The Science Festival may be over, but the search for the innovators of tomorrow has only just begun …
Edinburgh International Science Festival celebrated 25 years of introducing audiences of all ages to innovative and entertaining science this Easter and marked the occasion with a diverse programme of over 200 events. Over 90,000 visitors enjoyed a family programme packed with sensational science together with world-renowned scientists looking forward to the next quarter century and exploring the future of our lives, our cities, our food, our play, our medicine, our challenges and our world.
With the Festival over for this year, the Science Festival continues to look to the future and has now announced Fuselab – an exciting new project looking for the young innovators of tomorrow.
Supported by the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, Fuselab is an immersive ‘out of this world’ experience which will take place at Edinburgh’s Summerhall in July 2013. The Science Festival is seeking 80 innovative and creative minds aged between 16 and 20 to plan the future in a hypothetical, as yet uninhabited, world. Fuselab pioneers will be challenged to develop innovative approaches to a sustainable way of life, free from the constraints of the systems and structures currently utilised on here on Earth. In the process, they will learn how to challenge their thinking through workshops, skills sessions, talks and games; collaborating to design, prototype and test ideas.
Applications for Fuselab are now open, and 16 – 20 year old innovators are invited to apply through http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/whats-on/fuselab before Wednesday 8 May 2013.
Amanda Tyndall, Deputy Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, said “We need to equip young people with the skills, networks and confidence not only to survive but to thrive in a rapidly changing world. In helping our Pioneers see how innovation can help build a better future, and to understand the role that they personally might play, Fuselab will do just that – helping unleash the potential of the next generation. “
Scottish Government Minister, Humza Yousaf, said “For a quarter of a century, the Edinburgh International Science Festival has informed, engaged and challenged the minds of visitors from Scotland and around the world, building on our strengths as a creative and innovative nation, from the enlightenment to the Higgs boson. This year’s excellent programme of events was no exception.
“It makes strong economic sense to support the Science Festival’s growth and to ensure that Scotland’s own emerging creative talent is placed at its centre. That is why I am proud to announce £110,000 to support young people to develop their skills and expertise here in Scotland through the Fuselab project. This takes the total Scottish Government Expo Funding awarded to the Science Festival to £562,000 since the Expo Fund began in 2008/09.”
Fuselab participants can draw upon the content of some of the sessions at the 2013 Science Festival for inspiration, which included Professor Dickson Despommier speaking on the future of vertical farming, Bas Lansdorp who invited his audience to apply to be the first new colonists on Mars in 2023, and Professor Mark Post who reported on the progress of his research to use stem cells to grow meat in the laboratory. Three previous winners of the prestigious Edinburgh Medal, Chris Rapley, Colin Blakemore and Jocelyn Bell Burnell looked into the future and explored their dangerous ideas and the future of astronomy while the 25th Edinburgh Medal was awarded jointly, for the first time in its history, to Professor Peter Higgs and CERN.
Dr Simon Gage, Director of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, said “The 25th Science Festival has been packed with world renowned speakers, innovative and exciting science and some ‘out of this world’ ideas. While we may not have found all the answers to the challenges we will face in the next 25 years, we have certainly had great fun exploring our future and some of the solutions that are being proposed, from eating insects and laboratory grown meat, to colonising Mars and personalising our medicine.”
The 25th Edinburgh International Science Festival finished with Scotland’s first Mini Maker Faire held at Summerhall where over 50 makers, enthusiasts, geeks, tinkerers, engineers and artists from across the Scottish maker community and beyond showed off their work to a fascinated audience of over 3,000 people. From cutting edge technologies to time honoured crafts, this family-friendly showcase was the perfect opportunity to converge and celebrate ingenuity, invention and resourcefulness.
The Fuselab programme is a fully immersive four day experience with a maximum of 40 participants per session from the UK and beyond. Fuselab 1 runs from 1 – 5 July, while Fuselab 2 runs from 5 – 9 July and applications for both sessions are open from today, Monday 8 April to May 8. Fuselab is completely free of charge with meals and accommodation provided. To apply visit: http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/whats-on/fuselab
The 2014 Edinburgh International Science Festival will run from Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 April. Full details of the programme will be announced in February 2014 and details can be found at www.sciencefestival.co.uk.
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