Connected Planet to Extended Universe

Join us this year to find out about how the Internet of Things is connecting everything around us and how we are innovating to explore the far reaches of the universe.

Once again we have an exciting double bill, this year featuring BBC’s Robot Wars judge Dr Lucy Rogers and astrophysicist Dr Megan Argo.

Wiring the Internet of Things
We’re living on an ever more connected planet in which devices all around us are communicating with each other and responding to data. Hear how you can make fun, frivilous and even very useful devices at home with Raspberry Pi computers, and see how thinking out of the box can lead to unlikely solutions.

Around the Universe in 60 minutes
Now we step away from our planet and take a whirlwind tour of the Universe, starting from the Earth-Moon system and heading out through the solar system, to the nearest stars, the Milky Way, local galaxies, and the edges of the expanding Universe. Exploring space has advanced science and makes use of innovative technology and complex problem solving. We end with the question of what happens to our Universe in the future?

About the Speakers
Dr Lucy Rogers is a Maker, an engineer and a problem solver. She is adept at bringing others’ ideas to life, be it animatronic dinosaurs at Blackgang Chine Theme Park, or miniature mannequins for marketing bespoke dresses. She specialises in taking new technologies into traditional industries and loves to combine ideas from different fields into one package. Lucy is also a judge on the BBC’s Robot Wars and author of Its Only Rocket Science. Her new book, Wiring the Internet of Things, is soon to be published.

Dr Megan Argo is a professional astrophysicist and science communicator. She is a lecturer in astronomy at the University of Central Lancashire, studying galaxies in the nearby universe with radio telescopes and giving public lectures and schools workshops all over the country. Megan has travelled extensively, undertaking radio astronomy at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics and working as a researcher in the UK, Australia and the Netherlands; using some of the best radio telescopes around the world, in Europe, India, the USA and Australia. Megan is a Fellow and member of the Council of the Royal Astronomical Society, a member of the Institute of Physics, and president of Shropshire Astronomical Society.

About the Malvern Festival of Innovation
Running from 2nd-7th October 2017, the Malvern Festival of Innovation is an opportunity to learn about new technologies, new businesses and a chance to think creatively. Many of the events are free to attend through the kind support of sponsors, and the programme will appeal to professionals, students, and members of the public alike. The Family Show is accompanied by a free exhibition in the Malvern Theatres foyer with hands-on exhibits and chance to discover more about science, engineering and technology. Further details at: www.festival-innovation.com

Ticket price includes a £1 contribution to our heritage fund.