Faculty of Technology
Spreading the word about science and engineering
Spreading the word about science and engineering
Tue, Apr 16, 2013
The event entitled “Spreading the word: the importance of communicating science and engineering in the 21st century” has been organised by the Faculty of Technology at the University of Portsmouth and will form part of the 2013 Engineering Professors' Council Congress in April.
The annual, two-day congress will attract some of the UK's foremost academics in the field of engineering to the birthplace of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and home to engineering giants such as Pall Corporation, EADS Astrium and Babcock.
The University itself boasts a rich engineering heritage across a range of educational and research disciplines including chemical, civil, electronic, electrical, materials, mineral and mechanical engineering.
Professor Jim Al-Khalili will be familiar to many as the presenter of BBC Radio 4s The Life Scientific and recent BBC television programmes Chemistry: a Volatile History; Shock and Awe: the History of Electricity and the 2012 Horizon special on the quest to discover the Higgs Boson.
His regular Jim Meets… lecture series features interviews with Brian Cox, David Attenborough and Robert Winston, which are available to view via YouTube.
The free public lecture will take place at 6pm on Tuesday 16 April at the University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street (map). Tickets can be booked at spreadingtheword.eventbrite.co.uk.
Professor Djamel Ait-Boudaoud, Dean of the Faculty of Technology at the University of Portsmouth and convenor of the 2013 Congress of the EPC, said:
“Academics have a duty and responsibility to strengthen political and public support of their respective disciplines through public engagement events. This is particularly important in science and engineering to ensure that we are raising public interest through inspirational talks and activities.
I am extremely thankful to Jim Al-Khalili, Professor of public engagement at the University of Surrey, for agreeing to share his experience by delivering the public lecture of the annual congress of the Engineering Professors’ Council.”
The Engineering Professors’ Council exists to promote excellence in engineering in higher education. Its primary purpose is to provide a forum at which academic engineers can exchange ideas about education and research, and to represent engineer’s interests in industry and Government. Susan Kay, Executive Director of the EPC, said:
“We’re delighted to welcome Jim to our annual Congress. Now, more than ever, it’s important for the engineering profession to keep learning and developing new ways in which it can engage the public and communicate the vitally important things it does in solving some of the greatest challenges faced by the world today - from food security to cyber security - and its leading role in driving the UK’s economic recovery."
Jim Al-Khalili OBE is an Iraqi-born British theoretical physicist, author and broadcaster. He is currently Professor of Theoretical Physics and Chair of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey. For further information, visit Jim’s personal website.
Book a free ticket to attend the public lecture via Eventbrite. To book and pay for tickets to attend the full, two-day Engineering Professors’ Council Congress, visit the EPC Congress pages on the University of Portsmouth website.
For further information about the Congress or the Jim Al-Khalili public lecture, contact Hannah West at the University of Portsmouth on 023 9284 6263 or email hannah.west@port.ac.uk.