Techy Talks and other events coming up in September & October ^JB

Events for teachers, schoolkids, families, general public

This is an occasional post highlighting some talks and events that touch on computer science or computing-adjacent tech and which are not aimed solely at an academic audience (e.g. I’ve not included university seminars). This isn’t a complete list (an impossible task!) but is drawn from a range of venues and organisations, some already computer-focused, some that have a wider focus but who sometimes host computing events. If you have a suitable event, that the public / schools can get tickets for, please let me (Jo) know, thanks.

Bringing the Light Back: [TODAY] Wednesday 31 August 2022, 6-7.30pm – the opening event of the Orkney International Science Festival which includes Dr Vassilios Spathopoulos showing a model of a 2,000-year-old gear-wheel computer, found off Antikythera. £0 (donations welcomed), online.

Watch on YouTube below (from 6pm)

The video will go live at 6pm.

Also coming up from Orkney International Science Festival this month: The Sweet Sounds of the Synthesizer (3 Sep, 9pm, online) and The Queen of Science (4 Sep, 9pm, online) about mathematician and astronomer Mary Somerville, born in 1780, see also the 7th Sep event below.

Photograph of a blue Arduino Uno — Image by Daan Lenaerts from Pixabay

Roaming Robots: Thursday 1st September 2022, 11am – 2pm – “connect motors and sensors to an Arduino and create the very basics of a roaming robot.” Workshop participant £22 (12+), accompanying adult £10. Hosted by the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge.

They also have Scratch and Twine workshops and a Mario Kart tournament.

Humanising Technology – Regaining trust in Information Technology: “Help society transform its relationship with technology so people live healthier, more fulfilling, and purposeful lives.” Friday 2nd September 2022, 2-4pm and repeated on Tuesday 6th September from 6.30-8.30pm. £0. Hosted by the BCS at their London office.

Uncertainty, education, and the power of the human brain: Wednesday 7th September 2022, 3.30-4.15pm, online, £0 (donations welcomed), from Orkney International Science Festival.
“It’s often suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) will eventually take over all the skilled tasks that humans carry out. However, argues Prof. Iain Alasdair MacLeod of Strathclyde University, a key ability in human affairs is to successfully manage complex uncertainty. The human brain is especially suited to such tasks while even the most advanced AI methods do not come close to replicating the needed functionality.”

WiFi Wars Debug XIV: Friday 9th September 2022, 7-8.30pm, £7.66 – £20.95
“Future-tech video gaming comedy show WiFi Wars returns to the Ri for another fun development night where they test out their newest toys and technology. Hosted by Steve McNeil from the hit TV show ‘Dara O Briain’s Go 8 Bit’, this event always sells out so book quickly.” Suitable for 13+, in-person at the Royal Institution, London.

Ambassador Kids Programme 2022: Sunday 11th September 2022, 10am – 1pm and Sunday 25th September, 10-1pm. Nerdy tinkering and learning for kids aged 9+ (note that other dates are available in October, November and December). £0, at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley.

TechTalk: Jim Boulton – Unsung Heroes of the Information Age: Thursday 15th September 2022, 7-8.30pm (then questions) – “Join us as Digital Archaeologist Jim Boulton shares what he has learned from his interactions with Leonard Kleinrock, Alan Kay, Alan Emtage, Susan Kare and other architects of our modern world.” £6. Hosted by the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge.

See also the Centre for Computing History’s TechTalk: Lily Madar – Programming with Yarn: Tuesday 11th October 2022, 7pm, in person, for Ada Lovelace Day in October (see also Ada Lovelace Day at the end of this post).

Webinar: Engineering the human factor: Thursday 15th September, 7-8.30pm – Barry Kirby will “give an insight into the value of considering users at all stages of the engineering project lifecycle, with real world examples of what happens when people are not considered along with the advantages that can be gained when they are.” £0. Location: Online.

Stylised photograph of a laptop opening and coloured light emerging — Image by Joshua Woroniecki from Pixabay

Who Owns the Internet?: Tuesday 20th September, 6pm – part of a series of six lectures from Dr Victoria Baines on Humanising Cyberspace. Hosted by Gresham College. Location: Online and London (David Game College, Aldgate). £0, donations welcomed.

See also Rethinking Learning: New Models for Online Learning with Tom Crick coming up in October.

The Turing Lectures: Where next for self-driving vehicles?: Tuesday 27th September 2022, 7-8.30pm with Sarah Sharples, hosted by Sethu Vijayakumar. Location: Online or in London (at the Royal Institution), £0-20 (donations for online).

Sustainability in Tech Day: Thursday 29th September 2022, 9.30am – 3.30pm. £200 (for one school group, max 20 students), at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley. Aimed at KS3/KS4 students.

Coming up in October

Decarbonising Computing Science: Making Sustainability a key component of our curriculum
Data education in schools – 10 Oct 2022, 1-2pm, £0, online (from the Centre for Research in Digital Education at the University of Edinburgh).

Ada Lovelace Day Online – 11 October 2022

“Join us for the final celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths.” With Professor Sophie Scott, Fran Scott, Dr Priti Parikh, Susan Okereke and Aphra Le Levier-Bennett, compère: Helen Arney. 8-10pm, £0, online.