Glasgow Science Festival to launch biggest-ever programme
This year's events are united by the theme 'Glasgow Celebrates', recognising the 850 years since the city received the status of Burgh in 1175.
Read more: Football team in 'impoverished' Glasgow area welcomes funding boost
Researchers from the city's universities, artists, musicians, and representatives from leading charities will welcome audiences to iconic Glasgow locations.
Glasgow's 33 libraries will also play a part in this year's programme, with displays of STEM-related books planned for the duration of the festival.
The Smart Play Network's PlayTalkRead bus will bring science-focused fun aimed at children up to four years old to five libraries across the city.
The university's Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC) is set to host three special themed evenings exploring 'The Art of Science', 'The Sound of Science' and 'A Body of Science.'
The Glasgow Science Festival is returning this June (Image: Supplied) Each evening hopes to bring science to life with live music, virtual reality displays, hands-on demonstrations, and more.
Dr Deborah McNeill, director of the Glasgow Science Festival, said: "This year's programme is our most jam-packed ever, expanding to new venues and bringing in a widened range of events, shows and presentations.
"We have more than 75 events in the programme, including film screenings, stand-up comedy, music shows and tours of the city.
"Our ever-popular activity days are returning to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens and the Riverside and Kelvingrove Museums, featuring hundreds of hands-on activities and demos from researchers, who will be on hand to chat about their work.
"We'll also be going on the road to being science to more people, with appearances at the Govan Fair and activities with local schools.
"We're excited to be joining people across the city to celebrate both our scientific present and the city's historic past during this 850th anniversary year."
The Glasgow Science Festival is supported by funding from the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Government.
The 19th annual festival will host a range of activities for all ages (Image: Supplied)
Read more: Ambitious plan revealed for former Glasgow banking hall
Richard Lochhead, minister for business, said: "Scotland's science festivals help to inspire the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs by bringing STEM subjects to life, making them accessible and entertaining for all ages.
"Glasgow University's programme for 2025 is an impressive celebration of science in a special year for the city as it looks back on its history.
"The Scottish Government's ongoing support for Glasgow Science Festival is a testament to the creative ways it supports learning and our ambitions for Scotland to be a home of innovation well into the future.'
More information on this year's events can be found on the Glasgow Science Festival website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow park in line to receive new entrance and path
A total of £400,000 is to be spent on the green space, which has had problems with anti-social behaviour, if councillors approve plans this week. The park is a small remnant of a huge Glasgow site, which hosted the Garden Festival in 1988, and attracted millions of visitors to the city. The money for the investment in the park would be spent on the 'creation of an additional entrance to the park with new path and tree management to increase visibility and safety and associated biodiversity enhancements', according to a report. READ MORE: Raging shoppers threaten to boycott Tesco as meal deal prices rise Welcoming potential improvements, Govan Scottish Greens councillor Dan Hutchison said: 'Festival Park is a wonderful refuge in nature that our community loves. With its thick tree cover and winding path – it can feel unsafe and at night. This additional investment and the creation of a new entrance should make it more accessible and safely increase the through traffic, especially from Cessnock and Kinning Park through to the Clyde.' A total of £200,000 would come from the Scottish Government's Place Fund and the other half of the cash from the Feminist Action Fund. Among other potential projects to benefit from Glasgow's £2.24 million Place Fund are the part pedestrianisation of Letherby Triangle. Battlefield Rest is also set to be pedestrianised and see a public realm transformation. Another proposal would see lighting replaced on the South Portland Street Suspension Bridge to improve the safety and security of people walking across the Clyde. Work is also to take place on the south bank of the river at Carlton Place to clear overgrown areas and improve the riverbank. Councillors sitting on the City Administration Committee will decide whether to accept the Scottish Government's Place Fund grant offer this week. They will also vote on accepting the projects proposed for the cash to be spent on.
The National
5 hours ago
- The National
World-leading laser centre in Glasgow to expand after £800k in funding
Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (CAP), which leases six laboratories and space for around 80 employees and doctoral students, has grown exponentially since it was established in 2012. Scientists at the facility specialise in creating lasers and optical systems to help crack complex challenges in industries such as security and defence, healthcare, renewable energy and communications. Fraunhofer CAP is currently housed in the University of Strathclyde's Technology and Innovation Centre and has expanded into the second floor of the university's neighbouring Inovo Building - doubling its lab and office capacity. READ MORE: Israeli-owned Rosebank oil firm reveals profits doubled in last six months The expansion comes after the Scottish Government decided to award Fraunhofer CAP an additional £500,000 of funding this year, with Scottish Enterprise also giving an additional £300,000 to further develop its pioneering work in rapidly growing markets. Business Minister Richard Lochhead visited the lab on Tuesday, where he said the Scottish Government is a proud supporter of Fraunhofer CAP, having provided core funding for the Institute since its inception in 2012. (Image: Fraunhofer UK Research) He said: 'As the only Fraunhofer in the UK, it plays an important role in turning cutting-edge research into real-world industrial solutions across critical industries. 'I am pleased that increased Scottish Government funding this year has helped it expand operations in Glasgow, increasing its capacity to support vital projects across energy, net zero and space, while growing Scotland's Critical Technologies Supercluster. 'The Supercluster is strategically important to the Scottish economy and the Scottish Government will continue to support the incredible capability, talent and innovation across the industry as it pursues ambitious growth over the coming decade.' Fraunhofer, named after German physicist Joseph von Fraunhofer, is the name given to a network of research organisations across the world considered the gold standard when it comes to innovation. Fraunhofer CAP helps provide support for student training, carries out research and development, and also wins contracts and grants. In the last year alone, it delivered more than £5 million of research and development projects for industry. Recently The Scottish Government convened the industry-led Scottish Critical Technologies Supercluster Advisory Board to progress and promote key technical areas in which Scotland excels, such as photonics, quantum technologies, semiconductors and sensing, all areas in which Fraunhofer CAP is heavily involved. Simon Andrews, executive director of Fraunhofer UK Research said the facilities photonics and quantum expertise has helped Scotland's industry stay at the forefront of innovation. He said: 'We have proven the success of the Fraunhofer model here in Scotland, as evidenced by the large number of projects we deliver for industrial partners. 'Our photonics and quantum expertise is helping industry stay at the forefront of innovation and this ministerial visit demonstrates the importance of the part we have to play in the economy. "Both The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise are key stakeholders for our organisation and have provided support since our inception in 2012."
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Summerhall founder condemns apology over Kate Forbes event
He described the wording of a statement, which suggested Ms Forbes would be prevented from the Scottish Government-funded venue in future, as "idiotic" and "nonsense'. He insisted he would not have allowed it to be signed off had he still been responsible for Summerhall. Read more: Mr McDowell, who revealed he had attended the deputy first minister's event at Summerhall, said it would be 'impossible' for a Fringe venue to enforce any kind of ban on an individual taking part in future events. In an exclusive interview with The Herald, he suggested the main concerns for arts venues should be to ensure they operate within the law and uphold principles of freedom of speech. Robert McDowell has previously won Herald Angels Awards for his work at Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue Summerhall. (Image: Stewart Attwood) Summerhall Arts, which has taken over the running of shows and events at the venue from Mr McDowell, 'apologised unreservedly' to artists and performers appearing during the festival for the appearance of Ms Forbes in its programme. The deputy first minister, who was booked to appear as part of a series of political events organised by The Herald, has direct responsibility for the funding of Edinburgh's festivals as the culture secretary, Angus Robertson, represents the Edinburgh Central constituency. Ms Forbes announced £300,000 for funding aimed at 'safeguarding' the future of the Fringe in March, when she described the festival as 'one of Scotland's signature events.' Summerhall, which is now run by chief executive Sam Gough and a board led by Deborah Christie, secured public funding for the first time in January when Creative Scotland decided to allocate the arts charity more than £600,000 for the next three years. Ms Forbes spoke at Summerhall days after announcing she would not be standing in next year's Holyrood election, saying she wanted to focus more on family life. A devout Christian and a member of the Free Church of Scotland, Ms Forbes was criticised during her SNP leadership battle over her views on gay marriage, abortion and trans rights. The apology from Summerhall Arts, an arts charity formed months before the venue was put up for sale by Mr McDowell's family, said it should have considered the likelihood of Ms Forbes being booked for The Herald's Unspun Live events, and the 'understandable upset it would cause'. Alerting companies to the appearance of Ms Forbes hours before she was due to appear, the venue added: 'Our main concern is that cancelling the event could pose significant additional risk to the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ artists, staff and audiences by attracting those who share Kate Forbes' views outside of these walls to Summerhall. 'We do not believe LGBTQ+ rights, nor their existence, is up for debate. We recognise that the LGBTQ+ community make up a significant proportion of our artists, audiences and staff, and we have work to do to repair the damage from this oversight. 'At this stage, we can guarantee that we will be writing robust, proactive inclusion and wellbeing policies that prevent this from happening again.' Mr McDowell, who bought Edinburgh University's former vet school building to turn it into a year-round culture venue, said he was no longer involved in the programming or running of Sumerhall, but had been visiting every day during the Fringe to attend shows and events. Mr McDowell told The Herald: 'I've not been able to find out who issued that apology. I don't know who wrote it. If I had been asked, I would have said that it was nonsense. 'Of course, these things are up for debate. Everything is always up for debate. What are the arts if they don't allow freedom of speech? 'If somebody has an objection to something you don't ban it. You just turn up and ask a question or make a statement. It's an opportunity to say what you think. 'Whoever compiled that statement was just addressing their friends. It's part of a cancel culture kind of way of thinking. 'Some people sometimes take it upon themselves to sort of think that if the feel strongly enough about something there ought to be a law and if there isn't they will impose their views. 'Sometimes people feel that if someone has gone out on a limb they have to show a bit of a solidarity and then get carried away 'Unfortunately we all have to try to tolerate it and hope that will get over themselves at some point. "The idea that you could ever construct a way of doing this is idiotic. It would be possible. There's no way you could second guess artists or shows. 'I could see how the apology happened, but I thought it was silly and stupid. It's what happens when people rush to judgment. 'I don't like the way everybody rushed to judgment on JK Rowling. She can cope with that. I'm on her side, pretty much, but I can understand why some people aren't.' Mr McDowell drew a contrast between the apology over Ms Forbes and the efforts of long-time arts campaigner and promoter Richard Demarco to bring artists from around the world to Edinburgh. He was recently forced to move part of his archive from Summerhall, where he had been offered space by Mr McDowell after he opened the venue in 2011. He said: 'Demarco crossed the Iron Curtain more than 90 times, not because of propaganda or politics, but to embrace across the divides. That's we have to do in the arts, that is our job. 'One of the good things about the country and democracy we live in is freedom of speech, where can have debate and we can have discussion. 'What I do not like is where people do not want to have debate or do not want to discussion, or where they say: 'It's more important that I don't ever feel uncomfortable'. 'Venue management only have to apply the laws. They can have views and opinions, but they cannot censor. This is about freedom of speech.' Mr McDowell said he would be opposed to any attempt to ban elected politicians from speaking or being interviewed. He added: 'It's extremely important for freedom of speech for journalists to be able to question people in public, and to have further discussion and debates in public. 'I sat in on Kate Forbes' session. I think she is a lovely person. I used to enjoy meeting Alex Salmond, even though he and I had opposite views. I respected him. He was a real person.' Creative Scotland issued "dignity at work" guidance to all applicants for long-term funding. They state: "Everyone working in Scotland's creative and cultural sectors is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect, whether they are an employee, freelancer, contractor, board member or volunteer. "Creative Scotland does not tolerate bullying, harassment, or victimisation under any circumstance, and expects the same of any organisation that we support with public funding. "Those applying for activity that involves employing other people should ensure that they have appropriate safeguards in place to ensure dignity at work, including approaches to ensure best practice in areas such as equality and diversity, harassment and bullying, disciplinary and whistle-blowing. "Our role is as a funder, and we do not have a regulatory role. However, we expect all grant recipients to take their responsibilities around safeguarding and dignity at work seriously when in receipt of public funds and failure to do so could result in payments being suspended or grants withdrawn." A spokesperson for Creative Scotland said: "We are in dialogue with Summerhall Arts to understand recent events and the steps they are taking to address concerns that have been raised." The Herald has teamed up with to make the purchase of tickets for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe so much easier. To buy tickets, please click here.
