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Previous events
This page lists, in reverse chronological order, past Small Talk events and some other UK science communication events that dealt with nanotechnologies.
March 2006
Nano: tiny technologies that are going to be huge!
Date: Friday 17th March 2006 (National Science Week!)
Venue: The Young People's Parliament, Millennium Point, Birmingham
Organiser: Young People's Parliament
The nanotechnology event is designed to give participants aged 14-19 an appreciation of the different issues and viewpoints surrounding the development and use of nanotechnology and give them a chance to contribute to the national debate. Students work in groups on different tasks to investigate the major scientific and ethical issues, and to engage in focused conversations and debates on the topic. Instead of choosing a "right" answer, the activities encourage participants to form and explain their own views and feelings.
Documents:
Event Snapshot(PDF)
Young people's opinions of nanotechnology(PDF) - An analysis of data collected during and after the event.
February 2006
Schools' debates on nanotech for Brighton Science Festival
Date: Week of 20-26 February 2006
Venue: Brighton Schools
Organiser: sciZmic (ECSITE-UK)
Scizmic will be building on the their 'Debates with a Difference' to bring issues concerning nanoscience and our technological futures directly into Brighton schools. For more info e-mail Savita Custead: savita@scizmic.net.
Event Report (PDF)
November 2005
Debate with a Difference
Date: 23 November 2005
Venue: Life Science Centre, Newcastle
Organiser: ECSITE-UK
Debate with a Difference: Nanotechnology is designed to give participants aged 14-19 an appreciation of the different issues and viewpoints surrounding the development and use of nanotechnology. Students work in groups on different tasks to investigate the major scientific and ethical issues, and to engage in focused conversations and debates on the topic. Instead of choosing a "right" answer, the activities encourage participants to form and explain their own views and feelings.
Further information about the debates and resources can be found at
www.scizmic.net or contact Savita Custead at savita@scizmic.net
October 2005
Debate with a Difference
Date: 6 & 7 October 2005
Venue: Manchester Museum of Science and Industry
Organiser: ECSITE-UK
Debate with a Difference: Nanotechnology is designed to give participants aged 14-19 an appreciation of the different issues and viewpoints surrounding the development and use of nanotechnology. Students work in groups on different tasks to investigate the major scientific and ethical issues, and to engage in focused conversations and debates on the topic. Instead of choosing a "right" answer, the activities encourage participants to form and explain their own views and feelings.
Further information about the debates and resources can be found at
www.scizmic.net or contact Savita Custead at savita@scizmic.net
September 2005 (BA Festival of Science, Dublin)
Einstein's legacy
Date: 6 September 2005 Time: 14.00-17.30
Venue: BA Festival of Science, Trinity College, Dublin
Organisation: The BA Physics and Astronomy Section
Einstein's momentous year of 1905 is celebrated with a series of four lectures. Three of these cover cutting edge current research that has led from his three papers: on Brownian motion (nanotechnology), the photoelectric effect (quantum optics) and special relativity (high energy physics). There will also be a lecture on the famous Bohr-Einstein debate on the meaning of quantum mechanics.
Just say nano!
Date 8 September 2005 Time 15.00-17.00
Venue: BA Festival of Science, Trinity College, Dublin
Organisation: Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN)
Is the future nano? Nano-products are already widely available on shop shelves and prospects for new applications are seemingly endless. There is no doubt that nanotechnologies have the potential to change our lives in many ways into the coming decades, but what does this mean? Should we be excited or alarmed? Join our panel of experts from the worlds of science and science communication to hear the many sides of the Nano-Debate.
June 2005
Smalltalk
Date Thursday 9 June 2005, Time 13.15 – 14.15
Venue Cheltenham Town Hall
Organiser Cheltenham Festival of Science
Nanotechnologies could be one of the greatest breakthroughs in scientific research. But they could also have dangerous ramifications. Why has all the fuss about grey goo died down? Are we closer to understanding the impact and potential of this new technology? Find out more about this scientific revolution and what ethical, political and social questions it raises with social scientist Rob Doubleday, physicist Terry McMaster and materials scientist George Smith.
Patient and carer focus group
Date Thursday 9 June 2005, Time 18.30 - 20.30
Venue Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HE
Organiser The BA
Info alice.taylor-gee@the-ba.net or 020 7019 4940
This event will be run as a small focus group specifically for patients or carers of patients to discuss nanotechnology. How do you think this new technology could impact on your life and also what the benefits could be for looking into your disorder, developing new treatments and eventually cures?
Please note that this event is invite only and that places are full.
April 2005
Small Talk: the impact of nanotechnologies on healthcare professionals
Date: Thursday 11 April 2005, Time: 18.30 - 20.30
Venue: Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HE
Organiser: The BA
Join this discussion for healthcare professionals to hear about the effects that nanotechnologies could have on healthcare professionals and share your views. An evening to question the scientists working in this field, and feed your comments into policy makers.
Small Talk Working Lunch
Date: Thursday 5 April 2005, Time: 18.30 - 20.30
Venue: Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
Organiser: The BA
Find out more about Small Talk and how you and your organisation can get involved in the nanotechnology debate.
Report of the day (pdf)
Nano-games: Play the nanotechnology card game
Date: Thursday 5 April 2005, Time: 18.30 - 20.30
Venue: Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HE
Organiser: The BA
You are the science minister – what will you do to control nanotechnology? Play the Democs game to find out more about the ethical issues surrounding nanotechnology. Debate your views with the rest of the team before choosing your policy position.
March 2005
Naked Science: Where is the UK in the nano-world?
Date: Thursday 17 March 2005, Time: 18.30 - 20.30
Venue: Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HE
Organiser: The BA
Are attitudes to nanotechnology the same the world over? Are there particular differences between the UK and US? Explore your views with international experts and decide whether we should follow America’s lead or find our own nano-niche.
Speakers:
George Gaskell, Professor of Social Psychology, London School of Economics
Harry Kroto, Professor of Chemistry, Florida State University (video linkup)
Jack Stilgoe, science and society researcher, Demos
Alexis Vlandas, graduate nanotechnology researcher, Oxford University
Nano-products: Coming to a store near you
Date: Thursday 17 March 2005, Time: 18.30 - 20.30
Venue: Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HE
Organiser: The BA The Dana Centre, Thursday 3 March, 7pm
Nanotechnology is hitting our high streets in fashion, sports equipment and cosmetics. Find out more through demonstrations, object handling and quizzing the nano-product experts. What would you love, and hate, to see nanotechnology change in the future?
Speakers :
Quentin Pankhurst, Deputy Director, London Centre for Nanotechnology
Barry Park, Chief Operating Officer, Oxonica Ltd
Michael Pitkethly, Commerical Director, QinetiQ Nanomaterials
Naked Science: Is a nano-future fact or fantasy?
Date: Thursday 1 March 2005, Time: 19.00 - 20.30
Venue: Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HE
Organiser: The BA The Dana Centre, Thursday 3 March, 7pm
Science fiction portrays nanotechnology as both our saviour and destroyer. Are these ideas pure fantasy or could they become a future reality? How will nanotechnology change our lives? Discuss your hopes and fears with our guests.
speakers:
David Kirby, Lecturer in Science Communication, University of Manchester
Clare Wilkinson, School of Sociology, Politics and Law, University of Plymouth
February 2005
Nanotechnology: is small beautiful?
Date: Thursday 22 February 2005, Time: 18:30 - 20.30
Venue: Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HE
Organiser: The BA
Can something so small promise something so big? How will nanotechnology change the way we view ourselves and the world in which we live? When will the promised scientific revolution take place and what can we expect from it? Join our panel of leading commentators at the x-change to discuss nanotechnology and other issues in the news this month.
Small Talk on Big Issues: Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies - risks and opportunities
Date: Wednesday 9 February 2005, Time: 18:30 - 20.30
Venue: Biomedical Centre, Lund University, Sweden
Organiser: British Embassies in Sweden and Denmark
A half-day workshop hosted by the British Embassies in Sweden and Denmark considering the social, economic and ethical questions and issues regarding the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies, with particular focus on nanomedicine and its technical applications. The workshop aims to discuss different stakeholders' opinions about the potential opportunities and threats linked to the development of nanoscience and to establish contacts between British, Danish and Swedish actors in these fields.
Post 16 science lectures
Date: Tuesday 1 February 2005, Time: 13:30
Venue: Royal Institution
Organiser: Royal Institution
This half day session of talks and discussion exercises helped to clear the mists of confusion about what nanotechnologies will mean for medicine, engineering and technology. Students had the chance to be involved with scientists actually working in the field of nanoscience, to ask them about the ethical implications of their work, and quiz them about the risks and the potential benefits of these new technologies. Not only was this day a chance to learn first hand about the latest hot topic, it also developed communication skills and extended students’ knowledge.
November 2004
Nanotechnology: can something so tiny promise something so big?
Date: Monday 1 November 2004, Time: 19:00
Venue: Royal Institution
Organiser: Royal Institution
A joint panel discussion with Professor Richard Jones, Professor Raymond Oliver and James Wilsdon. Rather than speculate about how nanotechnologies will transform our future, this debate focused on what is happening now, what scientists are currently working on and how their work will affect society. Audiences joined the discussion to find out who is controlling the research and discover how much we really know. Participants could question scientists about what drives them, hear what they hope their research will achieve and explore their visions, assumptions and uncertainties.
October 2004
Nanotechnology: who benefits from technology like this - and who is accountable?
Date: Wednesday 20 October 2004, Time: 18:00
Venue: RSA
Organiser: RSA
Professor George Smith (University of Oxford), Professor Paul Atherton (European Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology), Dr Doug Parr (Greenpeace) and Dr Ian Gibson MP. Chaired by Philip Ball, presenter BBC4 'Small Worlds'. As part of the RSA Forum for Technology, Citizens and the Market project this discussion considered some of the issues surrounding nanotechnologies: Where do the main uses lie? Who will benefit? Who is accountable? What will be the social impact on behaviour and norms? What could be unintended consequences of nanotechnologies?
September 2004
Exploring nanotechnologies
Date: Wednesday 29 September 2004, Time: 18:30
Venue: Royal Society
Organiser: Royal Society
Chaired by Nick Ross, a panel discussion featuring Ann Dowling (University of Cambridge), Deidre Hutton (National Consumers Council), Doug Parr (Greenpeace),and Ian Pearson (BT Futurologist) exploring the benefits and uncertainties of the development of nanotechnologies highlighted by the joint Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering report ‘Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties’.
Small Talk - discussing nanotechnologies
Contact details