Each month Oriel Science Cafe invites a leading expert in their field to give a brief introductory talk followed by a friendly informal chat. You can sit back, relax with a drink in your hand and listen or get involved in the discussion and debate.
Climate Challenge: the facts and the effects
Professor Siwan Davies (Swansea University)
Wednesday 5th December at 7:30pm
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity. In 2015 Prof. Siwan Davies, a Geographer and climate scientist from Swansea University, embarked on a journey to find out how climate change is already affecting communities around the world. From the heights of the Greenland ice sheet to the low-lying islands of the Maldives, Siwan’s experiences were featured in two TV documentary series produced by Elin Rhys and Telesgop for S4C and Sky Vision. In this Christmas lecture Siwan shares her experiences of leaving her research laboratory to find out more about the real-life impacts, actions and solutions to our climate challenge.
FameLab - Swansea Heats
(in association with Swansea University Public Engagement Forum)
Wednesday 30th January 2019 at 7:30pm
FameLab is the UK's biggest competition to discover new talent in the communication of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Come along tonight and hear aspiring science communicators battle it out for a place in the Swansea heat!
FameLab - Wales Finale
(in association with Swansea University Public Engagement Forum)
Wednesday 27th February 2019 at 7:30pm
Oriel Science Cafe is delighted to again host the All-Wales final of FameLab, the UK's largest competition to discover the next big science communicator. The winner of tonight's competition goes to the UK-wide final, so come along and listen to our skilled presenters educate and entertain.
Cefn Coed Remembered: creating a legacy
Martin Thomas, ABMU (NHS)
Wednesday 27th March 2019 at 7:30pm
ABMU Heritage Team had the unique opportunity of capturing the legacy of Cefn Coed Hospital; a psychiatric hospital in Swansea, which opened in 1932 and is now being decommissioned. Martin Thomas will give an insight into how working in partnership with Swansea University and Oriel Science, along with local artists, poets, computer engineers and past and present staff members, collaborated to bring together an exploratory and interactive exhibition at Swansea Museum. Martin will also discuss how the challenges during the process were overcome and resolved to an outstanding conclusion.
Inner space: the hidden architecture of nature
Prof Richard Johnston (Swansea University)
Wednesday 24th April 2019 at 7:30pm
Discover an unseen world in minute detail. From heart tissue to ancient mummies, cuttlefish to leafcutter ants - using the latest X-ray imaging techniques to reveal the amazing microstructures usually hidden from view, in the world around us. Explore the form and function of the internal architectures of nature and find out how they can inspire and improve new materials and engineering design.
Cael cipolwg y tu mewn i bethau: pensaernïaeth gudd natur Cewch ddarganfod byd nas gwelwyd o'r blaen yn fanwl iawn. O feinwe'r galon i fymïod hynafol, ystifflogod i forgrug sy'n torri dail – gallwn weld y microstrwythurau anhygoel nad oes modd eu gweld fel arfer yn y byd o'n cwmpas drwy ddefnyddio'r technegau delweddu pelydr-x diweddaraf. Edrychwch ar ffurf a swyddogaeth pensaernïaeth fewnol natur a gweld sut y gallant ysbrydoli a gwella deunyddiau newydd a'r gwaith o ddylunio peirianneg.
Gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion – o fwydod rhynglanw, morfilod a sbwriel yn nyfroedd y DU. Mae'n byd yn newid ar gyflymder syfrdanol o ganlyniad i ymyriad dynol ac yn achos llawer o'r hyn sy'n newid, nid ydym yn gwybod llawer amdano. Rwyf wedi treulio fy mywyd yn gweithio tuag at hyn – gan geisio darganfod mwy, gyda gwirfoddolwyr. Mae sabellaria alveolata yn rhywogaeth o fwydyn gwrychog hidl-ymborthol sy'n byw yn y rhynglanw. Maent yn creu riffiau isel lle maent yn niferus.Mae'r riffiau hyn yn hynod bwysig gan eu bod yn creu cynefin byw sy'n cefnogi amrywiaeth eang o rywogaethau eraill, ond gallant hefyd roi gwybodaeth i ni am faterion cadwraeth. Mae morfilod neu fegafawna carismatig ar frig y gadwyn fwyd, a thrwy fonitro eu poblogaethau a'u dosbarthiad, boed yn farw neu'n fyw, mae'n bosib i ni ddatblygu darllen o'r mannau pwysig ac ardaloedd bwydo a bridio a fydd yn helpu i roi gwybodaeth am iechyd y cefnfor. Sbwriel dŵr – dyma broblem sydd wedi denu llawer o sylw ac mae angen ymyriad dynol o bob ochr er mwyn newid y sefyllfa ac atal y broblem rhag gwaethygu ac effeithio llawer mwy ar fywyd gwyllt a ni.
Oriel Science Café is committed to promoting public engagement with science and to making science accountable. This public lecture series has been running since 2005! Science Cafés are held in casual settings across the UK and further afield. They are informal and accessible and entry is entirely free. They usually start with a short talk from the speaker, usually a scientist or writer, followed by a quick break for glasses to be refilled and then half an hour or so of discussion afterwards. Previous topics have included dark matter, the common cold, Dr Who, the Big Bang and alternative therapies. The first Cafes Scientifiques in the UK were held in Leeds in 1998. From there cafés gradually spread across the country where you can meet regularly to hear scientists or writers on science talk about their work and discuss it with diverse audiences.
Oriel Science is Swansea University's science engagement project It's mission is to “Showcase Science in the Community”. Oriel Science built a pop-up exhibition centre in the city centre, runs school outreach events, exhibits in events across South Wales, organises special exhibitions in the National Waterfront Museum and ... runs the Oriel Scienc Café.
