Cheltenham Science Festival 2018 - Neuro-Calendar

Events by date

Tuesday - 5th June

• 15:30 - 16:30, The Arena – Mastering Memory 
  Ginny Smith looks at how memories are stored, how this process can go wrong and how the brain changes as we age.
• 15:30 - 16:30, Parabola Arts Centre – The Value of Human Contact 
  Psychologists Rory O’Connor and Manuela Barreto join population health researcher Aparna Shankarto explore why social relationships are so important
• 16:45 - 17:45, The Crucible – The Evolution of Communication 
  Linguist David Adger and psychologist and primatologist Zanna Clay trace the evolution of communication
• 18:00 - 19:00, The Arena – Hunted : How Not to Get Caught
  Join cyber lead Paul Vlissidis, forensic psychologist Donna Youngs, former military intelligence operative Steve Cottam and Dallas Campbell to explore the cutting-edge techniques  used by police and surveillance officials to hunt wanted criminals
• 18:00 - 19:00, Parabola Arts Centre- How Science Got Women and Men Wrong 
  Psychologist Cordelia Fine and science journalist Angela Saini join TV presenter Javid Abdelmoneim to explore the ferocious gender wars in biology, psychology and anthropology to separate fact from fiction.
• 19:15 - 20:15, Helix Theatre - Your Unbelievable Brain: Wine, Sleep And Exercise?
  Neuroscientists Mark Lythgoe, Jack Wells and Ian Harrison look at the impact this has on how we look after our minds
• 20:30 - 21:30, The Arena - Secrets of the Teenage Brain
  Neuroscientists Mark Lythgoe, Jack Wells and Ian Harrison look at the impact this has on how we look after our minds

Wednesday - 6th June

• 14:15 - 15:15, The Crucible – PTSD : 100 Years On 
  Psychiatrist Simon Wessely, cognitive scientist Martina Di Simplicio and A Brave Face Director Rachael Savage reflect upon how far our understanding of PTSD has advanced, and consider how we can continue to better support those affected.
• 18:00 - 19:00, Town Hall, Pillar Room – The Rise of Extremism  
  Barrister Hashi Mohamed joins far-right extremism specialist Vidhya Ramalingam and terrorism expert Andrew Silke, as they examine the common characteristics of extremist behaviour and consider how we might better respond to and prevent radicalisation.
• 20:30 - 21:30, The Arena – Boredom: The Upside Of Downtime?
  Psychologist Sandi Mann shows us how to learn to embrace boredom and appreciate the upside of our downtime.

Thursday - 7th June

• 13:00 - 14:00, Parabola Arts Centre – The World's Strangest Brain 
  Join science writer Helen Thomson as she discusses with Dallas Campbell how the brain can shape our lives in unexpected and, in some cases, brilliant and alarming ways
• 18:00 - 19:00, Town Hall, Pillar Room – What is Addiction? 
  Psychologist Mark Griffiths uncovers the myths and mysteries surrounding addictive behaviour.
• 18:00 - 19:00, The Crucible – Willpower: How Not To Give Up
  Join psychologists Chris Armitage and Ian Taylor as they discuss willpower and possibly a better way to ingrain new behaviours so that we’re more likely to make them habit?
• 20:30 - 21:30, The Crucible – Deep Brain Surgery
  Join Mark Lythgoe as he speaks about a way of replacing surgeons with remote control nano-scalpels a technology he and his UCL team have devised 

Friday - 8th June

• 11:45 - 12:45, Parabola Arts Centre – Why Worry? Understanding The Anxious Mind
  Clinical psychologist Colette Hirschexplores the thinking habits that cause and exacerbate worry and anxiety disorders
• 13:00 - 14:00, The Crucible – Resilience
  Polar adventurer Antony Jinman, performance scientist and Olympic coach Steve Ingham and psychologist and neuroscientist Elaine Fox discuss the science behind succeeding when your mind and body are pushed to the limit
• 14:15 - 15:15, Parabola Arts Centre – Antidepressants: Are They The Answer?
  Neuroscientist Dean Burnett, mental health expert Ann John and GP Clare Gerada explore whether we can lift the stigma attached to the use of this medication
• 16:45 - 17:45, Parabola Arts Centre – The Future of Human Communication 
  Professor of Social Interaction Elizabeth Stokoe, neuroscientist Sophie Scott and internet sociologist Bernie Hogan explore what the future of communication might hold with Timandra Harkness
• 18:00 - 19:00, The Crucible – The Truth About
  Exercise Physiologist and Olympic trainer Steve Ingham, performance and clinical dietitian Renee McGregor and exercise psychologist Ian Taylor cut the fads from the facts and share their top tips for workout success
• 20:30 - 21:30, The Arena – The Science of Donald Trump
  Neuroscientist Dean Burnett, freelance writer Martin Robbins, security specialist Dan Kaszetaand climate scientist Tamsin Edwards attempt to unravel the impact of Trump’s personality and policies on our people, our planet and our global democracy

Saturday - 9th June

• 13:45 - 14:45, Parabola Arts Centre – The Happy Brain
  Neuroscientist Dean Burnett explores what it actually means to be happy, and whether lasting happiness is possible
• 14:00 - 15:00, The Arena – Checkmate: How AI Conquered Games And Why It Matters?
  Demis Hassabis, CEO of world-leading AI lab DeepMind, joins a panel to explore the role of games in developing creative AI
• 16:15 - 17:15, The Crucible – What is Attraction?
  Mathematician Hannah Fry, research scientist Jonathan Beber and psychologist Viren Swami discuss whether science can help all those lonely hearts to find a perfect match?
• 18:00 - 19:00, The Arena – Demis Hassabis: The Future Of AI And Science?
  Jim Al-Khalili talks to co-founder and CEO of the world leading AI research company DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, about AI’s huge potential for scientific breakthrough
• 18:45 - 19:45, The Cube – Autism and the Senses
  Neuroscientist Sarah Garfinkel considers the new research that could change the way we think about the senses and autism
• 20:00 - 21:00, Helix Theatre – Can Science Explain Art?
  Art historian and Da Vinci expert Martin Kemp and psychologist Chris McManus ponder this million dollar question with anatomist and keen artist Alice Roberts

Sunday - 10th June

• 10:00 - 11:00, The Arena – Voice, Speech and Laughter 
  Neuroscientist, comedian and 2017 Royal Institution Christmas Lecturer Sophie Scott explores the importance and variety of human communication, and how it has evolved.?
• 12:30 - 13:30, The Arena – The Art And Science Of Conversation?
  Conversation analyst Elizabeth Stokoe shows you how to steer a conversation in the right direction, how different ways of talking change the outcome of an encounter, and ultimately how to communicate more effectively.
• 13:45 - 14:45, Town Hall, Pillar Room – How to Hack a Human 
  Join Jessica Barker as she shares her best advice for staying secure online and considers why we are so often described as the weakest link when it comes to cyber security.
• 15:00 - 16:00, Parabola Arts Centre – How Do We Stop Social Media Trolls?
  MP Jess Phillips, social media analyst Jeremy Reffin and psychologist Catriona Morrison discuss the impact this behaviour can have and how best to deal with social media trolls
• 15:00 - 16:00, Helix Theatre – Pain in The Machine 
  Showing her AHRC Best Research Film of the Year, Pain in the Machine, Beth Singler is joined by philosopher Barry Smith and cognitive roboticist Murray Shanahan to explore whether robots ever could, and should, feel distress and pain.
• 16:00 - 17:00, Town Hall, Pillar Room – What Makes a Masterpiece
  Comedian Robin Ince ponders the psychological and cultural factors at play in the art world with psychologist Chris McManus, journalist and author Georgina Adamand former art forger Shaun Greenhalgh
• 16:00 - 17:00, ExperiTent – Workshop: How To Have Better Conversations
  For a more in-depth look at effective communication, join Elizabeth Stokoe for this workshop
• 16:15 - 17:15, The Crucible –The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
  The CEO of Doteveryone, Rachel Coldicutt, and other experts discuss the challenges and opportunities that AI presents for people and society
• 17:30 - 18:30, Parabola Arts Centre – The Art And Science Of Conversation?
  Philosopher Barry Smith talks to neuroscientists Vittorio Gallese and Sarah Garfinkel, and film editor Joe Walker, whose credits include Blade Runner 2049 and 12 Years a Slave
• 18:45 - 19:45, Town Hall, Pillar Room – Proton Beam Therapy
  With two NHS proton beam centres set to open this year, physicist Simon Jolly sheds light on how this cutting-edge technique is helping to revolutionise treatment?