how people actually are, rather than how we judge them to be. 7.30PM – 8.30PM � FRI 20 MAR Babbage Lecture Theatre, New Museums Site, Downing Street, CB2 3RS
THE BIG SCIENCE FESTIVAL QUIZ Presented in partnership with TTP plc Sharpen your pencils, get out your mascots and grab a drink! It’s time to test your scientific knowledge in our Science Festival quiz! Quiz maestro Ian Harvey will be in charge at this fun-filled evening. Bring a team of up to five people, or come along and we will make up teams on the night. 8PM – 10.30PM � FRI 20 MAR Cambridge Science Centre, Unit 44, Clifton Road Industrial Estate, CB1 7EP 16+ years
Sat 21 Mar HANDS-ON SCIENCE AT THE VET SCHOOL: READING AND WRITING THE CODE OF LIFE Discover cutting-edge biomedical research at the vet school. Find out how CRISPR gene-editing technology can be used to fight superbugs, how research on the ageing process in dogs can inform human medicine and how bat conservation could help reduce pandemic risk. Fascinating research talks every hour and drop-in workshops for all ages. 10AM – 1PM � SAT 21 MAR Department of Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, CB3 0ES
ICE WORLDS Discover what life is like as a polar scientist or engineer. Learn what it takes to build a polar research ship. Find out why polar bears don’t eat penguins! Marvel at the amazing innovation behind Antarctic and Arctic research. Be inspired; do you have what it takes to be a polar explorer, scientist or engineer? Join us and find out! 10AM – 4PM � SAT 21 MAR British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET
63 CLAY CELEBRATIONS See our soup-er exhibition Feast and Fast, then get creative in the Studio with ceramicist Sarah Nibbs. There will be sessions for children aged 5–7 years and for those aged 8–12 years. 10.30AM – NOON 1.30PM – 3PM � SAT 21 MAR Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RB £8 per child
PAST AND PRESENT SCIENCE DAY Celebrating our centenary year, the Scott Polar Research Institute welcomes families to a day of science exploration. Meet some of our intrepid polar scientists and take part in experiments and activities throughout the day. 10.30AM – 3.30PM � SAT 21 MAR Scott Polar Research Institute, The Polar Museum, Lensfield Road, CB2 1ER
CEB VISIONS Hands-on demos, talks and exhibits exploring the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology’s vision of providing sustainable solutions to energy production, healthcare and materials development. 11AM – 3PM � SAT 21 MAR Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Philippa Fawcett Drive, CB3 0AS
DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS: SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION IN MANUSCRIPT AND PRINT From medieval drawings, through woodcuts and copperplates, to pioneering photography, explore how the technology of illustration changed how science was portrayed: an exhibition in St John’s College’s 17th century library. 11AM – 4PM � SAT 21 MAR The Old Library, St John’s College, St John’s Street, CB2 1TP
WELLCOME GENOME CAMPUS OPEN SATURDAY Join us for an Open Day to explore the Wellcome Genome Campus near Hinxton and discover more about our research into DNA, genetics and biodata. 11AM – 4PM � SAT 21 MAR Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA
OPEN AFTERNOON AT THE INSTITUTE OF ASTRONOMY The Institute of Astronomy opens its doors for an astronomical afternoon of activities, demonstrations, games and talks, all around our lovely wooded site. Meet our scientists and telescopes, and learn more about the world of astronomy and the exciting research we do! 2PM – 6PM � SAT 21 MAR Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, CB3 0HA
FAMILY GAMING NIGHT An evening of video gaming for all the family! With games that everyone can play from retro classics like Pac-Man and Space Invaders through to modern examples like Wii, PS3, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. 6PM – 10PM � SAT 21 MAR Centre for Computing History, Rene Court, Coldhams Road, CB1 3EW £9 / £7 / £6 / £26
64
DEPARTMENT OF MATERIALS SCIENCE AND METALLURGY 10AM – 4PM � SAT 21 MAR Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, 27 Charles Babbage Road, CB3 0FS
CHANNELLING LIGHT USING GLOW-IN-THEDARK DYES Join researchers from the Photoactive Materials group for some colourful chemistry! Watch as we create glow-inthe-dark liquids and see how paint can be used to help capture sunlight and improve the performance of solar-cell technology.
DISCOVERING THE WONDERS OF MATERIALS SCIENCE AND METALLURGY Get hands-on with a wide range of fascinating experiments to explore the unique properties of novel materials for future technologies, as well as innovative techniques for materials characterisation, design and processing.
10AM – 12.45PM 10AM – 12.45PM COOL BALLOONS What happens when you stretch a party balloon very fast? Its temperature increases! And what happens when you release the balloon after it has recovered its initial temperature? The balloon gets cold. Observe this change of temperature with an infrared camera. 10AM – 12.45PM
THE FINE PRINT: TOWARDS WEARABLE ELECTRONICS Electronics that adhere to the skin or within the body are highly desirable for health monitoring, medical treatment and biological studies. Find out about advances in additive manufacturing techniques, whereby functional nanomaterials are directly ‘printed’ to create devices for wearable electronics. 10.30AM – 11.30AM
MAKING ART WITH INTERFACIAL ASSEMBLY Celebrating the research of Katharine Burr Blodgett, the first woman to be awarded a PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge, researchers demonstrate the self-assembly of particles at a water/air interface. Visitors are then invited to use the self-assembled patterns as a template for creating their own artwork. 10AM – 12.45PM
HIDDEN IN PLANE FLIGHT: THE UNKNOWN STORY OF ALLOY DEVELOPMENT IN AEROSPACE How do we design the alloys that keep our planes moving? Join researchers on a journey from the humble atom to the extreme environment of the jet engine. Follow the story from materials selection to performance optimisation, as we delve into the world of alloy design. NOON – 1PM
“Yay Science Festival ! Thank you for all the great activities :)”
65 THE SOUND AND FEEL OF SCIENCE Explore magnets, surfactants, batteries, sound waves and more through teaching modules that do not rely on visual aids, and are therefore suitable for all learners including those with visual disabilities. Come touch, feel, and hear your way through a science adventure! Suitable for individuals with and without visual disabilities.
CENTRE FOR MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES NOON – 4PM � SAT 21 MAR Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, CB3 0WA
1.15PM – 4PM
BETTER THAN BIONIC: BUILDING BETTER MEDICAL IMPLANTS Join us for a talk that takes you through the current applications of materials in medicine and showcases the cutting-edge work done every day in the Cambridge Centre for Medical Materials. 1.30PM – 2.30PM
ENGINEERING ATOMS Join the team from Engineering Atoms to find out about the materials used in jet engines, how we create them, how we test them and what we can do to make them better! Discover our new chocolate processing station and learn, in a delicious way, how the process of manufacturing and shaping metals affects their final properties. 1.45PM – 4PM
SECRETS AND LIGHTS Researchers explain the threats and opportunities that quantum technology poses for secure communication, and discuss the materials that will enable the technologies of the future. 3PM – 4PM
HANDS-ON MATHS FAIR Find out what patterns you can discover, explore your creative and critical thinking, and develop your problem-solving skills with handson mathematical activities and games for all ages from 5 to adult. Come along to explore, experiment, discover, question and enjoy!
MATHEMATICAL KEEP-FIT Be inspired to work mathematically, have your competence coached and revel in the feelgood factor of being challenged to persevere! Join Fran Watson from the University’s NRICH project for this highly interactive workshopstyle session focusing on problem-solving through paper folding – no previous experience required. 1PM – 2PM For children aged 9–13 years and their parents or carers.
THINKING MATHEMATICALLY Join Charlie Gilderdale from the University’s NRICH project to work on some of his favourite mathematical problems that will challenge you to notice patterns, develop convincing arguments and discover that everyone can think mathematically! 3PM – 4PM For children aged 11–13 years and their parents or carers.
66
CAVENDISH LABORATORY 1PM – 4.30PM � SAT 21 MAR Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, JJ Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE OPEN DAY AT THE CAVENDISH LABORATORY Join us for Festival favourites and interactive activities for all ages. Including: physics talks, experiments, demonstrations, our pop-up planetarium and CHaOS! Visit outreach.phy. cam.ac.uk/scifest for more information.
SCHOOLS ZONE Students from schools and sixth form colleges are the experts today, showing what they are investigating as part of their curriculum or afterschool club. Don’t miss these exciting demonstrations from the next generation of scientists, mathematicians and engineers.
THE SEVEN MILLION DOLLAR MATHS PROBLEMS In the year 2000, it was announced that seven of the biggest unsolved problems in mathematics would each be given a $1 million prize. Now 20 years on, only one has been solved. In this talk, Dr Tom Crawford (@tomrocksmaths) introduces each of the six remaining problems and outlines what you need to do to get your hands on the prize money.
ENGINEERING CYCLING EXCELLENCE What does it take to achieve cycling excellence? Professor Tony Purnell, Department of Engineering, and Head of Technical Development for British Cycling, explains how improved technology and an engineering approach have helped to improve speed and lower records. 3.30PM – 4.30PM
2PM – 3PM
“Speaker was highly knowledgeable, enthusiastic and engaging. Good linking of school science to real world application. Great fun and great to emphasise curiosity and trying things out, and the process of improvement.”
67
INSTITUTE FOR MANUFACTURING 1PM – 5PM � SAT 21 MAR Institute for Manufacturing, 17 Charles Babbage Road, CB3 0FS DATA AND PRINTING THROUGH TIME From parchment to petabytes, the transmission and storage of information has changed dramatically throughout the ages. This activity explores the good, the bad and the downright scary of information in the digital age.
LASER LAB TOURS Get a glimpse of the latest laser technologies and find out how they are used in industry. Watch our experts show you the amazing things that can be done with this technical kit. Take a look into the nano world and explore the force of light.
LASER TIN CAN ALLEY Fire your laser at our tin can alley to see who can knock down the most tin cans!
LEGO BUILDING A chance to get stuck in with a huge pile of LEGO bricks and be creative! Our expert builders will be on hand to help you build the very best models you can – even the UK’s LEGO MASTER finalist James Gard will be there to teach you some tips and tricks.
MANUFACTURING A BETTER WORLD: LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK Join us for an exciting microscope workshop that reveals the mysteries of the world. Learn about plastic waste, what microplastics look like and where they come from. Discover how an understanding of the microscale helps researchers develop low-cost tools to diagnose diseases and provide treatments.
STEEL #SNAP Have your group selfie etched onto steel using one of the Institute for Manufacturing’s high-powered laser markers.
VIRTUAL REALITY Immerse yourself in a 3D virtual and interactive environment!
WHAT WOULD YOU USE THAT FOR? Try some of the latest sciencebased products from local companies and win a prize for thinking of the most original ways to use them!
WHY ROBOTS ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE OVER ALL THE FACTORIES (...YET) Everything you see around you that is not part of the natural world has been ‘manufactured’ in some way. Professor Tim Minshall shows how things are made, and how things get from where they are made to where we use them. Learn about the role of robots and how they are good at some tasks but can never be as good as humans. 1.30PM – 2.30PM 3.30PM – 4.30PM
CENTRE FOR DIGITAL BUILT BRITAIN By harnessing the power of robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and new technologies, the future of how we build schools, homes and everything around us is being transformed. See how construction is going digital. 1.30PM – 4.30PM
PECHA KUCHA CHALLENGE Graduate engineering students take on the challenge of sharing their research with you in just 6 min 40 sec. Will they succeed? Join us for just one or stay for as many as you like. 2PM – 4PM
68
ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY 2PM – 6PM � SAT 21 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT MUSIC THERAPY, SOCIAL NEUROSCIENCE AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS Open day at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, ARU Watch brains in action during an interactive music-based stroke intervention, find out how social neuroscience helps us to understand how music therapy works and observe a live therapy session involving imagery and music listening. 2PM – 6PM � SAT 21 MAR Anglia Ruskin University, Young Street, CB1 2LZ
MESOPOTAMIAN MUD: A JOURNEY THROUGH VOICE AND VESSEL Take part in a collective experience of carrying a treasured object on a journey of discovery. Along the way, listen, imagine, create and share in the adventures of the enchanted pot from the Mesopotamian Marshlands. The walk is led by a Sedimentology–Fine Art research collective based in Iraq and the UK: Nawrast Sabah Abd Alwahab, Shaima al-Sitrawi, Kelcy Davenport, Sally Stenton and Sarah Strachan. 2PM – 5PM
BECAUSE WE ARE WORTH IT! ON A NEW VISION OF GENDER ROLES IN ADVERTISING What would aliens learn about gender from ads? Does it matter? Dr Magdalena Zawisza-Riley analyses the representation, effectiveness and effects of gendered advertisements on society.
WHY ARE WE OFFENDED SO EASILY THESE DAYS? Dr Vahid Parvaresh explores the issue of ‘taking offence’ by shedding light on how our social norms and moral values influence our judgments of what is right and what is wrong. 3PM – 4PM
3PM – 4PM
WAITING FOR FUTURE REWARDS: HOW ANIMALS COPE WITH A DELAY IN GRATIFICATION Humans often need to decide between an immediate reward or a greater but delayed reward. Self-control or the ability to wait is important when making decisions and planning for the future. Dr Claudia Wascher discusses whether non-human animals can also be patient and wait for future rewards. 3PM – 4PM
ROBOT VISIONS: IMAGINING THE FUTURE To mark two significant centenaries, the publication of Karel Čapek’s R.U.R. and the birth of Isaac Asimov, we explore the changing face of robots in science fiction. Convened by the Science Fiction Foundation and Anglia Ruskin University’s Centre for Science Fiction and Fantasy. 3PM – 4.30PM
69
ALVEARIUM: THERE IS NO PLAN BEE Meet the artists of alvearium, an interactive art installation exploring Climate BeeMergency. This piece challenges participants to investigate the effects a possible extinction of honey bees could have on pioneering medical research. 4PM – 6PM LINQUIZTICS Join Dr Melanie Bell, Dr Michelle Sheehan and colleagues for some linguistically themed fun and games for all the family. Play your favourite game shows – Blockbusters, Family Fortunes and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire – and learn a little about human language in the process! 3PM – 6PM
4.30PM – 5.30PM ATTRACTION EXPLAINED: THE SCIENCE OF HOW WE FORM RELATIONSHIPS Can science explain how we form relationships? Professor Viren Swami looks at how factors such as geography, appearance, personality and similarity affect who we fall for and why. 4.30PM – 5.30PM
SCIENCE IS A DIFFERENT STORY Experience science-related storytelling with hands-on activities. What is it like to be a scientist? How can scientists help cure diseases and preserve the environment? Presented by the Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK. 3PM – 6PM Great for families
NEUROMEDITATION WITH MUSIC Krisztián Hofstädter demonstrates his Brain– Computer Music Interface. This composes soundscapes that employ real-time brainwave measurements. The soundscapes are immersive and interactive audio neurogames that help us learn more about control awareness and consciousness.
DEVELOPING ARTIFICIAL MINDS: JOINT ATTENTION AND ROBOTICS Humans possess a distinctive suite of social skills. Dr Mike Wilby discusses the nature of these skills and how we might develop them in artificial systems to create ‘benign AI’. 4.30PM – 5.30PM
SUGAR AND SPICE AND ALL THINGS NICE: A JOURNEY INTO TASTE SENSORS IN THE BODY Dr Havovi Chichger, ARU, delves into the weird and wonderful locations in the body that can taste, and considers how and why these tissues and organs, including the kidney and lungs, sense taste and what this means in relation to our diet and health. 4.30PM – 5.30PM
70
Sun 22 Mar WANDLEBURY WILDLIFE Join the Warden Team and our conservation partners to discover the wildlife that calls Wandlebury home, and find out how we care for these species and habitats. Tour the park and its various habitats and discover how we manage these areas for the benefit of wildlife, as well as learning tips and tricks on how to identify species. 11AM – 3.30PM � SUN 22 MAR Stable Rooms, Wandlebury Country Park, Gog Magog Hills, CB22 3AE Car parking £3
OPEN SCIENCE AT THE JEFFREY CHEAH BIOMEDICAL CENTRE Visit the ‘new kids on the block’ on the Biomedical Campus and chat with our scientists about stem cells, infectious diseases, cancer and new therapies. Tour our state-of-the-art research facilities, drop in for short talks and activities, or visit our art exhibition. Café open throughout the day. 11AM – 4PM � SUN 22 MAR Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Puddicombe Way, CB2 0AW
MEET THE BIOMAKERS Biomakespace enables people with a curiosity for engineering with biology to collaborate and learn together. Meet the Biomakers and explore their projects: from bio-computers to bio-art! 12PM–4PM. � SUN 22 MAR. Biomakespace Cambridge, Clifford Allbutt Building, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0AH.
STRONGWOMEN SCIENCE StrongWomen Science is a circus science show for children and families. Want to know how you balance a chair on your chin or if you can juggle liquid? StrongWomen Aoife, an engineer, and Maria, an environmental scientist, reveal the science behind their astounding tricks. 11.30AM – 12.30PM 2.30PM – 3.30PM � SUN 22 MAR Cambridge Junction, Clifton Way, CB1 7GX Great for families, £10 / £6
MATHEMATICS: A TOOL KIT TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE Climate scientist, mathematician and co-author of the Ladybird book Climate Change, Dr Emily Shuckburgh talks about her research on modelling the localised effects of climate change including floods, droughts and extreme weather. 3PM – 4PM � SUN 22 MAR Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, 20 Clarkson Road, CB3 0EH
SCIENCE FESTIVAL CHORAL EVENSONG AT GREAT ST MARY’S, THE UNIVERSITY CHURCH Join Dr Shaun Henson, University of Oxford, as he gives the address at this beautiful candlelit choral Evensong service for the Science Festival. Everyone, of all faiths, and of no faith, is most warmly welcome. 5.30PM – 6.30PM � SUN 22 MAR Great St Mary’s Church, Senate House Hill, CB2 3PQ Retiring collection
UNDERSTANDING CANCER’S DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS Jesus College’s Dr Matthew Young explains how the unique genetic make-up of different cancers affects their development and how this knowledge can be used to improve treatment. 7.30PM – 9PM � SUN 22 MAR Frankopan Hall, Jesus College, Jesus Lane, CB5 8BQ
71
CANCER RESEARCH UK CAMBRIDGE INSTITUTE 11AM – 4.30PM � SUN 22 MAR Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, CB2 0RE HUMANS WHO SEARCH Humans Who Search is a photography project by Dr Stefanie Reichelt, Head of Light Microscopy at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, depicting the humans who are involved in searching, seeking, finding and making scientific discoveries.
LISTENING TO LIGHT How we can look inside the body without touching it? Emma Brown, Cancer Research Cambridge Institute, explores how optoacoustic imaging, which uses light and sound to ‘see’ and ‘listen’ to tissues in the body, could tell the difference between benign and aggressive tumours and reveal secrets about tumour environments.
THE ART OF SCIENTIFIC IMAGING Scientists have always used images to make discoveries, describe processes in nature, and illustrate observations and ideas. In scientific discoveries, images are often the scientific finding itself. But when is an image called art? Dr Stefanie Reichelt, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, considers how divergent the artistic image is from the scientific image in its nature and purpose.
12.15PM – 1PM
11.15AM – NOON
GENE EDITING: REWRITING THE FUTURE! For the past 20,000 years, humans have been manipulating the species around them. Now, for the first time in history, humanity has the technology to re-write the genetic code of virtually any species, including our own genomes. Dr Alasdair Russell, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, talks about the CRISPR genome editing revolution, its promise and its pitfalls. 2.15PM – 3PM
IMAGING OF ATOMS AND ANATOMY WITH MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING Dr Martin Graves, Dr Joshua Kaggie and Dr Ferdia Gallagher, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, discuss the physics behind magnetic resonance imaging. They show how these principles are used to image human anatomy and detect disease, and how specific atoms can be used to improve disease characterisation. 1.15PM – 2PM
THE STORY OF HIV Public Health England and partner organisations take you through the history of HIV in England and show how we’ve come so far in the diagnosis, treatment and care of people living with the illness. Today, people live a full life with a virus that was once thought of as a death sentence. 3.15PM – 4.30PM
72
CAMBRIDGE ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 11AM – 4PM � SUN 22 MAR Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology, Robinson Way (close to the junction of Robinson Way and Long Road), CB2 0SZ A VIEW OF THE HEART Explore the fascinating world of the heart. Have you ever wondered what goes on inside your heart? What is the size difference between the heart of a whale and a human’s? Take a walk with our cardiovascular scientists and investigate the heart or even ‘visualise’ the cardiac rhythm or heartbeat.
AWESOME ORGANS How much do you know about your amazing organs and about organ donation and transplantation? Join researchers from the NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Organ Donation and Transplantation to find out more, plus try out our hands-on organ activities and get your brain cells buzzing with our awesome organs quiz.
BRILLIANT BLOOD Join members of the Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and Genomics to find out what’s in your blood, the factors that affect iron levels and how much blood you can safely donate; make haemoglobin molecules with pipe cleaners; and learn how your blood donation is used for research.
BUILDING A HEALTHIER CHILDHOOD FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE Join scientists from the MRC Epidemiology Unit to explore how we can build healthier futures for our children by better understanding the world they live in.
CANCER: THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DETECTION Find out about cutting-edge research at the MRC Cancer Unit and the Hutchison MRC Research Centre to see how we are trying to catch cancer early.
CAMBRIDGE ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology is a state-of-the-art Academy School dedicated to educating the next generation of Britain’s scientists, technicians, engineers and programmers. See the College’s facilities, find out about its innovative curriculum and roll up your sleeves and experience the excitement of science in our challenge labs.
COGNITIVE TRAINING GAMES Wizard, Decoder and Gameshow are games designed to train cognition, specifically in the domains of memory and attention. To maximise participation, the games are developed to be fun and motivational. Join researchers from the Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute to try them out!
CAMBRIDGE AMBULANCE STATION Join the team for resuscitation and immobilisation demonstrations, get a closer look at kit and equipment, and look around an ambulance.
DIABETES IN PREGNANCY MATTERS Find out about the effects of diabetes in pregnancy and what can be done to reduce its impact, including preparation for pregnancy, diet and weight gain during pregnancy, and postnatal care from the Diabetes in Pregnancy research team.
73 ENERGY PRODUCTION IN MITOCHONDRIA Mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells: they convert the energy stored in food into ATP, the fuel of the cell, by using transporters, the electron transport chain and ATP synthase. Dysfunction in this system leads to disease. Join researchers from the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit to find out more about mitochondrial disease and the quest for future therapies.
ESCAPE ROOM: RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH! In a new pop-up escape room from the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, we invite you to tackle fun puzzles as you develop a future weight-loss therapy. Achieve breakthroughs to win the funding you need to go forward. Will you reach your research goal before you’re locked in? 11AM – NOON NOON – 1PM 1PM – 2PM 2PM – 3PM 3PM – 4PM £15 per team (4–6 players) Adults/families with older teens
EYES AND BRAINS: VISION OVER TIME What if you could see the world through different eyes? How do humans see compared with animals? Take a look behind the scenes of the visual world: explore the evolution of eyes and brains, our ability to read, and what happens when vision is impaired.
FOLLOW A NEW MEDICINE’S JOURNEY WITH DR WELL AND NIHR CAMBRIDGE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTRE There are lots of steps to take before a new medicine can be used on patients. Help Dr Well and our researchers work out what they are on our giant map puzzle. But take care – put them in the wrong order and your medicine won’t reach the patients!
FROM STEEL TO STEM CELLS: THE FUTURE OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY Discover what trauma and orthopaedic surgeons and scientists do in operating theatres and research laboratories to keep your joints moving.
“Something for every age group and field of interest. I’m a doctor and was fascinated, so was my four year old granddaughter.”
GENOMIC REVOLUTION: IT’S IN OUR DNA How can we decode our personal genome? Learn through a series of fun games and activities how nextgeneration DNA sequencing combines engineering, chemistry, genetics and informatics to revolutionise the way we diagnose diseases.
HEALTH HEROES Calling all heroes! Do you have what it takes to take on Mars? How about a room full of walkers? The Behaviour Change by Design Team from the Institute of Public Health have set you some missions: will you make the world a healthier place?
HEALTHCARE SCIENCE: LOOKING AFTER YOU Tummy pain? Shortness of breath? You need tests… Healthcare scientists are essential to 80% of decisions made in determining what could be wrong with you. Meet healthcare scientists and discover how they diagnose diseases. Where does your blood go for testing? What is an ECG? All this and more…
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS Abcam researchers present a collection of hands-on activities for children (and adults, of course!) to bring science to life.
74 IT TAKES THREE TO TANGO: KEY PLAYERS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PREGNANCY Find out more about the key players in a healthy pregnancy – mum, baby and the placenta – and the latest research at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology through interactive hands-on activities.
MASTERING METABOLISM: BLOOD SPOTS, ENZYMES, BREAD AND PASTA! Learn about the heel-prick blood test for rare disorders of metabolism, offered to every baby born in the UK. See if you can match each condition with its correct treatment. Organised by the British Inherited Metabolic Disease Group and the Newborn Screening Laboratory, Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
MEET THE SCIENTISTS Pop into our science booth and have a chat with our scientists about their research.
TAKING MEDICATION: LEARNING TO MANAGE YOUR MEDICATION WELL AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THIS AFFECTS YOU Our family-friendly Festival helps to identify the reasons why some people are struggling to take their medications as prescribed, and what the Department of Public Health and Primary Care is doing to support them.
RISING STARS Meet our scientific stars of the future as they introduce you to their research, and be the first to try out their new activities.
SCIENCE AND THE BIG QUESTIONS: SHAPING OUR FUTURE Join researchers from the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion to explore how bringing together science with other ways of thinking can help us explore some of our biggest questions about life, the Universe and everything.
T-CELL ATTACK Watch a TED-Ed animation and play a game to learn how scientists at the Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Stem Cells and Immunotherapies at University College London give superpowers to our bodies’ defence system to fight diseases such as cancer.
TECHNOLOGIES TO CHALLENGE YOUR BRAIN Are you ready to challenge yourself? Join the NIHR Brain Injury MedTech Co-operative and a team of innovators who have developed some gaming apps and virtual and augmented reality technologies for assessing how healthy your brain is and stimulating memory, concentration and cognitive responses.
THE COLOURFUL WORLD OF MICROBIOLOGY Learn more about the colourful world of microbiology – bugs, germs, bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungal infections and how Public Health England identifies what might be making us feel ill. Interactive, fun and even a bit messy!
THE GRANDER VIEW: HOW MODERN MICROSCOPY ILLUMINATES DISEASE From light waves to X-rays! Join Cambridge Institute for Molecular Research researchers in hands-on activities to discover how individual microscopes illuminate the individual proteins in cells and how this can help us understand what goes wrong in disease.
TLC FOR TEETH, GNASHERS, IVORIES Meet Samantha Glover, Dental Programme Manager at Public Health England, for a chat and lots of interactive fun to get your teeth into!
TOURS OF ROYAL PAPWORTH HOSPITAL See inside one of the world’s leading heart and lung hospitals. Royal Papworth is one of the UK’s newest hospitals after moving to Cambridge in May 2019 – and we are offering you the chance to experience our state-of-the-art facilities and meet the outstanding teams involved in delivering patient care.
75 THE DIET DISCO! Discover how something as simple and fun as dancing to your favourite songs can raise your heart rate and affect how your body uses energy. Researchers from the Clinical Research Facility at Cambridge University Hospital will see which songs raise heart rates the most. Embarrassing dance moves from parents are fully encouraged!
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH: FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDE Have you ever wondered how scientists develop drugs? Or are you a student who has an interest in clinical science and wants to find out more? Join our MPhil students as they journey from the lab to the clinic.
VISIT A REAL OPERATING THEATRE Scrub up like a surgeon and learn about the team and the equipment that make safe transplant operations possible.
VISUALISING HOW MEDICINES MIGHT WORK Join AstraZeneca scientists to learn about how we can use holograms and models of proteins to visualise how medicines might work. Can you solve the puzzle to find the shape that fits the target?
STUCK! Dr Ewen Kellar is back again with a fascinating talk about the world of adhesion. The forces of attraction and repulsion between materials are in action everywhere and quite literally form the glue that makes the world work. Ewen shows that the stickiness of sweets is the reason why life exists and how adhesion is used to make super-strong, super-light structures. As ever, there will be a good smattering of noisy demonstrations!
CONCUSSION IN SPORT: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW What happens after a sportsrelated concussion? What are the symptoms? How can concussion be evaluated and treated promptly? These are some of the questions that the NIHR Brain Injury MIC is trying to answer through a variety of technologies currently used in race sports and rugby. 3PM – 4PM
11.30AM – 12.30PM Great for families
GENOMICS: THE MUSICAL Join Rishi from Singing Science to explore your DNA and the world of genetics, all through musical mini-lectures where scientific ideas are put to catchy tunes and funky visuals. Find out about Mendel’s pea plant experiments, variants and the phylogenetic trees that link all life on Earth! 1PM – 1.45PM Great for families
GUMS TO BUMS Take a tour through the digestive system; observe what happens from the moment food enters the mouth, all the way until it reaches the toilet. Join Cambridge Science Centre and see a series of revolting demos and even volunteer to help the process along the way! 2.30PM – 3PM Great for families
THE ORIGINS OF CANCER: WHAT’S IN OUR GENES AND WHAT ISN’T? Cancer will affect about one in three humans at some point in our lives. Professor Ashok Venkitaraman, MRC Cancer Unit, talks about how faults in certain genes can increase the risk that a person develops cancer, and what we are beginning to understand about how non-genetic factors can change this risk. 3.30PM – 4.15PM
76
Downing and New Museums Sites
1 3
T
14
ET
13
RE
12
11
10
ST
RO
9
â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S
P
B EM
EE 7 STR
EW
G NIN
W
KE
8
T
DO
EE
DR
6
2
R ST
5
AN
4
ST
NEW MUSEUMS SITE
DOWNING SITE 16 19
15
17
TE
D
OA
ET
RE
ST
TR UR
N
TO
CO
NG
PI
IS
UM
NN
TR
18
1
Student Services Centre
10 Marquee on the Lawn*
2
Whipple Museum of the History of Science
11 McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research
3
Babbage Lecture Theatre
4
David Attenborough Building
12 Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience
5
Museum of Zoology
6
Department of Zoology
7
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
8
Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
9
Department of Earth Sciences
13 Department of Plant Sciences 14 Department of Genetics 15 Department of Biochemistry 16 Department of Psychology 17 Department of Anatomy 18 Department of Pathology 19 Department of Geography
77
West Cambridge Site 10
1 9
3
LEY R
OAD
CHARLE
JJ T
HOM
7
DI N G
AVEN UE
MA
SON
M11
2
S BABBAG
E ROAD
4
6
5
8
1
Storeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Field Centre
6
Institute for Manufacturing
2
Institute of Continuing Education
7
Department of Veterinary Medicine
3
British Antarctic Survey
8
4
Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy
Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics
9
Institute of Astronomy
5
Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
10 Sedgwick Museum Conservation Unit
*
Partial access only. Unless otherwise mentioned, these buildings are accessible. If you have specific access requirements please call 01223 766766 and check our Accessibility guide at accessable.co.uk/university-of-cambridge
HU
NT
IN
1
GD
ON
RO
AD
2
1
Fitzwilliam College
T
S
4
2
Murray Edwards College
T
S
Li
I
3
Centre for Mathematical Sciences
T
S
LI
I
4
Churchill College
T
S
PA
5
Arbury Community Centre
T
S
i
6
The Portland Arms
PA
7
Thirsty Cambridge
T
8
The Maypole Pub
PA
9
St John’s College
T
10
Cambridge Union Society
PA
11
Clare College, Memorial Court
12
Cambridge University Library
13
S
WEST CAMBRIDGE
MADIN
GLEY
3
S
Li
T
S
I
T
S
Li
I
Jesus College
T
S
Li
I
14
Faculty of Music / West Road Concert Hall
T
S
Li
15
The Michaelhouse Centre
T
S
Li
16
Great St Mary’s Church
T
S
i
17
The Guildhall
T
S
Li
18
Wesley Methodist Church
T
S
I
19
Alison Richard Building
T
S
Li
20
Faculty of Law
T
S
Li
I
21
Lady Mitchell Hall
T
S
Li
I
22
Museum of Classical Archaeology
T
S
Li
23
St Catharine’s College
T
S
I
24
Newnham College
T
S
25
Wolfson College
T
S
26
University Social Club
T
S
27
Makespace
T
S
28
Cambridge University Centre Wine Bar
T
S
Li
29
Mill Lane Lecture Rooms
T
S
Li
30
Emmanuel College
T
S
31
Centre for Computing History
T
S
32
Fitzwilliam Museum
T
S
ROAD
I
I
GRANGE ROAD
12
Li WEST ROAD
14
SIDGWICK SITE 21
SIDGWICK AVENUE
33
Espresso Library
T
S
I
34
Anglia Ruskin University
T
S
Li
35
LockerHouse Escape Games
PA
36
Department of Engineering
T
S
Li
37
Gurdon Institute
T
S
Li
38
Department of Chemistry
T
PA
39
The Polar Museum
PA
40
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit
T
S
41
Botanic Garden
T
S
19
24
I
Li
I
42
Sainsbury Laboratory
T
S
Li
I
43
Cambridge Junction
T
S
Li
I
44
Cambridge Science Centre
T
S
45
Wandlebury Country Park
PA
25
22
6
MIL TO NR OA D
5
7
AD
N
O RT TE
RO
ES
CH
JESUS GREEN
LE ST CA ST
M
AG
MIDSUMMER COMMON
DA
LE
NE
8
ST
P
13 31
10
JES
US L
ST GE ID BR T RIN ITY STREET
9
ANE
ARKET
NEWM
SID
CHRIST’S PIECES
NE
TRINITY
YS T
EE
TR
15
RO
E
ET
RE
MI
28
LL
E TR
AC PL
RO
AD
LE
P
R OA HAM D
IL NV O G
ST
WN
N
TO
ET
NG
RE
35
PI
NE
32
ST
UM
S
NT
TR
GE
S
E
RE
D
ROA
ET
34
ST
EN’S
PARKER’S PIECE
DOWNING SITE
29
ER ILV
33
ID
’S
27
26
QUE
20
KS
EW
EET
STR
W
DO
PA R
DR
G NIN
30
AN
NEW P MUSEUMS SITE
AD
i ST
DE
KING’S PARA
23
BUS STATION
17
ST
16
EA
THE BACKS
11
18
KING STREET
LANE
ROAD
37 36
D
OA
DR
IEL
SF
N LE
39
38
FEN C
AUSE
WAY
L HIL D
OA
SR
TRUMPINGTON ROAD
BATEMAN
STREET STAT
ION R
42
41
TRAIN STATION
OAD
BOTANIC GARDEN 40
LANDS
BROOK
CAMBRIDGE BIOMEDICAL CAMPUS
E
AVENU
44 43
45
For enquiries or to pre-book, visit: www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk or call: 01223 766766 Bookings open: Mon 10 Feb 2020 Lines open: 11AM – 3PM Mon – Fri CambridgeScienceFestival CamScience I #CamSciFest
Cover Image This image shows the retina at the back of a mouse eye after delivery of a virus that targets retinal ganglion cells (in red) and allows them to express a unique fluorescent protein (in green) which they wouldn’t usually be able to produce. It is hoped by delivering viruses coding for beneficial genes that we can protect vulnerable retinal cells essential for vision. Dr Andrew Osbourne is a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge. His research involves the use of viruses to protect damaged retinal cells in diseases such as glaucoma. Dr Osbourne hopes this work will result in the first ocular gene therapy to be spun out of the University and go onto save patient’s sight.