Leading figures in Covid fight to appear at science festival

Sir Patrick Vallance

Two of the leading figures in the fight against Covid-19 will be taking part in the British Science Festival which is being held in Essex.

The Chief Scientific Advisor, Sir Patrick Vallance, and Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the new UK Health Security Agency will discuss what impact the pandemic has had on trust in science.

The event, which will take place in Chelmsford between September 7th and 11th, is being run by the British Science Association in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.

It's being billed as one of the most ambitious science festivals in the UK since the start of the pandemic, with over 100 free events taking place during the five days of the Festival.

Other events include:

  • Neuroscientist Gina Rippon and computer scientist Robert Elliot Smith talking about the fight against fake news.

  • The world premiere of Body, an outdoor immersive installation created by world-renowned artists,

  • Walk the Plank that takes you on a journey through six different zones of the body, mixing human biology with light, special effects, sound and fire.

The Festival will be the biggest science event ever held in Chelmsford

Antonio Benitez, Director of the British Science Festival, said:

“Given the challenges of the past sixteen months for people and communities, and the difficulties faced by the festivals and live events sector, we feel incredibly pleased and proud to be presenting this ambitious and inspiring programme with Anglia Ruskin University.

“We have curated a range of events that highlight local stories, issues of international relevance and celebrates the breadth and creativity of the cutting-edge research taking place in Chelmsford and across the UK. There will be opportunities to explore issues relating to the pandemic and other pressing concerns such as climate change, or alternatively to get as far away from the day-to-day as possible with interactive and immersive installations and experiences.

Professor Roderick Watkins, Vice Chancellor of ARU, said:

“It is a huge honour to be working with the British Science Association and to be the host university for the British Science Festival. The Festival will be the biggest science event that Chelmsford has ever hosted, and our academics are putting on more than 30 fascinating talks, workshops and events on a wide range of subjects.

“We are very much looking forward to welcoming people back to our campus, and seeing the excitement generated by this festival all around our city. It has been a long wait, but we know it will be worth it.”

All tickets for the British Science Festival are completely free, but booking is essential. More information about each event and ticket bookings can be found at: www.britishsciencefestival.org