By Émer O’Toole, News Editor
The Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow will team up at Scotland’s first Explorathon, a programme presenting the most innovative research in Scottish universities.
The Explorathon takes place on September 26, as part of European Researchers’ Night.
The two universities will run hands-on activities aimed at children, families and schools from lunchtime at Intu Braehead. Astronaut Alexander Gerst will answer young Glaswegians questions at Cineworld IMAX in the evening, as part of the ‘Ask an Astronaut’ competition.
Dr Carol Trager-Cowan, from the Physics Department at Strathclyde, said: “It will be huge fun. It is really great to have the opportunity to celebrate the vibrant, innovative research taking place in Glasgow, across Scotland and throughout Europe – it will be a wonderful night.”
Jamie Gallagher, public engagement officer for the University of Glasgow, said: “We’re throwing back the curtains and asking everyone to come and get involved and be hands- on with the world-class research that is happening right at our doorstep.”
Glasgow Science Centre will host a free-entry night of discovery, ranging from ‘really small science’ – the world of nanotechnology – to an exposition of the darkest skies in the world by Steve Owens, author of ‘Stargazing for Dummies’.
The Discovery Zone at the Science Centre will offer hands-on demonstrations, interactive games and meet-the-researcher events.
‘Researchers in the Spotlight’ in the auditorium will give short talks, taking the audience from deep on the ocean floor to the inner depths of the human mind.
Glasgow Skeptics will host an inside account of the search for the Higgs boson, hosted by Professor Jon Butterworth from University College, London.
More than More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the events with around 200 researchers from universities in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
