Monday, 30 November 2020
Leading female scientists from the city’s two universities are joining forces to bring the Soapbox Science event to Nottingham for the first time. The virtual event will engage the public in ground-breaking research that will cover topics including stem cells, cancer therapy and climate change.
The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University have organised the event that will feature 10 inspirational female speakers from the world of science, technology, medicine and engineering. The event will be broadcast live on Facebook on Saturday 5th December.
Helena Gomes, from the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering is one of the organisers of the Nottingham event, she said, “This pioneering event aims to engage the public and younger generation with scientific research and also challenge traditional science gender stereotypes. We have a diverse range of amazing speakers and topics that we hope will be eye-opening and educational. We want more young women to consider science as an education or career path and we hope events like these will inspire them to do so.”
Soapbox Science is a novel public outreach platform for promoting women scientists and the science they do. The events usually transform public areas into an arena for public learning and scientific debate, but this year all events have been taken online.
Rebecca Dewey is a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Science and a past presenter and organiser of the event, she said: “Public engagement events are so important in taking science out of the lab or institution to a mass audience to give them a greater understanding and hopefully passion for the importance of scientific research and the difference it can make to the world. The organisers were determined this event would still go ahead and as with so many events this year had to think creatively about how it could be delivered and now it’s so amazing to think that we can potentially reach even more people than ever before by taking the event online.”
The speakers and their discussion topics are:
- Dr Sanna M. Pampel, University of Nottingham - Simulated, augmented and virtual reality – when a ‘normal’ lab is not enough
- Dr Jehan El-Jawhari, Nottingham Trent University - Never stop moving; My research to push broken bones to heal”
- Miss Andrea Alice Konta, University of Nottingham - Wonders of invisible 3D printing”
- Dr Rachel Bolton-King, Staffordshire University - Investigating shooting incidents: Can we rely on humans?
- Miss Ellen Howard, University of Nottingham - How do we know we have a body?
- Mrs Gamze Nalbant, University of Nottingham - Breaking Down the Barriers: Yoga for Everybody.
- Dr Amanda Louise Tatler, University of Nottingham - When Lungs Go Bad.
- Miss Samantha Harrison, University of Nottingham - Shining Light On The Brain: How Lasers Can Help Us See Hearing.
- Professor Lucelia Rodrigues, University of Nottingham - Climate change and your home.
- Dr Hanene Ali-Boucetta, University of Birmingham - The future of cancer therapy with nanorockets.
To join the event go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/1098473607237992/ Or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5matl3R38HA
Story credits
More information is available from Helena Gomes in the School of Engineering at the University of Nottingham Helena.gomes@nottingham.ac.uk or Rebecca Dewey on Rebecca.dewey@nottingham.ac.uk or Jane Icke, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Science at the University of Nottingham, on +44 (0)115 951 5751, jane.icke@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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