Public Events
You will find full details of all our public events on this page.
Booking will be required for most of the events currently listed. Unless otherwise shown, we would prefer you to book online at www.thebooth.co.uk, but if online booking is inconvenient for you, you may also book by phone by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
Unless otherwise advised, all events are suitable for anyone aged 12 and upwards. The tour of the Highland Wildlife Park on 12 June and the Monster Science Open Day on 18 June are suitable for younger children too.
PUBLIC EVENTS PROGRAMME - LAST UPDATED 7 JUNE 2011 - CHANGE TO SUPERMARKET SCIENCE DATE
Wednesday 11 May, 7pm, Drumossie Hotel, Inverness
Professor Richard Dawkins: The Science of Beauty and the Beauty of Science
FUNDRAISING EVENT - TICKETS £10 EACH
Richard Dawkins was our star speaker last year, giving a fascinating and memorable talk on The Wonder of Science. This year he's coming back - and has kindly agreed to do a special pre-Festival event to help us raise funds for Festival itself.
'Survival of the fittest' suggests utilitarian efficiency. But Darwin understood full well that the external appearance of animals was subject to forms of natural selection which are akin to aesthetic choice, for example sexual selection. Is this where our sense of beauty comes from? Including more advanced and sophisticated aesthetic sensibilities? Is science itself among the highest aesthetic experiences?
Richard Dawkins is always a highly stimulating and informative speaker, with the rare ability to explain scientific concepts in ways that are both clear and uplifting. Don't miss this opportunity to hear one of the world's leading evolutionary biologists in person.
Click here to go to The Booth and book your ticket(s) online. We would prefer to take bookings online, but you may also reserve tickets by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
Sunday 12 June, 10 am to 5pm - NB PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE!
Supermarket Science - Tesco, Inverness Retail Park, A96
One of the most common myths about science is that all scientists wear white coats and work in a lab. Well, come along to Tesco at the Inverness Retail Park for some Supermarket Science, where we will do our best to prove you wrong! During the day everyone can become a scientist, as we demonstrate simple science experiments that can be done easily at home with items found on the supermarket shelves. Find out more about the science of everyday objects, the beauty of botany and the physics of shopping. Prizes to be won! No charge and no need to book - just pop along before or after you do your shopping! Suitable for all the family.
PS. If home science interests you, take a look at this website, which is full of ideas to try out science for yourself at home! Make sure you take appropriate safety precautions where necessary.
Sunday 12 June, 12.15pm for 12.30 pm to approx 2pm
Exploring the Highland Wildlife Park, Kincraig
A guided bus tour for the whole family, led by Jasper Hughes, the Park's Education Officer. Hear the inside story of what happens at the Park and how and why zoos play such an important role in wildlife conservation. We'll also be taking a special look at the endangered Highland Wildcat and asking about the main threat to its survival: the answer may surprise you! After the tour, you will be free to explore the Park some more on your own (don't miss the tiger-feeding at 2.15pm!).
Standard HWP entrance charges apply (click here for details), but there is no extra charge for the guided tour. You will find the bus in the main car park, clearly labelled 'Inverness Monster Science Festival'. Places are limited, so please book. We prefer to take bookings via TheBooth, but you may also book by calling 01463 273000 if more convenient for you. PLEASE email info@monsterfest.co.uk to let us know if, after booking, you are no longer able to come along so we can release your place for someone else.
Monday 13 June, 7pm, Lecture Theatre G20, Inverness College, Longman Road, Inverness
Dr Andrew Duncan: What are my Odds?
Imagine you are a contestant on a game show. You have to select one of three doors. Behind two of them there is a goat, but behind the third is the sports car of your dreams. After you have made your selection, the host opens one of the other two doors and reveals … a goat. But then he gives you the option to change your original choice of door … What should you do to maximise the chances of finding the dream car?
If you think the answer is obvious, you need to attend this event! Ranging from the fun (such as strategies for games shows) to the serious (such as the way numbers are presented in the news), this lively session will explore the strange world of odds, probabilities and statistics and show how reality often fails to reflect our expectations!
Dr Andrew Duncan was born and brought up in Inverness and went to Millburn Academy. He studied at Edinburgh University, where he got a first class BSc (Hons) degree in Mathematics and then a PhD in the estimation of the properties of composite materials. He is now a maths lecturer at Inverness College.
Since we have no venue hire charges for this event, tickets are free of charge. However, we would still ask you to book your tickets online at The Booth or, if easier for you, by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
Tuesday 14 June, 7pm, Drumossie Hotel, Inverness
Professor Aubrey Manning: The Animals and Ourselves
Professor Manning is perhaps best known to the public for his two wonderful TV series, Earth Story and Talking Landscapes. He also has a number of radio broadcasts to his name, including The Rules of Life for Radio 4 and the Open University, and five series of Radio 4's Unearthing Mysteries, Sounds of Life, and Origins: the Human Connection.
But his scientific specialism and first love is zoology, and it is this which will be the topic of his talk in Inverness. This is how he describes it:
We humans have always been observing animals and they've played a major part in our history. We've been both prey for some and predators for many. Animals have been food, power, pests, sources of wonder, friends and companions, manifestations of gods or of devils. We've often regarded them as separate - but not any more. Evolution forces us to look for continuities. Do we have instincts like many animals so conspicuously do? Do they have intellects, such as we so pride ourselves for? I shall try to illustrate some of the fascinating and often contentious issues about the animals and ourselves.
Anyone who watched Earth Story will know that Aubrey Manning is a wonderfully engaging, witty and inspiring science educator, and that we are all in for a tremendous treat.
To cover our venue hire charge, tickets for this event are £5 each. Click here to go to The Booth and book your ticket(s) online. We would prefer to take bookings via The Booth, but you may also reserve tickets by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
Wednesday 15 June, 7pm, Lecture Theatre G20, Inverness College, Longman Road, Inverness
Angus Jamieson, Tech21: Will the oil run out?
For the last 50 years it has been believed that the oil in the world will last … another 50 years. However, technology has changed in that time to continue to meet demand as smaller, more challenging oil reservoirs are targeted. Does this mean we no longer have a problem? Sadly not: Angus will show that the costs and risks associated with these more challenging fields may yet force us to abandon oil well before it runs out. He will also share something of his experience as survey advisor in the Gulf of Mexico disaster last year. If you are interested in the potential and the challenges of oil, don't miss this fascinating event!
Since we have no venue hire charges for this event, tickets are free of charge. However, we would still ask you to book your tickets online at The Booth or, if easier for you, by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
Thursday 16 June, 7pm, Lecture Theatre G20, Inverness College, Longman Road, Inverness
Stem Cells: Vision of the Future
(Original photo from Science Photo Library)
A new documentary from the team that made the highly acclaimed Stem Cell Stories.
Stem Cells: Vision of the Future will explain precisely why and how stem cells are central to the body's growth, routine maintenance, and repair. This is a hugely important time in the development of our understanding of stem cells and their potential for use in pioneering medical treatments, and the documentary team had access to some of the most eminent scientists in the field during the making of this film. This event will take us into the science of stem cells, and explain exactly why medical scientists are so excited about them and their potential for overcoming a huge range of devastating diseases.
Since we have no venue hire charges for this event, tickets are free of charge. However, we would still ask you book tickets online at The Booth or, if easier for you, by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
NB. If you are planning to attend this event, it would be great if you would spend a few minutes completing this online survey beforehand, please. It will be used to find out what the public wants from science documentaries, and to inform development of future films and documentaries. Thank you very much!
Friday 17 June, 7pm, Brahan Lecture Theatre, Highland Hospice, Inverness
Prof John McClatchey: An Introduction to the Science of Climate Change
We hear about climate change all the time and know that it's hotly disputed in some quarters - but what about the science? What influences the climate and how? How can we create scientific models of those influences to help us predict what's going to happen in the future? And how can we test those models to check their reliability? Professor John McClatchey, of the Environmental Research Institute, will explain the basic science we all need to know in order to understand this important and topical issue and make sense of what we hear about it in the news.
To cover our venue hire charge, tickets for this event are £3 each. Click here to go to The Booth and book your ticket(s) online. We would prefer to take bookings via The Booth, but you may also reserve tickets by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
Saturday 18 June, 11 a.m. to 4 pm, Inverness College, Midmills Campus, Crown, Inverness
Monster Science Family Open Day
A bumper day of hands-on activities for all the family. Find out what is really going on inside your body, why everything that crawls isn't necessarily creepy, that rocket science isn't as tough as they make it out to be, and much more! Free entry and there's no need to book – just turn up and start learning and having fun!
Our thanks to the Glasgow Science Centre for their contribution to this event.
.jpg)
Sunday 19 June, 7pm, The Ironworks, Academy St, Inverness
Professor Richard Wiseman: The Luck Factor
Why do some people lead happy successful lives whilst others face repeated failure and sadness? Why are some people always in the right place at the right time, while others are always unlucky? For many years Richard Wiseman has worked with some of the world’s luckiest and unluckiest people to answer these fascinating questions. Discover the results of his work and find out how ‘The Luck Factor’ can change your life.
Richard Wiseman is Professor for the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, and has gained an international reputation for research into luck, deception, the paranormal, humour, and the science of self-help.
A passionate advocate for science, Prof Wiseman has written three bestselling books that have been translated into over thirty languages - The Luck Factor, Quirkology and 59 Seconds. His latest book, Paranormality, has just been published and offers a fascinating insight into the workings of the human brain and why we see what isn't there.
Richard is not only incredibly knowledgeable about psychology, he is also very very funny and a member of the Magic Circle. He was also recently included in the Independent on Sunday's list of 100 people who make Britain a better place to live. This is certain to be a very entertaining and extremely popular event, so do book early!
There will also be a book-signing after the event. You can either bring your own, or buy from the Waterstones stand at the venue on the night.
The Ironworks is on Academy Street, just round the corner from the Rose Street car park.
To cover our venue hire charge, tickets for this event are £5 each. Click here to go to The Booth and book your ticket(s) online. We would prefer to take bookings via The Booth, but you may also reserve tickets by calling Inverness College on 01463 273000.
