A festival aimed at inspiring young people and the public to think anew about science is being launched by London’s leading medical school.
The Barts and The London Science Festival, taking place at Charterhouse Square on Saturday 2nd July, offers a plethora of attractions to festival goers, among them intriguingly titled ‘lecturettes’ by some of the leading research talent at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Included in the line-up of must-see science talks are; ‘Grow your own body parts,’ by Professor Julia Shelton; ‘The merits of eating your greens – and purples,’ by Professor Amrita Ahluwalia and ‘Is chocolate good for you?’ by Professor Roger Corder.
Another festival highlight promises to be a show-case of the award winning ‘Performing Medicine’ – a hugely innovative project created by theatre company the Clod Ensemble in collaboration with Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Queen Mary, University of London’s Drama Department that provides training to medical students and healthcare practitioners using the performing and visual arts.
Also at the festival a science fair will enable visitors to meet researchers from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and get an inside view on the diverse range of research that they are involved in.
Researchers will also vie for prizes in a science competition in which a panel including Anglia Ruskin University’s Emeritus Professor Vernon Trafford and the Director of the Museum of Childhood, Rhian Harris will judge contestants based on their ability to present their research in an entertaining and accessible way to a lay audience.
Rounding off the day will be a seminar promoting good cardiovascular health, the last in the aptly titled series; ‘Let’s talk hearts.’ Open to all, the seminar will provide an opportunity to learn about heart conditions and how to maintain a healthy heart.
Festival organiser Professor Steffen Petersen, an expert in cardiovascular imaging, said: “The Barts and The London Science Festival has been launched to celebrate the wonder of science. We hope that in so doing the event will inspire young people to pursue careers in science and medicine and also encourage the public to open up to science and go on to support and enjoy a greater appreciation of science, medicine and research.”
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