Public Events

Brunel has a longstanding international reputation for its research in ageing. In this session, which is aimed at non-expert audiences, we showcase some of our new and emerging research in a series of short presentations.

 

 

Centre for Health and Wellbeing across the Lifecourse presented...

Open Lecture: The Wealth of Refugees with Professor Alexander Betts 

 We live in an age of displacement. Refugee numbers are increasing due to a proliferation of fragile states, and this problem will be exacerbated by climate change and the impact of COVID-19. And yet, rising populist nationalism has undermined the political willingness of rich countries to accept migrants and asylum seekers. Given these contradictory trends, how can we create sustainable refugee policies that enable displaced people to live in safety and dignity, while operating at scale?

The Wealth of Refugees argues that the key lies in unlocking the potential contributions of refugees themselves. Refugees bring skills, talents, and aspirations and can be a benefit rather than a burden to receiving societies. Realizing this potential relies upon moving beyond a purely humanitarian focus to fully include refugees in host-country economies, build economic opportunities in refugee-hosting regions, and navigate the ambiguous politics of refugee protection.

 

Join us in the Fassnidge Hall for a friendly, collaborative exploration of some of the latest research taking place at Brunel University London, facilitated by four of Brunel’s leading academics.The conversation will provide lots of opportunity to pose questions to the academics, as well as discuss the implications of the research for Uxbridge, its residents and community. The conversations start at 7pm on Mondays the 9, 16, 23 and 30 of May.

 Uxbridge Reimagined; researching the High Street
Monday 9 May 

Recent research developed an experiential-emotional map of Uxbridge High Street. We will discuss the sense of place and meanings the High Street has for individuals and the role it plays for communities in and around Uxbridge, and the way in which this experience could be improved. 

Monica Degen, Reader in Urban Cultural Sociology
Monica’s research examines the redevelopment of cities through the way in which people experience and use them. 

Join us in the Fassnidge Hall for a friendly, collaborative exploration of some of the latest research taking place at Brunel University London, facilitated by four of Brunel’s leading academics. The conversation will provide lots of opportunity to pose questions to the academics, as well as discuss the implications of the research for Uxbridge, its residents and community. The conversations start at 7pm on Mondays the 9, 16, 23 and 30 of May.

 Reducing Food Waste
Monday 16 May 

In England, even though there is a separate food waste collection system, data suggests that food waste is still being disposed of in the black bin. Our research investigated householders’ motivations, capabilities and opportunities around food waste disposal, and we will discuss various behaviour change initiatives. 

Danae Manika, Chair of Marketing and Business Education
Danae’s research focuses on effective message construction for behaviour change across a range of social and environmental domains. 

It is twenty years since Brunel appointed its first qualified archivist. During which time, the archives have developed substantially, and even more now that Special Collections have merged with us to form Archives and Special Collections. In celebration of the twenty years, we have curated this exhibition with colleagues, users and/or supporters of our work over the last twenty years. Each person has chosen their favourite object from one of the collections – which one is your favourite?

Featuring Phaedra Casey & Mandy Mordue (Brunel Archives) with Alison Carrol (History Festival Director)
Venue: Atrium of the Eastern Gateway Building, Brunel University London, UB8 3PH

Our understandings of the past are shaped by representations across cultural realms: literature, film, visual culture, museums. Through these diverse media, our understanding of the past develops in conversation with present-day concerns. Equally, we have much to learn from the way in which past societies represented their members- and those who found themselves at their margins. This panel considers the issue of representation and questions who makes decisions about who is depicted, what form these representations take, how the relationship between cultural representations shapes understandings and behaviour across society more broadly, and the connection between representation and existing structural inequalities. 

Featuring: Jess Cox, Martin Folly, Andrew Green & Paul Moody
Venue: Auditorium, Eastern Gateway Building, Brunel University London, UB8 3PH

From the First World War to the Haitian Revolution, historical events are increasingly being transformed into digital games. Many of these games sell millions of copies across the globe, and represent the first encounter that some gamers have with the past. This lively field poses questions for scholars: how is the past represented through games? What do these representations tell us about contemporary society? What role is there for scholars in shaping these representations?

This session involves a hosted conversation between a scholar of games design and digital media and a historian interested in the representation of the past through video games. Together, they cover how the past is represented on screen and the role that scholars from different disciplines have to play in unearthing the intersecting themes of nostalgia, politics and popular culture in shaping the way that the past is represented on screen- and what these representations tell us about our society today.

Featuring: Iain Farquharson & Andra Ivanescu
Venue: Auditorium, Eastern Gateway Building, Brunel University London, UB8 3PH

Recent years have seen a wide range of efforts to integrate silenced and marginalised voices into our study of the past. For many scholars, these efforts are highly political and at stake is community coherence which relies upon the need to better understand one another. If unearthing those histories which have been hidden is part of that process, doing so raises a series of questions: whose voices have been silenced and by whom? In giving ‘voice’ to marginalised voices, whose voice is being heard and who has participated in that reconstruction? And who is listening to these narratives, and why are they listening now? Through a series of talks, this panel seeks to engage with some of these questions and addresses how our understanding of the past can be transformed by showing sensitivity to voices that have previously been silenced. 

Featuring: Inge Dornan, Nick Hubble, William Spurlin
Venue: Auditorium, Eastern Gateway Building, Brunel University London, UB8 3PH

 

 

During times of social upheaval the past becomes a point of contest and contention, as Britain’s recent ‘culture wars’ have demonstrated. This panel considers some of the hidden histories of Empire and its legacies, ranging from statues of slavers to stories of migration and multiculturalism. It questions the relationship between the stories that we tell and the ways in which we think about society and community in contemporary Britain, and addresses the place of diversity, multi-perspectivity and contention in our study of the past. 

Featuring: Hannah Lowe, Varun Uberoi & Hannah Whittaker
Venue: Auditorium, Eastern Gateway Building, Brunel University London, UB8 3PH

 

 

 

The Institute of Health, Medicine and Environments are pleased to host a public open day, spotlighting Brunel’s ageing-related research in a showcase of Brunel’s research excellence and contributions to Health and Wellbeing across the Lifecourse.

Join us from 10am for welcome and introductions, before embarking on your free “Health MOT”. While encountering our research, you’ll have a chance to test your grip strength, analyse your gait, offer feedback in our hearing lab, see expert demonstrations on physiotherapy exercises, and much more!

Browse our research posters and presentations, meet researchers and practitioners over a free networking lunch, and discover some of our diverse research activities and the many opportunities to participate in impactful research.

Explore our photography exhibition, revealing the wonderful world of our cell biology, curated by the Centre for Genome Engineering and Maintenance.

Plus, marking Dementia Action Week, we discover how creativity and research can combine to support those living with dementia. 

Join us in the Fassnidge Hall for a friendly, collaborative exploration of some of the latest research taking place at Brunel University London, facilitated by four of Brunel’s leading academics. The conversation will provide lots of opportunity to pose questions to the academics, as well as discuss the implications of the research for Uxbridge, its residents and community. The conversations start at 7pm on Mondays the 9, 16, 23 and 30 of May.

Isolation and Loneliness
Monday 23 May

In this conversation Christina will highlight the factors that can help us age well such as being active and socially connected and how the experiences of healthy ageing vary amongst minority communities, and those ageing with disabilities.

Christina Victor, Chair of Gerontology
Christina’s research is focussed upon health and health inequalities and the evaluation of services for older people.

 

What will make you a great engineer of the future?

 We are in the 4th Industrial Revolution with things like big data, artificial intelligence and smart assets re-shaping our engineering landscape. How will we keep up with the pace of change whilst remaining grounded in our connection to the fundamental reason we do anything as engineers - to make the world a better place?

 Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor Alexandra Knight FIMechE FWES, will give her view on the essential skillset for engineers in this rapidly evolving world of technology, and explain why taking an Asset Management approach and building a more diverse and inclusive engineering culture will be the key to success.

 

 

Global Conflict: Insights from Brunel Experts

Chaired by Professor Alexandra Xanthaki, United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of Cultural Rights and Cultural Diversity.

There is no doubt that our societies are facing high levels of inequalities, instabilities and human suffering. The impacts, including the social and cultural consequences for those displaced by conflict, are not equally experienced across societies and individuals.

Despite an age of rapid and real-time information dissemination, discussion of the complex dynamics of conflict and crisis situations is becoming more stifled, suppressed, and even prohibited.

Please join us for this event which convenes a panel of experts to debate political, social, cultural and technological perspectives of global conflict, cultural oppressions and crises.

 

Join us in the Fassnidge Hall for a friendly, collaborative exploration of some of the latest research taking place at Brunel University London, facilitated by four of Brunel’s leading academics. The conversation will provide lots of opportunity to pose questions to the academics, as well as discuss the implications of the research for Uxbridge, its residents and community. The conversations start at 7pm on Mondays the 9, 16, 23 and 30 of May.

 Domestic Abuse and the Courts
Monday 30 May 

The conversation will examine research at Brunel into domestic abuse and the family courts, including allegations of parental alienation against victims/survivors of domestic abuse, and proposals for the way forward in changing the ‘pro-contact culture' in the family courts.

 Adrienne Barnett, Senior Lecturer in Law
Adrienne’s area of research is domestic abuse and the family courts, including the use of allegations of parental alienation against victims/survivors of domestic abuse.

Professor Alexandra Xanthaki convenes a panel of experts in her role as UN Special Rapporteur to discuss Sustainable Development and Cultural Rights, in this special online roundtable open to public viewing.

Hosted by the Institute of Communities and Society

Brunel’s Engagement Team welcomes you to this free event to learn more about how we connect and develop collaborative relationships with business and community groups within Hillingdon, West London and beyond.

Representatives from across the University will be introducing their work on the latest Public, Business and Civic/Community Engagement initiatives. There will be plenty of networking opportunities and the chance to discuss your views on how Brunel can best engage with local community groups and businesses. A number of our partner organisations will also be running networking stalls to showcase their activities.

A showcase of creative, digital, and socially responsive engagements with Brunel research

 14.30 How can a charity or social enterprise engage Brunel University? DASH’s Story

 COVID-19 has changed how charities have been using digital and how services have been adapted in response to the pandemic. Many charities now see digital as a priority and are planning to invest more in digital infrastructure and systems, in data skills and infrastructure, and develop a strategy around using digital to reach new audiences. Charitable organisations now see digital fundraising as a priority.

 Join us to learn about the journey DASH has taken with Brunel University London to develop their online presence in support of disabled people. Explore how DASH were empowered to produce accessible videos, in several formats, to enable disabled people to have increased knowledge and understanding of the claims process for the benefits Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC). Take part in a conversation about how charitable organisations and social enterprises can invest in, and capitalise on, digital services that can be sustainable (scalable) and designed to be inclusive.

 15:30 Digital Poverty and Digital Resilience in Margate: preliminary findings of a British Academy project

 This presentation outlines the preliminary findings of an interdisciplinary research project about two Margate communities: Roma, and 'Creative Diaspora'. The team are investigating how they are each negotiating digital poverty, and we explain some surprising results.

 Professor Ashley Braganza (Director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence); Dr Meredith Jones (Director of the Institute of Communities and Society); Dr Rachel Stuart (Lecturer in Criminology and Deviance) and Dr Vassilis Charitsis (Lecturer in Marketing)

 16:00 How can artists and creative businesses engage Brunel University? Nine Lyrae Productions

 Nine Lyrae Productions, in collaboration with Brunel Design School and STEM Centre at Brunel University London, are pleased to present the launch of SYN, the Synaesthesia Room. Experience how SYN brings together artistic, technological and psychological research to investigate the condition of synaesthesia, the mixing of the senses, through an immersive multisensory experience.

 “Vision triggers sound, sound is made into light, light is linked to touch and smell, in an experience that explores different types of synaesthesia, sensory awareness and synaesthesia memory.”

 SYN represents a unique opportunity within London's artistic scene to showcase a concept that is not only unique but presents an unmatched variety of possible applications, from education to artistic installation, from neuroscience research to neurodiversity awareness, delivered by Brunel’s Immersive Dome.