Demonstrating the properties of non-newtonian fluids, the team made sticky green snot in pots which was enjoyed by scores of kids (and some adults too!). The team shared a marquis with the University of Surrey, who sponsored the main stage and the acoustic tent at this year’s GuilFest, now in its 18th year at Stoke Park in Guildford, Surrey. 

Now one of the UK’s leading music festivals, GuilFest attracts atleast 20,000 visitors in each of its three days. With 2009 headline acts Motorhead, Happy Mondays and Will Young it attracts a wide range of people from Guildford and the surrounding area and is an excellent place to promote this year’s British Science Festival.

The British Science Festival programme has just been made available online. From hands-on family days to debates on current ‘hot topics’, trips to places of interest and unique opportunities to question the UK’s top scientists, there’s something for everyone. 

Check out whats-on and book your tickets before they sell-out! www.britishsciencefestival.org

Our aim – to offer a focus for all those interested in, or working in, public engagement with STEM in your region and to discuss issues of relevance.

The South-East Science Alliance launches in September this year, with its first meeting taking place in Hampshire. Following meetings will take place every quarter in a different county of the region, and its your opportunity to meet with other practicioners to share ideas, make connections and generally talk shop.

Members are anyone with an active interest in science communication. If you work in a museum, gallery, University, science centre, professional scientific organisation, charity or whether you are a freelancer or in the media, then this is definately something worth joining, and it won’t cost you anything.

Meetings consist of two-to-three presentations from members, discussion and debate and plenty of informal networking.

Read more about the South-East Science Alliance.
Join the South-East Science Alliance  

Do you want to play a bigger role?
Meetings will have two-to-three local practicioners talking about the work they do and how the audience can benefit, if you are interested in taking part as a speaker or hosting a meeting, then please get in touch with dan.richards@britishscienceassociation.org

If you’re sat at your desk just desperate to get your hands dirty, so to speak, and organise your own public engagement events, then read on…

The next in a series of branch launches/relaunches takes place this month at the Cranfield University Campus on 22nd July at 7pm, and anybody who is interested in finding out what’s involved is very welcome to come along.

British Science Association branches organise a wide-variety of events, as highlighted in this blog, with a goal to engage and inspire the public with science, engineering, technology and social sciences. While we may be a national organisation, we also make an impact more locally with our strong network of volunteer-led branches spanning the entire UK, each supported by the regional team. 

Diverse events for diverse audiences
Running a variety of events coverning a range of formats, topics and diverse audiences, these range from cafe discussions to talks and hands-on days for schools  to public debates and mini science festivals, and meet-the-author book groups… and sciSCREEN… infact, you can do whatever you want to do!

You might just be interested in attending our new series of events in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, centered around Milton Keynes, Cranfield and Luton, in which case, spread the word to your friends and colleagues.

If you do want to get involved, then volunteering for the British Science Association can take up as little or as much time as you want and can be an excellent way to develop new skills or just allow you the freedom to do things that you may not necessarily be able to do in your job.

Our aim is to relaunch this year with a science cafe event at the Milton Keynes Science Festival in October. If you want to help out with this or our series of future events, then email dan.richards@britishscienceassociation.org or check out the website for more information and task descriptions.

Bridging science and the arts does not always have to be a spectacular affair, as science often goes unnoticed in popular culture. sciSCREEN, a new series of events from the British Science Association Branches, has been conceived to forge links between science and the arts through the medium of film, with the aim to explore new ways to enhance dialogue and interest in science.

Its not necessarily a sci-fi film club, infact, its far from it. The aim is to deliver a simple concept – a film screening, followed by a facilitated discussion about how the science represented in the film can affect our everyday lives.

Piloted by one of our Scottish Branches working with the Edinburgh Filmhouse, sciSCREEN showed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, followed by Snow Cake and The Constant Gardener. All these are films with a science theme running through them, and help to illustrate lively discussion on issues like memory loss, autism and drug testing with a local expert.

In the South, we launched last month in London with an evening focussing on Human Endeavour at STK International Airport in Stoke Newington. The provoking mixture of science, film and debate was followed by comedy, music and even dance, thanks to resident artists and Transition Towns; featuring Who Killed the Electric Car, In the Shadow of the Moon, space expert Dr Kevin Fong (UCL) and comedian Nick Mohammed with his show Apollo 21.  

Our next stop is Reading, launching this weekend at the RISC Global Café the theme is Global Warming. We’ll be showing An Inconvenient Truth and The Great Global Warming Swindle, with discussions facilitated by Reading University Climate expert Dr Thomas Toniazzzo. And plans are afoot for a bi-monthly sciSCREEN event, with even one forming part of the programme for the British Science Festival this September. www.britishscienceassociation.org/thamesvalley

Have you ever wondered what the perfect cocktail would be made of? Or pondered over why some wine can vary in taste depending on what you’ve eaten? Apparently, its all in the chemistry of taste and smell. 

 Expert Karen Hyde, of WineMatters, engaged the Oxford SciBar audience with a tasty journey through their senses as they were asked to identify three flavours in mysterious compounds – alcohol, sugar and acid. The taste test illustrated how wines get their flavours, and how eating different foods can significantly enhance, or spoil, the flavour of the wine. Knowing about wine might not help you win the next episode of ‘Come Dine with Me’ but this crash course certainly gave us alot to think about over a glass or two.

On a similar note, the London SciBar audience recieved a shot of cocktail education from expert mixologists Tony Congliaro, Giles Cowan and UCL scientist Andrea Sellar in new Islington bar 69 Colebrooke Row.  Scores of people packed into the venue, home of the Drinks Factory, to find out how and why bubbles affect flavour, how colour and smell can trick the taste buds, the science of viscocity and a finale of Green Fairy absinthe cocktails to demonstrate the effect of clouding.

We often take for granted the expert design that goes into wine and cocktails either in the vineyard or behind the bar, but thats where the real science takes place; even a basic understanding can enhance your night!

Working at the Festival is an excellent opportunity to take part in the UK’s longest-established science festival, which sees thousands of people participating in talks, discussions and a whole range of events on the burning issues in science.

We look for people to assist in various positions involving event assistance, customer service, and press liaison.  Positions can be either paid or voluntary with expenses paid.

To find out more information about the roles available and how to apply visit the festival webpage. The deadline for applications is 15th July 2009.

National Science and Engineering Week Information Sessions

It only seems like yesterday we were giving out free seeds and talking to beekeepers at my regional base at INTECH Science Centre during National Science and Engineering Week. But that was 4 months ago! With next March looming (far) on the horizon, plans are now underway for the next round of Information Sessions, taking place across the region in September and October.

 Why attend?
If you’re looking at putting on an event for the week next year, then you’ll find a wealth of information at these informal workshops:
- Funding information
- Details of the 2010 theme
- Tips from previous NSEW event organisers, local to your area
- Networking: exchange and develop ideas

Where are they?
We have 5 information sessions in the South this year:

GUILDFORD
8th September, 3-5pm. Room LT A, University of Surrey.
Part of the annual British Science Festival. Click here for more information

LONDON (taylored specifically for teachers, primary to higher ed)
30th September. 5:30-7pm. The Science Museum’s Dana Centre, South Kensington
With a presentation from Denton Mapesa, Hendon School, on their Engineering for Sustainability Event, which was part funded by the British Science Association’s Special Grants for School’s Scheme.

BOURNEMOUTH
8th October, 4-5:30pm. Large Meeting Room, Bournemouth Library, 22 The Triangle
With a presentation from Mal Phillips, co-organiser of Brockenhurst School’s Sounds and Vibrations event, which included a vegetable orchestra and recieved alot of press coverage.

LONDON
14th October, 6:30-8pm. The Science Museum’s Dana Centre, South Kensington
With a presentation from Jack Ashby, Head of Learning and Access at the UCL Grant Museum, who ran a successful Fossil Forrage event in NSEW 2009.

MILTON KEYNES
22nd October, 4-5:30pm. The Garden Room, Milton Keynes Theatre
Part of the Milton Keynes Science Festival. Click here for more information

How do I book?
Information sessions are FREE to attend, but we need to know numbers. Please contact natalie.broadhurst@britishscienceassociation.org with your name and organisation and the session you wish to attend, and we look forward to meeting you!

This can have huge implications on the outcome of criminal trials – particularly if you are on a jury.  The British Science Association have teamed up with Brunel University and the Economics and Social Research Council (ESRC) to explore what public perceptions of honesty really are. 

Tell us what you think by taking part in our international scientific study here http://www.honestylab.com/.  You will be able to find out the results at the Brtish Science Festival in Surrey from 5 – 10 September 2009.

A research team at the University of Salford have  just started
offering free software to help anyone with a suitable mobile phone, pc and internet connection to sample, assess and better understand their everyday “soundscapes”.

People who take part via the website www.soundaroundyou.com will be able to upload
their sounds and opinions to their server where they’ll be able to hear and see them on a global 3D map of soundscape data.

The project is funded by the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council), and aims to gather an unprecedented amount of sound environment research data by using the latest mobile and computing technology to understand a person’s relationship with their sonic
environment.

The software is currently being tested for this project.  Watch out for the main launch at the beginning of July if you are interested in finding out more.