The British Science Association (BSA) and the University of Warwick have today (30 April 2019) announced some of the big names taking part in the 2019 British Science Festival. Revealed at the Festival launch held in Coventry city centre this evening, they will bring the best of British science to the region when the annual event arrives this September. 

• BBC presenter, academic and the BSA’s incoming President, Professor Alice Roberts, will be giving her Presidential Address at the Festival to officially mark the start of her term. She will succeed current BSA President, Professor Jim Al-Khalili. 
• Angela Saini is a journalist and author who wrote the critically acclaimed Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong – and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story. Angela will be giving the annual Women in Science keynote speech, where she will discuss equality, diversity and inclusion in STEM and her new book Superior: The Return of Race Science.
• Finally, in a first for the world’s longest-running science programme, the BBC’s The Sky at Night will be recording a special called The Sky at Night: Question Time, live from the Festival. There will also be a panel discussion with the presenters Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Chris Lintott, along with the rest of The Sky at Night team. 

Speaking ahead of the announcement today, British Science Festival Director Ivvet Modinou said: “We’re really proud to bring the British Science Festival to Coventry and Warwickshire this year, the first time in its history. We’ve enjoyed working with our hosts, the University of Warwick, to plan a rich and varied programme for the thousands of expected visitors. 

“The Festival will connect people with scientists, engineers, technologists and creatives, giving them a flavour of the research and innovation happening in the world today. The events span a diverse range of subjects and formats, encompassing science in the broadest sense, promising something for everyone.”  

Clockwise from top left: Prof. Alice Roberts, Angela Saini, Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Chris Lintott

Each year, the British Science Festival brings a diverse programme of over a hundred talks, debates, performances and activities to a different host city and region. Between Tuesday 10 and Friday 13 September 2019, the public will be able to attend events across the city of Coventry and on the University of Warwick campus, all for free. It will be immediately followed by a Family Day on the University of Warwick campus on Saturday 14 September.  

Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick, said: “Bringing this prestigious event to our region is a great way to celebrate the world-leading research that takes place at the University of Warwick, and more broadly across Coventry, Warwickshire and the West Midlands.  We are delighted to be working with the British Science Association to shine a national spotlight on the strengths of our region, in sectors such as energy, transport, healthcare and digital innovation.” 

The following partners will be announced at this evening’s launch event: 

• Principal Partners: Cadent, Lubrizol 
• Major Partner: Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership  
• Festival Partner: Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership  

Professor Croft added: “We are extremely grateful to industry leaders Cadent and Lubrizol, and to our regional Local Enterprise Partnerships, who are supporting us in putting on a must-see event, and to build a legacy for public engagement with science and engineering across the region.” 

About the star speakers 

Professor Alice Roberts is an anatomist, academic, writer and broadcaster. She is a medical doctor and Professor of Public Engagement with Science at the University of Birmingham. She has presented and produced several programmes, including The Incredible Human Journey and Digging for Britain. She’s written seven popular science books, including The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being, which was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize 2015.  She is incoming President of the British Science Association. 

Angela Saini is a British science journalist and author. She presents science programmes on BBC Radio and her writing has appeared in the Guardian, New Scientist, Vogue and many other publications. She has won several national and international journalism awards. Her most recent book, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong - and the New Research That's Rewriting the Story, was published in 2017. Her next, Superior: The Return of Race Science, will be published in May 2019. She is currently filming a documentary series for BBC Four about the history and science of eugenics. 

The Sky at Night is a monthly documentary television programme on astronomy produced by the BBC. The show had the same permanent presenter, Patrick Moore, from its first broadcast on 24 April 1957 until 7 January 2013, following his death. This made it the longest-running programme with the same presenter in television history. From 3 February 2013, the show was co-presented by Lucie Green and Chris Lintott. Since December 2013 Maggie Aderin-Pocock has been a presenter.