Celebration of Science 2025: Discovery for a Changing World

2nd-3rd April 2025

A person wearing a VR headset
About
Panels

Welcome to our Celebration of Science!

Celebration of Science 2025 will take place on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd of April, this time in the George Fox Building! We have an exciting agenda planned for this year, including the return of the ever-popular PhD speed talks and keynote speakers, as well as some new elements such as interactive exhibits delivered by each of our departments, exciting panel talks from academic experts, and a PhD alumni session!

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Keynote Speakers

Dr Sophie Carr

Winner of "The World's Most Interesting Mathematician 2019", founder of Bay's Consulting, and Vice President of the Royal Statistical Society for Education and Statistical Literacy, Dr Sophie Carr has had an illustrious career which saw her first train and work as an aeronautical engineer before turning her hand to mathematics. She has used her mathematical and engineering training to solve countless complex data science projects, including developing predictive algorithms to forecast food sales, predicting the need for foodbank usage, and the risk of cold, mould and damp in homes without the need for sensors.

Talk title: Statistics, AI and Society - how trust and fairness should lead the way

How do we decide if numbers are fair? Fairness, trust, and bias shape how we interpret and respond to data, but they are not the same. While fairness reflects whether outcomes align with our values, trust depends on the source and presentation of data, and bias influences both our perceptions and the numbers themselves. We can’t mathematically represent all the areas but their interactions lead to our understanding of the world around us – and that can bring us together or create differences. Maths has the power to change society, but the question is, how can we achieve that and ensure no one is left behind?

Sophie Carr

Patrick Allcorn

Head of Local Net Zero at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Patrick Allcorn has a remit for supporting local energy and climate change projects. Since the Clean Growth strategy was announced in 2017, his team has set up the Local Energy Programme for England which has created local energy hubs, and energy strategies for every LEP and re-opened and devolved the Rural Community Energy Fund.

Prior to that, he led the development and delivery of the Domestic RHI and was responsible for developing community energy. He set up the LEAF project in 2012, which enabled over 400 communities to organise local energy schemes.

Talk title and synopsis TBC

Patrick Allcorn

Wednesday 2nd April

Please note that this itinerary is provisional and subject to change

Time Event Location
From 10am (all day) PhD Posters George Fox Foyer and surrounding rooms
10am Welcome from Professor Pete Atkinson, Executive Dean, followed by keynote: Dr Sophie Carr George Fox LT1
11am Coffee Break George Fox Foyer
11.30am Panel 1: AI and Society
Chair - Chris Lowerson
Members - Dr Elisa Rubegni (SCC), Professor Bill Oxbury (SMS), Professor Mark Levine (Psychology), Professor Pascal Welke (Leipzig), Professor Neil Reeves (FHM)		 George Fox LT1
12.30pm Lunch (Please register if you would like lunch) George Fox Foyer/LT5
1.30pm Dedicated time for posters, departmental exhibits and departmental tours George Fox Foyer and surrounding rooms/ departments
3.30pm PhD Careers Session with Alumni Panel
Chair - Pam Pickles
Members - Dr Joshua Chawner (Physics), Dr Sophie Rawnsley-Lau (Chemistry), Dr Stephen Quayle (Engineering), Dr Helena Ripley (LEC)		 George Fox LT1
4.15pm Close
Lunch registration form

Thursday 3rd April

Please note that this itinerary is provisional and subject to change

Time Event Location
From 10am PhD posters George Fox Foyer and surrounding rooms
10am Welcome from Professor Pete Atkinson followed by keynote: Patrick Allcorn George Fox LT1
11am Coffee break George Fox Foyer
11.30am PhD speed talks George Fox LT1
12.30pm Lunch (Please register if you would like lunch) George Fox Foyer/LT5
1.30pm Voting closes for poster nominations
1.30pm Panel 2: Powering Tomorrow
Chair - Professor Alona Armstrong
Members - Professor Kathryn Toghill (Chemistry), Dr Ally Gormally-Sutton (LEC), Dr Nan Zhao (Engineering), Professor Colin Lambert (Physics), Patrick Allcorn		 George Fox LT1
2.30pm Dedicated time for posters and departmental exhibits George Fox Foyer and surrounding rooms/ departments
3.45pm PhD Awards and closing remarks George Fox LT1
4.15pm Close
Lunch registration form

Panels

For more information on our panel line-ups, please visit our dedicated page!

See our panel details

Exhibitions

Each of our departments will be presenting at our interactive exhibition, showcasing some of the fantastic research that takes place within the Faculty. More details about the exhibits will follow shortly, so check back regularly for further information!

  • A Quantum View of an Invisible Universe

    Fresh from the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition, Lancaster's Low-Temperature Physics group demonstrate (with their fun, interactive display) how dark matter detectors at ultra-cold temperatures could bring us one step closer to solving one of the greatest mysteries of science.

  • A Global Battery Challenge

    Join Chemistry's Electrochemistry and Surfaces group as they explain and demonstrate the chemistry behind batteries.

  • BeeBox

    LEC and Engineering duo Dr Phil Donkersley and Jenny Roberts present their innovative new "home for bees", exploring the plight of the bumblebee and how their design can help protect these precious pollinators - featuring live bees!

  • Changepoint and Anomaly Detection

    Explore the nature of changepoints and anomaly detection with this interactive demo from Lancaster's School of Mathematical Sciences!

  • The Art of Isolation

    Materials Science Lancaster presents the Art of Isolation, showcasing ways that they are able to further the field of quantum physics in one of the quietest places in the world - right here at Lancaster!

  • Engineering Tours

    Want to get a peak inside our Engineering labs? Take a guided tour around them with one of our Engineering technicians.

  • Meet the Micro:bit

    Professor Steve Hodges of SCC presents the BBC Micro:bit, a pocket-sized computing device used to engage people from all walks of life in digital creativity and coding!

  • Explore LU Energy in Miniature

    Architecture student Ethan Fairweather presents his 3D designs for the new Lancaster University Energy System, 3D printed within our School of Engineering!

Book onto an Engineering tour

If you're interested in touring our brand new Engineering Building and its facilities, please register for a tour slot!

Register for a tour