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. 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, particularly ones for which the public / schools can get tickets for, please let me (Jo) know, thanks.

Jump to: [London Data Week] [Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition] [CAS Conference 2024] [Imperial College] [Raspberry Pi] [The National Museum of Computing] [Centre for Computing History] [Royal Institution] [Wuthering Bytes]

July & August 2024

1-7 July
London Data Week (London, hybrid)

Happening NOW! This week London hosts London Data Week 2024 with series of events looking at data relevant to Londoners. Some of the events are held on Zoom but most are in-person. Members of the public are welcome (and encouraged) to attend and the event aims to increase good public engagement with data. Full list of events.

2-7 July
Royal Society – Summer Science Exhibition (London, hybrid)

Happening NOW! “Meet world-leading researchers from universities and science institutions across the UK at the Royal Society’s free annual celebration of cutting-edge science.” In-person exhibition (Carlton House Terrace, London) and online events (more info).

Talk: AI and creativity with Eric Drass (part of the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition)
• Thursday 4 July, 3-3.30pm, in-person or online via their YouTube channel
• Saturday 6 July, 2-2.30pm, in-person or online via their YouTube channel

Talk: The Atomic Human – understanding ourselves in the age of AI
• Friday 5 July, 3-3.30pm, in-person or online via their YouTube channel
• Sunday 7 July, 1.15-1.45pm, in-person or online via their YouTube channel

13 July (Saturday)
Ada College (London)

CAS Conference 2024 from Computing At School.

The conference (see the workshop programme) will take place from 9am to 4.30pm at Ada, the National College for Digital Skills, 1 Sutherland St, London. It’s sold out (it’s free) but you can add yourself to the waiting list at Eventbrite.

15 July
Imperial College (London, hybrid)

From theorems to serums, from cryptology to cosmology… and The Simpsons – with Simon Singh, free, in-person only, 7-8pm.

16 July
Raspberry Pi – research seminar (online)

How should we teach debugging to secondary school students? with PhD student Laurie Gale (Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre, University of Cambridge), 5pm, online.

The National Museum of Computing (Bletchley Park)

Summer Holidays STEM Bytes in July and August, STEM Family Activities! Fun for the Whole Family. Each day involves a morning and afternoon drop-in session.
• Robotics: Days: 20th July, 23rd July, 3rd August, 13th August, 15th August, 24th August
• Programming: Days: 21st July, 25th July, 1st August, 6th August,10th August, 17th August, 22nd August, 31st August
• Virtual & Augmented Reality: Days: 27th July, 30th July, 4th August, 8th August, 18th August, 27th August, 29th August

Centre for Computing History (Cambridge)

Royal Institution (London)
Holiday Workshops

Download a timetable of their full programme of Holiday Workshops in PDF format here.

Intro to the BBC Micro:bit
• Ages 7-8, Monday 29 July, 11am – 1.15pm
• Ages 9-11, Monday 29 July 2.15pm – 4.30pm

Introduction to robotics week (week long event)
• Ages 15-18, Monday 29 July – Friday 2 August, 11am – 4pm

Making music and sound with BBC Micro:bit
• Ages 12-14, Tuesday 30 July, 11am to 3pm

Codes and ciphers
• Age 7-8, Thursday 1 August, 11am to 1.15pm
• Age 7-8, Tuesday 6 August, 11am to 1.15pm
• Age 9-11, Thursday 1 August, 2.15-4.30pm
• Age 9-11, Tuesday 6 August, 2.15-4.30pm

Computing with cards and dominoes
• Ages 13-15, Tuesday 6 August, 11am to 3pm

Electrical circuits
• Ages 9-11 (morning session), Thursday 8 August, 11am to 1.15pm
• Ages 9-11 (afternoon session), Thursday 8 August, 2.15-4.30pm

The magic of computer science
with Prof Paul Curzon (CS4FN and Teaching London Computing)
• Ages 7-8, Tuesday 13 August, 11am to 1.15pm
• Ages 9-11, Tuesday 13 August, 2.15-4.30pm
• Ages 7-8, Monday 19 August, 11am to 1.15pm
• Ages 9-11, Monday 19 August, 2.15-4.30pm

Artificial Intelligence, but where is the intelligence?
with Prof Paul Curzon (CS4FN and Teaching London Computing)
• Ages 7-8, Friday 16 August, 11am to 1.15pm
• Ages 9-11, Friday 16 August, 2.15-4.30pm

Crafting with Code
• Ages 9-11 (morning session), Wednesday 21 August, 11am to 1.15pm
• Ages 9-11 (afternoon session), Wednesday 21 August, 2.15pm to 4.30pm

Domino computing master class
• Ages 12-14, Tuesday 27 August, 11am to 3pm

23 August
Wuthering Bytes (Hebden Bridge)

“Science, software, technology & you! Fascinating insights, inspiring stories and mind-boggling tech.” – 23-31 August, admittedly a bit far from London as this is in West Yorkshire! https://wutheringbytes.com/

The event will also host the annual general meeting of OSHUG, the open source hardware users’ group – “The annual conference of the Open Source Hardware User Group, featuring talks and hands-on workshops covering a diverse range of topics related electronics, hardware hacking, open source, tools, techniques and more.”

Places which have computing-themed talks and events

• Ada Lovelace Institute, London
• Alan Turing Institute, London (see also their Fringe Events)
• BCS – British Computer Society, London and national
• Centre for Computing History, Cambridge
• Centre for Digital Education, Edinburgh University
• Computer Conservation Society
• Edinburgh Futures Institute, Edinburgh University
• Gresham College, London
• Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution, London
• Imperial College, London
• The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park
• OSHUG – Open Source Hardware User Group
• Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford University
• Raspberry Pi Foundation, Cambridge
• Royal Institution, London
• Royal Society, London
• TEDI (The Engineering & Design Institute), London
• UCL Lunch Hour Lectures, London
• Warwick Data, Warwick

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This blog is supported through EPSRC grant EP/W033615/1.