Get a taste for science degrees at Kent with our online evening lectures and Q&A’s.
We are putting on a range of events across the Division of Natural Sciences at Kent in November and December to help you learn more about our degrees and what it would be like studying with us. These online events will include a short sample lecture from one of our inspirational academics as well as a Q&A session with the academic and a current student or recent graduate. We will be holding events across a number of subjects including Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics; Biosciences; Chemistry; Forensic Science; Physics and Sport and Exercise Sciences.
All events take place between 7 and 8pm – click on the links below to join the Zoom events or watch the recordings on our YouTube channels:
Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics
Thursday 10 December: Physics, Astrophysics and Astronomy taster with Professor Nigel Mason, OBE
Exploring our solar system. In this lecture Professor Mason will review what todays ongoing or planned space missions – to most of the planets of our solar system as well as comets and asteroids – and their predecessors have revealed about the other worlds in our solar system and what we don’t know and what is still to be explored.
Biosciences
Monday 30 November: Biosciences taster with Dr Jennifer Tullet
When to eat and when to sleep: In this lecture Dr Jennifer Tullet will be discussing how over-eating can lead to serious health complications so understanding satiety regulation (when to stop eating) is important. Dr Tullet will talk about how these biological decisions work and about some of the work being carried out in our lab to understand them further. Hopefully the findings can be used to improve human health and fitness.
Tuesday 8 December: Biosciences taster with Dr Tim Fenton
Cancer biology: In this lecture Dr Fenton will give a basic introduction to cancer biology and will explain the concept of oncogenes. Dr Fenton will explain how identifying these genes and the functions they perform has enabled us to develop more targeted therapeutic approaches for cancer patients and how genetic testing of tumours is now used to determine treatment; an approach described as personalised, or precision medicine.
Chemistry
Monday 7 December: Chemistry taster with Dr Donna Arnold
States of Matter. In this talk Dr Donna Arnold will discuss the states of matter, intermolecular forces and gas laws.
Monday 14 December: Chemistry taster with Dr Maria Alfredsson
Quantum Mechanics. In this talk Dr Maria Alfredsson will introduce the concept of quantization of energy levels and show that light is both a particle and wave. This can be proven by determining colours of small organic molecules using UV-VIS spectroscopy. However, using theoretical models, such as the “particle in a box” we can predict the colours of the molecules.
Event Date to be Confirmed for January 2021: Chemistry taster with Dr. Rob Barker
From Vaccines to Hand Washing: Using Soap Chemistry to Fight COVID-19. In this lecture Dr Rob Barker will introduce the key active molecule in soap, surfactants and talk about the unique features they have making them ideal weapons in the ongoing global fight against COVID-19. We will discuss how we measure the structure of these molecules in order to allow us, as chemists, to design better surfactants for these global challenges.
Forensic Science
Thursday 3 December: Forensic Science taster with Dr Rob Barker
Uncovering the unseen: From fingermarks to blood. In this lecture Dr Rob Barker will introduce some of the modern tools that Forensic Scientists use in order to detect, collect and analyse potential evidence at the scene of a crime. He will discuss some of the big challenges that we, as forensic scientists, face and how they can be overcome by using our unique set of skills. Along the way he will talk about how fingermark detection works, ways to make better presumptive and analytical tests and how drones could revolutionise our work in the future.
Tuesday 15 December: Forensic Science taster with Robert Green, OBE
Finger mark evidence. In this lecture Robert Green will consider finger mark evidence, highlighting the cause célèbre of misidentification in the case of Brandon Mayfield. Having looked at (a) how marks are deposited and taken account of (b) cases of misidentification we will (c) take participants through (professional) pattern matching assessment put together by National Institute of Science and Technology in the USA.
Physics
Wednesday 2 December: Physics taster with Dr Gaby Roch
The resonance phenomenon. In this lecture Dr Gaby Roch will be discussing resonance – a phenomenon which, while most of us have experienced more than once in our life and is in the very fabric of the world we live in, we are simply oblivious to its existence. This talk will explain what this physical phenomenon is and how it affects our everyday lives in a negative as well as in a positive way.
Sport and Exercise Sciences
Thursday 26 November: Sports and Exercise Sciences taster with Dr John Dickinson
Helping athletes catch their breath: In this session Dr John Dickinson will investigate why athletes are more susceptible to breathing problems such as asthma. The session will include how the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences is directly working with elite athletes (e.g. GB Swimming team) to help prepare them for the 2020(1) Summer Olympic Games.
Tuesday 1 December: Sports and Exercise Sciences taster with Dr Lex Mauger
Future Humans: Imagine a world where seemingly futuristic human enhancement is as common as a smart phone. Implanted chips to track health and behaviour, augmented limbs to improve strength or restore mobility, unrestricted access to cognitively enhancing drugs. What opportunities and challenges does human augmentation provide for society? Sport and exercise science provides the perfect basis to identify and understand how humans may be enhanced by science and technology. In this talk Dr Lex Mauger will discuss the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences contributes to advancing understanding in this area.
Wednesday 9 December: Sports and Exercise Sciences taster with Dr Kyra De Coninck
Pain is strange: Traditionally, we think of pain as an alarm bell, signalling that something is wrong, you have been injured, you are ill or tissues have been damaged. In these acute situations, pain is very useful as it helps us to protect ourselves. But what about people who continue to experience pain long after the injury has healed or they have recovered from illness? In this session Dr Kyra De Coninck will explore new and exciting research which has helped us to understand chronic or recurrent pain and is leading to new ways to manage chronic pain, and tailor rehab and training programmes.
All events will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel after the event, but please do tune in live to ask any questions. You can also follow us on social media during the day to get a glimpse into the day in the life of our students.