Festival brings research to local community

Reading’s top researchers will open their work up to the public for a unique one-day event.

The University’s first Community Festival on 13 May is a unique chance for the people of Reading and surrounding areas to visit the Whiteknights campus and explore our innovative research. The Festival will include research talks, hands-on activities for children, science demonstrations and exhibits, and give visitors the opportunity to talk to our academics.

Visitors can discover the diversity and importance of bees by visiting the Bumblearium, try out being a scientist for the day by getting up close with snakes and worms, or even uncover the site of a lost Anglo-Saxon monastery with archaeologists from our Cookham Archaeology summer field school.

Some of our leading researchers will talk about some of the most pressing issues facing society today, and what they are doing to help solve them. Topics will include:

• The challenges in finding treatments for brain diseases, and the potential of glial cells in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
• The relationship between businesses and society, and whether businesses should have a ‘social purpose’.
• How and why cardiovascular disease develops, and what research is being done to reduce the risk of these life-threatening conditions.
• The science behind how we’re all connected, and why that matters.

For children, there will be multilingual storytelling, talks about witches, cats and bats, a deep dive into what a pirate really is (and isn’t), and an exploration of the daily life of a herd of elephants in Kenya.

Professor Dominik Zaum, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, said: “Research needs to engage our local communities: to shape the questions research addresses, tom explore the implications of research for them, and to be open about the research process.

“The Community Festival is a fantastic opportunity to do just that, and to bring our research closer to our communities and neighbours. We hope that all those joining us for the Community Festival will be curious and inspired by some of the exciting work and important work done by colleagues at the University.” 

Alongside the research talks and activities, visitors will also be able to enjoy a range of live music, theatre and performance, street food and activities – all while exploring the beautiful lakes and gardens of the University’s award-winning campus.

The Festival is being hosted by the University and Reading Students’ Union, in collaboration with partners from across the town. Find out more and view the full programme of activities.

A free shuttle bus service will be provided from four areas around Reading, including: Caversham, Reading Station, Tilehurst and Whitley.