Reading research near you: British Science Week

British Science Week is in full swing and University of Reading scientists have been out and about telling the public about their research and inspiring the next generation of researchers. Here is a round-up of what’s been happening this week and events over the next few days.

On Saturday, scientists from the Schools of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Science ran CSI Reading, which gave children age 14 and up the chance to become a Crime Scene Investigator for the day, setting up a mock crime scene, taking samples and analysing them using environmental science methods.

Dr Eugene Mohareb (Built Environment), Dr Ioannis Zoulias (Cybernetics) and Dr Mike Garratt (Biological Sciences) have all spoken to BBC Radio Berkshire this week about research into sustainable food production, combining technology with the human mind, and the crucial role of bees and other pollinators in producing our food, respectively.

On Monday evening we hosted The Great Debate at Whiteknights campus which asked ‘What can engineering do to improve sustainability of food production and distribution as the world population increases?’ Dr Eugene Mohareb was joined by experts from industry and academia on food production, waste, automation of agriculture and non-conventional farming, followed by questions from the public.

Professor Mike Garratt (Agriculture) gave a public lecture on Wednesday evening titled ‘The bee’s needs: how to save the world’s pollinators’, presenting the latest research on pollinators and what we can do to protect them. Watch a video of the public lecture here.

More events are planned for the rest of British Science Week:

Thursday 15 March

Dig it! A MERL late promises a lively evening of drinks, music, activities and talks on the theme of soil and growing at the Museum of English Rural Life. Tickets can be booked here.

The AgriFood Training Partnership is running an evening conference exploring the Links between Alzheimer’s disease and type 2 diabetes, with presentations from University of Reading Professors Carol Wagstaff, Jeremy Spencer and Julie Lovegrove alongside other academics, healthcare professionals and representatives from the food industry. More information and registration details are here.

Sunday 18 March

Researchers and students from the University of Reading School of Pharmacy will be at the Race Village at the Madejski Stadium for the Reading Half Marathon on Sunday, offering free health checks for runners and highlighting the university’s research to improve human health.

Wednesday 21 March

Following on from British Science Week, doctoral researcher Rodrigo Zenun Franco (Biological Sciences) will give this year’s Graduate School Fairbrother Lecture: ‘Would you let your phone tell you what to eat?’ Rodrigo will talk about the app he has developed to give personalised advice on nutrition via smartphones, tablets and laptops. Find out more and register to attend here and watch a preview of the talk below: