For the most up to date information, please join the Teams site. As always, please reach out to us on HLSengagement@liverpool.ac.uk if you take part at these events. We would love to know.
Chester Festival of Ideas - (4th - 7th July)
Chester Festival of Ideas is now open for applications. They are looking for; family events, talks, exhibitions/displays and interactive events. The themes for the Festival are: sustainable communities, arts, culture and creativity, health and wellbeing, investigating history, scientific futures, showcasing business and entrepreneurship.
The Chester Festival of Ideas team would like to invite you to be involved in the Festival and to support you in putting on an event. The support we can offer for events, includes: advertising of events on a bespoke website and through the University Press office, help with securing a free space for your event, booking for your event through our webpage and post-Festival information on number of attendees to your event.
I invite you to visit the dedicated Festival website (https://festivalofideas.chester.ac.uk/) where you can find out more about the events and speakers that are already booked in, and also where you can submit ideas for your own events (https://festivalofideas.chester.ac.uk/be-part-of-the-festival/). Early in April our Steering Group will review all the suggestions and come back to you to confirm the events schedule, which will open for event bookings in May.
We are hoping to secure a wide range of events, including: exhibitions/displays; events focused on fun for families; short talks; and, interactive events. There are no specific criteria in terms of event duration, we are suggesting no more than an hour as a guide, but we are happy to consider longer events.
The deadline for applications is the 1st of April and further details are below. If anyone is interested in applying or would like help developing an activity, please do get in touch with HLSEngagement@liverpool.ac.uk.
Brilliant Poetry
Brilliant Poetry is an international competition that invites people from around the world to express scientific wonder and discovery through verse. Brilliant Poetry champions the power of poetry to make the complex and often abstract world of scientific inquiry accessible and captivating to all.
Your poem should be concise yet impactful, with a limit of 40 lines. This encourages creativity and precision in expressing big ideas.
First prize £1000 — Second prize £500 — Third prize £250
Submissions open 21 March to 21 June 2024
The Paperless Podcast
Jake Tapping presents the Paperless Podcast! This initiative aims to inspire individuals to get involved and make a difference.
Founded in November, the series aims to spotlight the work of students and provide them with a platform to share their academic research, which often remains unpublished, with a broader audience.
The podcast acts as a link between academia and the public, showcasing the diverse and impactful research conducted by university students across various disciplines and age groups, from undergraduates to early-career researchers. Each episode features students discussing their theses, dissertations, or research projects, providing insights into their discoveries, challenges, and aspirations. Covering a wide range of topics from history to life sciences and beyond, the podcast reflects the extensive scope of student research.
How You Can Contribute
If you're a student, you can participate in the show! The podcast is always on the lookout for new students to join in, whether you've just submitted your work or wish to revisit past projects. To express interest, reach out via thepaperlesspodcast@gmail.com or fill out the form in the linktree.
The Paperless Podcast invites students from all disciplines and backgrounds to join in elevating their work and inspiring others. Although based in Bristol (UK), episodes can be recorded remotely to accommodate participants.
Westminster Pairing Scheme
Engaging with policymakers as a researcher in Health and Life Sciences provides an avenue to bridge the gap between research and policy, ultimately contributing to the improvement of public health and the well-being of communities.
Each year 30 research scientists are paired with UK parliamentarians and civil servants. Over the ‘Week in Westminster’ the scientists will take part in workshops, hear from invited speakers and spend time with their pair. The MP, Peer or Civil Servant will then be invited to visit the scientist’s home institution and learn more about their work in person. Those taking part gain an insight into how research findings can help inform policy making, and come away with a better understanding of how they can get involved.
Applications for 2025 will open in October 2024.
STEM For BRITAIN: applications for 2024 not yet open
An annual scientific poster competition for early-career researchers which has been held in Parliament since 1997, and is organised by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee. Its aim is to give members of both Houses of Parliament an insight into the outstanding research work being undertaken in the UK by early-career researchers.
Applications are invited from early-career research scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians for the opportunity to exhibit in one of the five areas:
• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Chemistry
• Engineering
• Mathematical Sciences
• Physics
Takes place on 4th March 2024 in the Houses of Parliament. Applications are currently open and the deadline for applications is Monday 27 November 2023.
Prizes will be awarded in each subject category to the individuals who, alongside presenting excellent science and engineering, communicate their research in a clear and engaging manner:
Gold – £1000
Silver – £750
Bronze -£500
All gold medal winners will also be judged for the Westminster Medal, awarded for the most excellent science communication.
In the Biological and Biomedical Sciences category, applicants are also invited to apply for the Physiological Society Prize and Nutritional Society Prize (£500 each).
This year all applicants will also have the opportunity to enter for ‘The Dyson Award for outstanding research towards a more sustainable future.
The Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas (CoDI)
The Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas (CoDI) is a platform within the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where researchers present contentious topics in a comedic and interactive format. This unique blend of entertainment and intellectual discourse allows researchers to reach broader audiences beyond academia, fostering dialogue and critical thinking among attendees. CoDI offers researchers an opportunity to enhance their communication skills by distilling complex ideas into accessible narratives, thus broadening the impact of their work and increasing public understanding.
To participate, researchers submit proposals outlining their topic and how they plan to engage the audience. If selected, they take the stage to deliver their performance, utilizing humor and storytelling to captivate and educate the audience. CoDI events not only provide a platform for researchers to showcase their work but also serve as a catalyst for meaningful conversations and debate on important societal issues. These events typically take place during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and may also be featured in other festivals, offering researchers diverse opportunities to engage with the public throughout the year.
Information sessions will be held in November, and expressions of interest will be accepted in December.
British Science Festival 2025: Award Lecture applications not yet open
Every year the British Science Association asks for applications for the seven Award Lectureships available to early career academics who are skilled at engaging people with their research. These Award Lectures aim to promote open and informed discussion of science and related disciplines. Awards are available in seven different areas:
• Social sciences
• Engineering, technology and industry
• Environmental sciences
• Agricultural, biological and medical sciences
• Physical sciences and mathematics
• Digital innovation
• Science and the arts
More information, including the application process can be found here, or you can contact Louise at louise.cooke@britishscienceassociation.org with any questions.
As well as presenting their lecture at the British Science Festival, Award winners will also receive public speaking coaching and a £250 honorarium. There may also be other opportunities to present the Award Lecture at other science festivals in the UK.
The deadline for applications will be in December.
The annual Dance Your Ph.D. contest
The party is just getting started when the dreaded question comes: “So, what’s your Ph.D. research about?” You launch into the explanation, trying to judge the level of interest as you go deeper. It takes about a minute before someone changes the subject.
At times like this, don’t you wish you lived in a world where you could just ask people to pull out their phones to watch an online video explaining your Ph.D. research through interpretive dance?
You do live in that world! Not only can you have such a video, you can win vast sums of money (OK, modest amounts), achieve geek fame on the internet, and be recognized by Science for your effort. This is the 16th year of the “Dance Your Ph.D.” contest run by AAAS and Science, and now sponsored by the artificial intelligence and quantum technology company SandboxAQ.
Prizes: Category winners receive $750. The overall winner receives an extra $2000 and a spot on Dancing with the Stars! OK, we can’t actually do that second thing.
How to enter
1. Turn your Ph.D. thesis into a dance
2. Post the video on YouTube
3. Send us the link by TBC (likely to be January 2025).
The rules
1. For the normal categories, you must have a Ph.D., or be working on one as a Ph.D. student. For the special AI/Quantum category, the dance does not need to be based on a PhD thesis.
2. Your Ph.D. must be in a science-related field (see FAQ).
3. You must be part of the dance (see FAQ).
4. The complete and official rules apply and can be found here.
Applications to open in A/W.
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