Staff and Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) are invited to register to take part in next year’s Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (SOTSEF), the largest event of its kind on the South Coast.
The Festival gives visitors, of all ages, the chance to interact with many of the renowned research projects and other activities which take place at the University.
The event is being organised by the Public Engagement with Research unit (PERu) which is keen to encourage new ways of engaging the public with University research.
Science and Engineering Day, Saturday 10 March
This award-winning day will be the start of SOTSEF next year. If you are interested in running an interactive activity, workshop, talk, performance or tour on Science and Engineering Day, please click here.
If you would like to be a science busker or work behind the scenes on the day please contact [email protected]. The deadline for completing this application is the 20 December.
Citizen Science Project
SOTSEF runs during British Science Week which partners with a different citizen science project each year. For 2018, the partnership is with ‘The Plastic Tide’, a charity made up of ocean, science and technology enthusiasts focused on working out ways to clean up our oceans of marine litter and plastics.
As a science festival on the South Coast, PERu feels plastic waste and its impact on the oceans is an important message to support so they are asking all exhibitors to think about single-use plastic (e.g. plastic bags, straws and bottles) in their activity and avoid it where possible.
The wider festival, 9 – 18 March
If you are interested in holding an event in the week following Science and Engineering Day, as part of the wider festival, please contact [email protected] by 20 December.
These will generally take place in the evening, could be on- or off-campus and will probably be targeted to adults rather than children. Options might include a pub quiz, a film screening, a poetry reading, a stand-up comedy show.
Additional opportunities
Sparsholt College – is running a ‘Women Into Technology’ event for Year 9s on Thursday 9 March and are looking for ‘hands on’ activities with interactive technology, preferably the more technology-based side of gaming, virtual reality, coding or security.
Paultons Park – is looking for some interactive science activities to take place on their Schools and Science Day on Friday 9 March.
West Quay – PERu is looking into the possibility of having one or two interactive science activities taking place in West Quay on Saturday 10 March and Sunday 11 March, to reach an audience who would not necessarily venture up to the University.
If you are interested in participating in any of these activities, please contact [email protected].
A quick reminder of key deadlines for SOTSEF 2018
20 December – intention to participate
19 January – update your form with logistical details such as power and space requirements
01 February – confirm your team and their requirements (e.g. t-shirt sizes, lunches etc)
09 February – send your risk assessment
