BA Bristol & Bath Branch What's On 07/08 |
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BA Bristol & Bath Branch What's On 07/08 |
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Monday 24th September at 8.00pm
When Worlds Collide: Science and the Media
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
Stuart Allan
Professor of Journalism - Bournemouth University
Stuart Allan's science-related books include Media, Risk and Science, and the co-edited Environmental Risks and the Media. His work contrasts two worlds - that of science and that of the media. According to the media scientists are insular, white-coated boffins whose work is boring and repetitive, that is, until a terrifying flash of insight leaves the future of humankind hanging in the balance. Scientists are generally high-minded citizens working for the good of society, but there are those who are intent on exploiting scientific knowledge for ominous purposes, corrupted by power and greed. From scientists' perspectives, the media is a superficial world driven by a frenzied obsession with entertainment over information, and with it style over substance. Journalists, no matter how well intentioned, will more often than not succumb to the forces of sensationalism to make their news account of a scientific development attract the public's wandering eye: if it bleeds, it leads. For some scientists, this recurrent misrepresentation of the scientific world by certain members of the media is more than just scandalous, it is contrary to democracy itself. The media's failure to give science the respect it deserves, they warn, will have dire consequences for the future.
Monday 8th October at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
50 Years Since Sputnik
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Piers Bizony
Space historian and science writer
Piers is author of Space: 50 years of the space age.
Tuesday 16th October at 7.30pm
Science in Radstock
All Steamed Up - how science struggled to understand the steam engine
Radstock Museum, Waterloo Road, Radstock
Admission £2.50 / £1.50 concessions
In association with Radstock Museum
Richard Ellam
Wednesday 17th October at 6.45pm
Meet The Grandparents: Using mitochondrial DNA to investigate the past and present
The Boston Tea Party, Park Street, Bristol
Admission free
Professor Nello Cristianini
Chair in Artificial Intelligence
Department of Computer Science
University of Bristol
Professor Cristianini talks about his research into identifying and matching patterns. In particular he will explain how mitochondrial DNA from humans and our closest primate relations can be used for studying the past - where we come from and how we evolved.
Monday 29th October at 8.00pm
Good Queen Bess and the Mineral Industries of Somerset and Gloucester
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
Ian Donaldson
Queen Elizabeth realised that if the newly Protestant England ever went to war
with Catholic Spain and France, her forces lacked brass for cannon, which at that time only came
from the continent. So in 1565 she brought in prospectors from southern Germany to search the length
and breadth of the Kingdom for calamine, an essential mineral. It was eventually found at Weston-super-Mare,
and the rest is history. But they weren't the first prospectors to strike it rich in this area.
So if you've ever fantasised about Puzzle Wood, puzzled over Velvet Bottom, scratched you head about the
cat's whisker, quarrelled over crossbows, or just seen red, come and learn about our rich mineral heritage.
Wednesday 7th November at 7.00pm
Creating Perfumes...
and BA Bristol & Bath Branch AGM
St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol
Admission: £1 for Talk, AGM is Free – All Welcome
In association with St Mary Redcliffe Journey into Science.
John Stephen
Cotswold Perfumery
All are invited to attend the brief AGM. Following this will be John Stephen, Perfumer and Owner of the Cotswold Perfumery - the successful family business he has built up at Bourton on the Water. He will share with us a day in the life of a perfume maker, with examples and demonstrations... Prepare to have your sense of smell challenged!
Monday 12th November at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
I'm an astronomer - ask me anything!
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Department of Physics, University of Oxford
Tuesday 20th November at 7.30pm
Science in Radstock
Nightlife on the Wing
Radstock Museum, Waterloo Road, Radstock
Admission £2.50 / £1.50 concessions
In association with Radstock Museum
David Brown
Avon Bat Group
Discovering Avon's bats.
Cancelled - Rescheduled for March
Monday 26th November at 8.00pm
Hearing at the nano-scale
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
Dr James Windmill
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol
Dr Windmill is a qualified engineer with a PhD in Nanotechnology. He will describe,
using a multi-media presentation, his research into BioNanoScience and the mechanisms of hearing.
This research has included investigations into the nano-mechanics of insect sound receivers, looking at the
processes through which mechanical vibrations at the nanoscale are converted to neural signals. The mechanisms
involved are strikingly similar to those found in the human ear, making certain insects very good models for
research into human hearing.
Monday 10th December at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
Immunisation: the most effective and least celebrated health intervention ever
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Adam Finn
Consultant Paediatrician, Institute of Child Life & Health, University of Bristol
Monday 14th January at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
Can we build artificial intelligence - and should we?
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Joanna Bryson
Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, and The Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution & Cognition Research, Austria
Thursday 24th January at 5.30pm
Science in the Fight against Art Forgery
Chemistry Lecture Theatre 1, University of Bristol
Admission free
In association with the RSC & SCI.
Dr Nicholas Eastaugh
The Pigmentum Project, University of Oxford
Dr Eastaugh will give a lecture on Art and Authenticity. It will draw together many strands of science and art, covering the many techniques - from simple surface microscopy to the most advanced laser Raman analysis - that are used in the ongoing fight against art forgery. He will describe what other information - such as an artist's particular technique or his choice of materials - can help to tell when, where and by whom a picture was painted.
The Meeting will end with a Wine & Nibbles Reception hosted by the School of Chemistry
Monday 28th January at 8.00pm
Science & ethics of stem-cell research
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
Anthony Hollander
Professor of Rheumatology and Tissue Engineering at Bristol University
Professor Hollander has been working in the field of cartilage biology and arthritis research for nearly 20 years, including 3 years spent at an internationally recognized cartilage laboratory at McGill University in Montreal. More recently he has focused on tissue engineering and stem cell biology for cartilage repair.
Monday 11th February at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
Adaptation in the descent of humans: what our DNA sequence reveals about our evolutionary journey
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Steve Dorus
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath
Friday 22nd February at 7.30pm
Sit Back, Switch Off...
BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath
£1 for BA/BRLSI members / £2 for visitors
In association with the BRLSI Science Group.
Dr Margarida Dolan
Proprioception Trust
Dr Dolan explains our mysterious sense of Proprioception and its links to biomechanics, attention & cognition. Proprioception is a sense few know about, yet it is of great importance in diverse fields from robotics to learning. Research is providing fascinating insights into how proprioception can impact on a range of physical and cognitive skills.
Monday 25th February at 8.00pm
Robot Scenes
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
The Science Communication Unit at UWE will explore the possibilities of robotics research
for the future, combining film clips with real robotics.
Themes such as robot ethics, cyborgs, the
role of the domestic robot and more with be explored.
Thursday 28th February at 7.00pm
Biofuels – A solution for a low carbon future?
BAWA Pavilion, Southmead Road, Bristol
Admission free
In association with the RSC & SCI.
Dr Stuart Shales
University of the West of England
Dr Shales (University of the West of England) explores the current state of biofuel production in the UK in comparison to Europe and the rest of the world. Biofuels are very much in the news as renewable alternatives are sought for existing motor fuels in a low carbon economy. First generation biofuels include bioethanol and biodiesel which are substitutes for petrol and diesel respectively. In particular the conflict between the use of agricultural land for food production versus biofuels production will be discussed. Is there enough agricultural land in the UK for both? Finally, future second generation biofuels will be considered.
This talk follows the RSC Bristol & District Section AGM at 6.00pm.
Wednesday 5th March at 7.30pm
Cosmology from the cosmic microwave background
Library, The Red Maids' School
Admission free
In association with the RSC & SCI.
Dr Katy Lancaster
University of Bristol
Dr. Lancaster will tell us about what this echo of the Big Bang can tell us about the early Universe.
If you would like to attend, please email Ali Jones, so the school can get a rough idea of numbers.
Friday 7th March (11:00 - 3:00) & Saturday 8th March (10:00 - 4:00)
‘Meet A Medic’ @ Bath Taps Into Science
Change of Venue: Friday: Founders Sports Hall, University of Bath
Saturday: Green Park Station, Bath
Free
In association with Clifton Scientific Trust
Medical fun at this hands-on science fair with the Galenicals – the Bristol University Student Medical Society.
Monday 10th March at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
You think you can believe your eyes? Think again...
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Gemma Calvert
Warwick Manufacturing group, University of Warwick
An evening fooling the senses.
Tuesday 18th March at 7.30pm
Science in Radstock
TBA
Radstock Museum, Waterloo Road, Radstock
Admission £2.50 / £1.50 concessions
In association with Radstock Museum
For more information please contact Richard Ellam.
Wednesday 19th March at 7.15pm
The Day After Tomorrow Shapes Today?
Redland Green School, Redland, Bristol
Admission free
Helen Haste
Professor of Psychology at Bath University and Visiting Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Professor Helen Haste gives a talk on young people's perceptions of the future. This is based on some of her own research into how young people's views of the future shape their political & social values.
Thursday 27th March at 7.00pm
The Hydrogen Economy
Chemistry Lecture Theatre 4, University of Bristol
Admission free
In association with the RSC & SCI.
Joseph McCarney
External Affairs Manager at Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells, Swindon
Joseph McCarney will talk about the steps we can take towards achieving a Hydrogen Economy. The use of innovation with an emphasis on how innovation can be driven with the use of policy / regulation and how a non-existent supply chain can be created to deliver innovative products, such as fuel cell powered vehicles.
This talk follows the SCI Local Section AGM at 6.00pm.
Monday 31st March at 8.00pm
Hearing at the nano-scale
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
Dr James Windmill
School of Biological Sciences at Bristol University
Dr Windmill is a qualified engineer with a PhD in Nanotechnology. He will describe, using a
multi-media presentation, his research into BioNanoScience and the mechanisms of hearing.
This research
has included investigations into the nano-mechanics of insect sound receivers, looking at the processes through
which mechanical vibrations at the nanoscale are converted to neural signals. The mechanisms involved are strikingly
similar to those found in the human ear, making certain insects very good models for research into human hearing.
Monday 14th April at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
Low-carbon housing - making the dream come true
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Bill Gething
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Monday 21st April at 7.15pm
Chaos, Chance and Randomness
St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol
Admission: £1
In association with St Mary Redcliffe Journey into Science.
Jens Marklof
Professor of Mathematical Physics, University of Bristol
Find out how scientists handle the unpredictable with Prof Jens Marklof. This lecture will explain the mathematics of randomness, from the throw of a dice to the chaotic motion of electrons in a crystal.
Monday 28th April at 8.00pm
Volcanoes, dust, and climate
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol
Small silicate particles suspended in the atmosphere redistribute energy
from the sun and surface of the Earth, and consequently impact climate. The
main sources of these particles are from suspension of surface dust in arid
regions, such as the Sahara Desert, and from direct injection by explosive
volcanic activity (volcanic ash).
We will discuss the types and origin of particles in the atmosphere, how
they interact with solar and terrestrial radiation, how clouds are modified,
and ultimately how climate is affected.
Monday 12th May at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
CO2 and cars: what's the problem?
Science Café
The Raven, 6-7 Queen Street, Bath
Admission free
Gary Hawley
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath
Tuesday 13th May at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
Genetic Futures
Science Café
Theory Cafe, Explore At-Bristol, Anchor Road, Harbourside, Bristol
Admission free
Centre for Ethics in Medicine, University of Bristol
The First Science Café at the Theory Cafe, Explore At-Bristol
With DNA sequencing and genetic testing technologies advancing all the time, the reality of a personal genomic profile for any one of us is just around the corner. But:
- What could receiving your genetic profile mean to you?
- How might this affect the way we live our lives?
- How important are our genes in predicting our future health?
- What ethical issues might arise?
- Would we rather not know what information our genes hold?
Dr Newson will be addressing these questions and more, in this interesting area full of social and scientific dilemmas.
Monday 19th May at 8.00pm
The mysteries of Quantum Mechanics - what do they tell us about the world we live in?
Science Café
The Tobacco Factory, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
Admission free
Department of Philosophy, University of Bristol
In this talk James will first explain what is so strange about quantum entanglement and then explain why it is wrong to draw many of the exciting conclusions from it that are often talked about in popular discussions.
Wednesday 21st May at 7.15pm
‘Who Are We…?’ - A Scientist looks at Religious Views of our Origins
St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol
Admission: £1
In association with St Mary Redcliffe Journey into Science.
Dr Pete Moore
Physiologist & Science Communicator
Thursday 22nd May at 7.00pm
The Smell of Disease
Chemistry Lecture Theatre 2, University of Bristol
Admission free
In association with the RSC.
Prof Norman Ratcliffe
University of the West of England
Professor Ratcliffe will talk about how volatile substances from the human body can be used as a tool for disease diagnoses. The analysis of breath for clinical diagnoses is an emerging science. The study of volatiles from other bodily fluids is less well established. This lecture will describe some of the latest advances in this area, for instance in cancer diagnoses and the identification of bacteria in infectious diseases.
Tuesday 10th June at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start
Mass Extinction
Science Café
Theory Cafe, Explore At-Bristol, Anchor Road, Harbourside, Bristol
Admission free
Centre for Ethics in Medicine, University of Bristol
50 million years ago life on planet Earth was almost wiped out in the greatest Mass Extinction of all time.
Marcello Ruta and the research team at the University of Bristol
weren't there in the flesh, but are unearthing what caused such a catastrophe using the next best thing; fossils!
But how much can the fossils that we find today tell us about what life was like so many millions of years ago? How did
some animals survive the extinction? And what can studying mass extinctions of the past tell us about the world we live
in today?
Join us at our second Science Café in Explore At-Bristol to meet and chat with Marcello Ruta in the present
day, to find out more about this dramatic period in life's history.
Monday 30th June at 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Not a Bore!
Issues of Tidal Energy Capture in the Severn Estuary
A Science Café Event
OneZone - UWE, Frenchay Campus, Bristol
Admission free but please register (to assist planning) by emailing Alison.Jack@uwe.ac.uk
Light refreshments will be provided by the organisers and a cash bar will be available.
Organised in association with the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and the Centre for Research in Environmental Sciences, UWE.
Join us for this look at tidal power in the Severn Esturay, highly topical given the recent announcement
by government of a Feasibility Study on Tidal Power Developments in the Severn Estuary and a call for evidence on the
environmental and other implications of tidal power generation.
What are the issues and what are the impacts of
developing tidal power in the Severn estuary?
What are your views on the options or the idea of harnessing energy from
the estuary? Is this they right way to reduce carbon emissions? What about the ecological impacts?
Come along to this
event and share your views and ideas.
The event will comprise of four short scene setting presentations exploring the
engineering, legal and planning issues associated with energy capture in the estuary with consideration of the environmental
impacts.
Engineering Options, Dr Mervyn Bramley
Ecological Impacts, Dr David Bird
Hydrology and Sediment Impacts, Professor Sue Marriott
Legal and Planning Issues, Tom Appleby
These will be followed by a general discussion.
The outcomes from this event will help shape the agenda of a larger
Public Forum being planned for October of this year.
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