Research that seeks to tackle some of the challenges facing the modern world will take centre stage next month in a dynamic rapid-fire public event with students and researchers from the University of Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Arts Centre will play host to a PechaKucha Night on May 3. The free visual storytelling session, a fringe event of the UNI-Versal Festival of New Ideas, is based on the popular fast-paced 20x20 format in which speakers have 20 slides and 20 seconds to explain their concept.
Meaning ‘chit chat’ in Japanese, what began as a night time get-together in Tokyo in 2003 has turned into a global phenomena, with more than three million people having attended events worldwide.
Audiences will hear presentations from students and researchers on a number of current studies focused on topics as diverse as the environment and biodiversity to health, nutrition and wellbeing.
These include talks on the use of kelp in the deep sea, the ecology of carnivorous mammals like the pine martin and the perception of wolves in Europe, as well as a look at personalised nutrition work and the use of technology in DNA sequencing.
Dr Chris Croly, Public Engagement with Research Manager at the University of Aberdeen said: “PechaKucha is a really fun and informal style of event which gives a voice to some of our younger under-graduate and post-graduate students and researchers, challenging them to think carefully about the simplest but most impactful way to convey their ideas.
“The University first brought these events to Aberdeen almost a decade ago and they are always hugely popular as they are a great opportunity for people to be both entertained and enlightened as they hear about some of the great research taking place here in the north-east and beyond.”
The PechaKucha event takes place from 6-8pm on May 3. For more information or to book a free place visit the Aberdeen Arts Centre website.
The full programme for the UNI-Versal Festival of New Ideas, which takes place on May 27-28, can be viewed here