Soapbox Science 2016 Manchester

In 2016, Soapbox Science came back to Manchester! On 23rd July, 12 female scientists took to their soapboxes in Piccadilly Gardens, city centre Manchester, to demonstrate and discuss their research. Many came to be inspired by cool science from across the North West.

There was indeed something for everyone; clouds to cancer, protons to parasites, neuropsychology to nanoscience.  Think you would have struggled to understand it? Think again. Our scientists were passionate about demonstrating how scientific research informs everyday life. Next year, don’t miss it! If you’d like to see what Soapbox Science looks like in action, have a look at the Soapbox Science 2015 video

Details of the location and timing of the event

Date: Saturday 23rd July, 2016

Address: Piccadilly Gardens,

City Centre, Manchester

Time: 1pm – 4pm

Sponsors

We couldn’t run our events without the logistical and financial support of our sponsors. Since 2014, Soapbox Science is supported by the Science and Technology Facilities Council. The Manchester event is moreover supported by the University of Manchester and the Wellcome Trust.

Ms Chloe Oakland, University of Manchester, is then sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry and NoWNano for her talk entitled  “Let’s glow detect: Fluorescent nanoparticles for early disease diagnosis”

Dr Zahraa Al-Ahmady, University of Manchester, is sponsored by SEDA for her talk entitled  “Crafting Heat-Triggered Grenades to Blast Cancer ”

Ms Alba Maiques-diaz, CRUK Manchester Institute, is sponsored  by Instituto Cervantes Manchester.

At the event, Alba will be talking about blood cells, with a talk entitled “Want to know how your blood is produced?”

Speakers

For a second event in the region, 2016 saw strong competition to appear at the event. The 12 winners and their discussion topics included:

Dr Megan Argo, University of Manchester “When Gallaxies Collide!”

Ms Chloe Oakland, University of Manchester “Let’s glow detect: Fluorescent nanoparticles for early disease diagnosis”

Dr Alinda Fernandes, Keele University “Making minibrains in a dish – laboratory models for testing therapies”

Ms Katie Walwyn-Brown, University of Manchester “A sense of self: when danger is all around how does your immune system know what to trust?”

Dr Wiebke Frey, University of Manchester “How Clouds Form”

Dr Zahraa Al-Ahmady, University of Manchester “Crafting Heat-Triggered Grenades to Blast Cancer ”

Ms Monique Henson (@monique_henson), University of Manchester “How to build a Universe!”

Ms Laura Sinclair, University of York “Proton rich nuclei, in the mass 70 and 90 region, on the effect on the astrophysical rp-process”

Professor Kathryn Else, University of Manchester “Parasitic worms: life stories”

Dr Alba Maiques-Diaz, CRUK Manchester Institute “Want to know how your blood is produced?”

Dr Caroline Howe, University of Sheffield “Our natural safety net: understanding the importance of our complex relationship with the natural world and how it provides for our well-being’”

Dr Marina Parry, University of Manchester “By understanding the genetics of prostate cancer, we can treat patients with more personalised care”