Sometimes we become too involved in our science and cannot see the wood from the trees.
Dr Cynthia Andoniadou, Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology at King’s College London
12 May 2017
Researchers across the country are moving outside of the typical academic environment to engage the public about science. Now in its fourth year, the Pint of Science festival hosts academics from leading universities– including over 40 this year from King’s – in pubs and other venues to talk about their research in an engaging and accessible way.
Researchers across the country are moving outside of the typical academic environment to engage the public about science. Now in its fourth year, the Pint of Science festival hosts academics from leading universities– including over 40 this year from King’s – in pubs and other venues to talk about their research in an engaging and accessible way.
King’s has been taking part in the festival since it first started in 2013, attracting the highest number of attendees, not only compared to all other London universities, but also in comparison to all the other cities involved across the UK. Each year King’s has hosted 15-18 sell-out events involving over 40 academics which have reached over 1,000 attendees.
The festival will take place this month over three days in 27 cities across the UK, with over 35 universities taking part. From 15-17 May, the King’s team will be hosting events in six venues simultaneously, each covering one of six themes; ‘Beautiful Mind’, ‘Atoms to Galaxies’, ‘Our Body’, ‘Planet Earth’, ‘Tech Me Out’, and ‘Our Society’.
Dr Cynthia Andoniadou, Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, is just one of the 43 academics taking part from King’s this year. Dr Andoniadou, who will be talking about ‘The balancing act of stem cells’ as part of the ‘Our Body’ theme, said: ‘Pint of Science is a great initiative; there are ample public engagement opportunities for scientist to talk with school pupils but very few to interact outside of the educational setting.
The best scientific questions I have ever been asked, that really made me think outside of the box, were from non-scientists; sometimes we become too involved in our science and cannot see the wood from the trees.’
King’s academics will be taking part in Pint of Science festival across various locations in London from Monday 15 May 2017. Go to https://pintofscience.co.uk/organisation/kcl for ticket information.
Photos credit: Pint of Science