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LiGHTS 2020

The next Lights Expo is being planned for summer 2020, giving schools and members of the public the chance to explore the university and find out about the new discoveries being made by its researchers. The date for Lights in summer 2020 will be announced soon on this website.Please see below for the LiGHTS 2017 news archive.
WOODLAND TRUST TO BRING THE CHARTER FOR TREES, WOODS AND PEOPLE TO LIGHTS

WOODLAND TRUST TO BRING THE CHARTER FOR TREES, WOODS AND PEOPLE TO LIGHTS

With just four weeks until LiGHTS returns to the University of Lincoln, organisers have announced that the event will be giving people a chance to find out about  The Charter for Trees, Woods and People, a campaign led by the Woodland Trust

Being held on Friday 29th September, Lincoln: Get Hold of Technology and Science (LiGHTS) is a one-day celebration of the amazing research and development activity taking place at the University.

As well over 50 free activities, featuring robots, scientific experiments, lectures, music and theatre performances and campus tours, LiGHTS will also be the first opportunity for people in Lincoln to talk to the Woodland Trust about its latest initiative: Charter for Trees, Woods and People.

Launching in November 2017, The Tree Charter, aims to secure a brighter future for the nation’s woods and trees, and to protect the rights of UK people to access the many benefits they offer. Based on ten guiding principles for the future of trees and wood, drawn from more than 60,000 stories submitted by the public, the charter will provide guidance and inspiration as to how woodlands can be preserved and increased.

The Trust, concerned  that more trees are being cut down than planted, hopes that hundreds of thousands of people will sign the charter.

One of the Tree Charter’s supporters is Carenza Lewis, Professor for the Public Understanding of Research at the University of Lincoln at the University of Lincoln and organiser of LiGHTS. “Being staged for the second year on European Researcher’s Night, LiGHTS is primarily a celebration of technology, science, research, innovation and the effect these have on people’s lives,” she says. “However, science underlies so much of how we live, including how we protect the earth’s resources, so we are only too pleased to add the Charter for Trees, Woods and People to our programme.”

Sarah Rouse, Project Officer for the Woodland Charter at The Woodland Trust says: “With several thousand people of all ages expected at the University of Lincoln on 29th September for LiGHTS, I am looking forward to introducing people to the Tree Charter and explaining how its ten guiding principles will play a significant role in safeguarding the future of our woodlands, not just in Lincolnshire but across the UK.”

LiGHTS, which is supported by the European Commission, features over 50 free activities taking place between 10am and 8pm.

As well as information stands such as the Woodland Trust, LiGHTS features hands-on explorations, interactive sessions, film screenings, lectures and exhibitions.

All of the activities are designed to have a broad appeal from young school children to adults with curious minds or an interest in science and technology and those interested in seeing what happens behind the scenes at the university.

Some of the amazing activities on offer during LiGHTS include:

The Ada Lovelace Exhibition
A celebration of a remarkable lady, whose work in the 19th Century led to her being recognised as the first computer programmer.

 Suffragette: Screening & Talk
A film screening of the 2015 film, ‘Suffragette’, including a Q&A session with Professor Krista Cowman who worked as a historical advisor on the film.

 Virtual blacksmith forge
Produce real blacksmith artefacts using the latest 3D printer and VR headset technology. An award-winning interactive exhibition, hosted by staff from the School of Computer Science.

Making new substances
A formulation chemistry lecture on how to make new substances including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and ice cream.

Challenge Robots To Noughts & Crosses and Rock, Paper, Scissors
A chance to play children’s games against the University of Lincoln’s robots

Individuals and small groups wanting to attend LiGHTS do not need to book in advance. However, groups over 10 and school teachers wanting to bring their class to LiGHTS should email lights@lincoln.ac.uk or call 01522 837 180 to discuss their requirements with the University of Lincoln LiGHTS coordinator.

 

1,000 SCHOOL PUPILS SIGN UP FOR LiGHTS

1,000 SCHOOL PUPILS SIGN UP FOR LiGHTS

One thousand Lincolnshire school pupils have signed up for Lincoln: Get Hold of Technology and Science (LiGHTS)!

Lincoln University Technical College (UTC) is bringing a group of students to the one-day expo on Friday 29th September at the University of Lincoln.

The UTC is the 20th school to register with the event organisers, who hope the day of free activities will encourage young people to study science and technology in the future.

LiGHTS 2017, which is designed to appeal to curious minds of all ages – not just schools, will build on the success of last year’s event by featuring more than 50 free activities ranging from hands-on demonstrations and exhibitions through to lectures and film screenings.

Part-funded by the European Commission, LiGHTS is one of several hundred events taking place on European Researchers’ Night, which aims to promote careers in science and research. As well as the University of Lincoln, the Rome Planetarium, the Royal Botanic Garden Juan Carlos I in Madrid and London’s Natural History Museum have staged events in previous years.

Paul Batterbury, Interim Principal at Lincoln UTC, is pleased Lincoln UTC will be attending: “As a specialist Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics school for 14 to 18 year olds, many of our students want to go to University and continue their studies. By attending LiGHTS, which is being organised by one of our founding sponsors, we are not only strengthening that relationship and progression path but also opening the eyes of our pupils to the amazing work that happens at the University of Lincoln. I am sure it will be a very interesting and informative day, not just for our students, but for everyone who goes along.”

LiGHTS is being co-ordinated by Professor Carenza Lewis, Professor for the Public Understanding of Research at the University of Lincoln, who is keen for people of all ages and backgrounds to visit the one-day expo. “LiGHTS isn’t just for school children, though a lot of the programme is designed with the national curriculum in mind. We want to open our doors to curious minds of all ages and show people what amazing things happen here at the University, from our work on cancer treatments through to robotics, there really is something for everyone.”

The LiGHTS website – www.lights.wordpress.uat.lincoln.ac.uk – features the full programme of free activities along with details of how schools and groups with special interests can register their attendance.

Some of the amazing activities on offer during LiGHTS include:

Understanding Evolution
Interactive detective session with a primate psychologist about Darwin, monkeys and evolution.

Meet MARC
Compete in a game of rock, paper, scissors against this robotic player.

Skeletons In The Cupboard
What can we learn from human bones? Find out by examining archaeological skeletons excavated from Lincoln.

Myths And Science Of Sleep
By the age of three, we’ve become experts at sleeping, having spent 10,000 hours asleep. So why do so many people struggle to get a good night’s sleep?

The Building Blocks Of Food
Learn how to use detergent and alcohol to extract DNA from everyday food, and take home a souvenir tube of that DNA!

Science In Song
A performance by the University of Lincoln students of music, ranging from Bartok to the Beastie Boys – all inspired by technology and science.

Tours Of The University Of Lincoln Laboratories

Individuals and small groups wanting to attend LiGHTS do not need to book in advance. However, groups over 10 and school teachers wanting to bring their class to LiGHTS should email lights@lincoln.ac.uk or call 01522 837 180 to discuss their requirements with the University of Lincoln LiGHTS coordinator.

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