Build a LEGO spectrometer at the Imperial Fringe
Train a spotlight on the science of light with Imperial Fringe and ArtsFest. Enjoy an evening of hands-on activities by Imperial’s researchers and student societies, and find out why there’s more to light than meets the eye.
Drop into the College Main Entrance on Exhibition Road any time between 17.00 and 20.00, or Tweet us @ImperialSpark and follow the action #ImpFringe.
See the multi-award winning film, The Theory of Everything, with pre-show discussion from Imperial’s Head of Theoretical Physics, Professor Jerome Gauntlett, for just £4 at 19.30 in the Union Concert Hall with Imperial Cinema.
Things to see, do and try this evening:
Polarisation; more than meets the eye
Professor Martin McCall, Department of Physics
Explore the perplexing world of polarised light, from sunglasses to beetles’ shells; you won’t believe your eyes.
Stellar-graffiti
Leonardo Fine Arts Society and Hikmatali Shariff, Department of Physics
Create a starlight-inspired work of art, and find out what we can learn about distant stars and galaxies from their glowing colours.
View research in a new light
The shady life of algae
Dr Andrea Fantuzzi, Department of Life Sciences
Extract chlorophyll from algae and find out how this powerful molecule that turns light into plant matter can used to make clean energy.
The LEGO spectrometer
Dr Joshua Edel, and Dr Kristelle Bougot-Robin, Department of Chemistry
Design, build and test a UV-visible light spectrometer using LEGO and a spark of your imagination. Read more about the LEGO spectrometer.
Illuminating tomorrow
James Bannock, Department of Chemistry
Try your hand at developing a new electronic material using raw plastics, solutions and thin films.
Light from the new dawn
Dr Xuhua Wang, Centre for Plastic Electronics
Meet a bright new generation of plastics used to make low-energy lights, solar panels, sensors and flexible computers.
Making rainbows
Madeleine Morris, Energy Futures Lab
Visit our craft table and split light into a beautiful rainbow using a cardboard box, a CD and some sticky back plastic.
Draw a scientist / #SkeletonSelfie
Science Communication Master’s programme
Ask yourself about the different ways to view a scientist and find what happens when we turn this perspective inside out.
Light up your imagination
Glistening drops
Shine a light on the microscopic world of pond creatures and discover how cutting edge laser microscopes are revealing stunning new videos of living cells.
Light microscopy
Facility for imaging by light microscopy (FILM)
Admire the world under a microscope with a selection of the best images from FILM users.
Light entertainment
Imperial College A Cappella Society brighten up your evening with performances from The Techtonics and The Imperielles.
Light refreshments
A selection of beer, wine and soft drinks are available throughout the evening.
Appearance is illusion
18.00 – 18.30, College Café, Main Entrance, Exhibition Road
Pull up a seat in the College Café to hear illuminating poetry on holography written by George Szirtses, inspired by the work of Nobel Prize-winning scientist, Dennis Gabor. Read by Anne Barrett, College Archivist.
The science of Stephen Hawking
19.30 -20.00, Union Concert Hall, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BB
Professor Gauntlett studied his PhD under Stephen Hawking
The award winning film The Theory of Everything, starring Eddie Redmayne, profiles the life of the UK’s most famous scientist, Stephen Hawking.
Join Professor Jerome Gauntlett, Head of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London, for a gentle introduction to general relativity, quantum theory and black holes, explaining Hawking’s most important scientific contributions that are touched upon in the film.
Professor Gauntlett completed his PhD in Stephen Hawking’s group at University of Cambridge in 1991, and was a consultant for the film.
Screening of The Theory of Everything
20.00 – 22.00, Union Concert Hall, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BB
Join Imperial Cinema for a special screening of the film in the Union Concert Hall. Places are limited to 250 seats and tickets are for sale on the door at £4 (Imperial Cinema members £3).
More information:
Imperial College Union ArtsFest is a weeklong celebration of Imperial’s arts, music, dance and everything in between. Visit the ArtsFest Facebook page for more information (external link).
Imperial is celebrating the International Year of Light and Light Based Technologies, an init iative b y the UN taking place in 2015. Catch up with our researchers in the Imperial Festival Light Zone on 9 – 10 May and Science Museum Lates on 27 May.
For more information about the Imperial Fringe series, visit the Fringe webpages.