Free History & Science Talk Series at the Gunmakers Arms

The newly re-opened Gunmakers Arms is a Grade II listed building dating back to around 1820. Starting this January they will be hosting a series of talks themed on history and science. A few University of Birmingham researchers will be there to discuss the Lunar Society, alcohol’s effects on the brain and sports related concussions! Pop along and chat to our researchers about the work that they do, they’d love to answer your questions!

Location: Gunmakers Arms. 93 Bath Street City Centre Birmingham B4 6HG.

History talks

  • Kay Hunter – ‘The Last Public Hanging in Birmingham’, Tuesday 26th January
  • Ruth Cherrington, Club Historians – ‘The Social History of Working Men’s Clubs’, Thursday 18th February
  • Dr Malcolm Dick, University of Birmingham – ‘The Industrial Enlightenment and the Lunar Men in the 18th Century’, Wednesday 30th March
  • Professor David Williams, Loughborough University – ‘The Early Days of the Birmingham Gun Quarter’, Tuesday 17th May

Science talks

  • Dr Ian Mitchell, University of Birmingham – ‘Alcohol: Friend or foe?’, Wednesday 9th March
  • Dr Chris Hamlett, Nottingham Trent University – ‘Control the glass, control the beer foam’, Tuesday 15th March
  • Mr Antonio Belli, University of Birmingham – ‘It’s just a concussion…’, Wednesday 27th April

P.S. #Brumscicomm will also take place at the Gunmakers on Feb 10th at 6pm!

Alexander Fleming dissemination scheme

CaptureDeadline – 30th September 2015

The Medical Research Foundation invites applications for grants from the Alexander Fleming dissemination scheme. This scheme provides funding to support the dissemination of MRC and Medical Research Foundation-funded research results beyond the scientific peer reviewed press, to patients, participants, practitioners and policymakers.

Vivid Projects: A Record of Undying

Dr Michele Aaron of the University of Birmingham’s Department of Film and Creative Writing has been involved in a new exhibition opening at Vivid Projects in Digbeth, Birmingham this October 3rd.

Friday 03 October, 6-9pm

Exhibition Launch (6-9pm) & Performance (7.30pm and 8.30pm)

Join Vivid Projects for the launch of A Record of Undying, a groundbreaking exhibition exploring the last taboo: dying and death.
In an intimate and moving series of installations, British video artist George Saxon deals unflinchingly with the death of his partner and collaborator on the work, D.John Briscoe.
An exhibition brochure with commissioned essay from Dr Michele Aaron, University of Birmingham will be available from 3 October.
At 7.30pm artist George Saxon presents Blissfully Gunned Down (1980 – 2013), a live durational 16mm performance which reworks footage of D. John Briscoe’s staged death in 1980. The performance will be repeated for Digbeth First Friday at 8.30pm.
Flyer:

Things That Go Pop: A review

Back on Sept 6th, on the opening night of the British Science Festival, the Public Engagement Working Group helped sponsor an event curated by Flatpack film festival. Things That Go Pop was an evening of combustible vapours, scientific cocktails, and free thinking inspired by chemist, theologian, and all-round visionary Joseph Priestley. This event was included in the British Science Festival programme and featured experiments and demos led by University of Birmingham researchers from Chemistry and History departments. In the lead up to the event, the University’s research pop-up shopThink Corner  also ran chemistry inspired activities to promote Things That Go Pop.

Chemist, Rowena Fletcher-Wood was one UoB researcher who was part of the evening’s activities. We asked Rowena to write us a mini-review which you can read below.

Were you there? If so, let us know what you thought in the comments below! Should we do more of this type of thing?