Celebration of Science 2026

Innovating the Future

Welcome to our Celebration of Science!

Our Celebration of Science 2026 event is scheduled to take place on the 25th March 2026 in George Fox, and looks to be an exciting day packed with fantastic talks and interactive sessions. Further details for the event will be released as we get nearer to the date, so please do check back for updates!

We will once again be hosting our ever-popular PhD speed talks and poster sessions - details on how to sign up for the poster session will be published shortly.

Keynote Speaker - Dr Lucy Rogers

Engineer, Maker, Storyteller: Adventures in Noticing More

Dr Lucy Rogers MBE FREng is an alumna of Lancaster's School of Engineering, recipient of the Lancaster Alumni Award, an inventor, and author whose work blends technical expertise with creative problem-solving. Known to many as a judge on the BBC’s Robot Wars, she brings a distinctive perspective on how hands-on engineering and making can spark innovation. Her talk traces a varied career — from explaining spaceflight in It’s Only Rocket Science and exploring ingenuity in Up, to applying to become an astronaut and creating a forum supporting women through the application process.

A long-time advocate for makers, Dr Rogers founded the Guild of Makers to connect and empower creative communities, and she is sharing her experience widely as an Erskine Fellow in the School of Product Design. She will also highlight the importance of noticing the things we usually overlook — small details that often reveal new opportunities — leading into her current focus on Carbon Negative Manufacturing, where manufacturing can give back to the environment rather than merely offsetting harm.

Engaging and imaginative, Dr Rogers shows how curiosity, community and attention to the unnoticed can inspire the next generation of engineers and help shape a more sustainable future.

Joining us for lunch?

As always, our Celebration of Science is a fully catered event with the option for a free lunch. So that we can confirm catering numbers and make a note of any additional dietary requirements or allergens, please register for your lunch below. All catering is vegetarian as standard, with vegan and gluten free options available.

Schedule

Please note this schedule is provisional and subject to change

Time	Event	Location
9.30am	Welcome to the Celebration of Science	George Fox LT1
9.45am	Keynote Talk: Lucy Rogers	George Fox LT1
10.30am	Student Poster Session – refreshments available	George Fox Foyer
11.15am	Panel 1	George Fox LT1
12.15pm	Student Speed Talks	George Fox LT1
1.15pm	Lunch and Departmental Interactive Exhibits/ stands	George Fox Foyer and LTs 2/3/4 for stands and 5/6 for lunch
2.30pm	Researcher Career Development (RCaD) session	George Fox LT1
3.15pm	Refreshments	George Fox Foyer
3.30pm	Panel 2	George Fox LT1
4.30pm	Awards	George Fox LT1
4.45pm	Close

Public Lecture - Evening of 25th March

We are excited to announce that Dr Rogers will be joining us for a free public lecture at The Gregson Centre from 7pm. Bookings will open shortly - please check back later!

Looking Up: Stories, Science, and Surprises with Dr Lucy Rogers MBE

Speaker: Dr Lucy Rogers MBE — engineer, inventor, maker, and author of Up: A Scientist’s Guide to the Magic Above Us (Available for pre-order, comes out April 2026)

Join us for an engaging 75-minute session with Dr Lucy Rogers MBE, whose career blends hands-on engineering, inventive making, and a gift for turning complex ideas into clear, compelling stories.

The event begins with a 30-minute interview, exploring the experiences and inventive mindset that have shaped Lucy’s varied career — from practical engineering challenges and creative projects to her work helping people notice and appreciate more of the world around them.

This is followed by 30 minutes of stories and insights from her book, Up: A Scientist’s Guide to the Magic Above Us. Lucy shares memorable anecdotes, surprising observations, and the ingenious science found in the skies above, drawing on the same spirit of exploration that informs her writing on spaceflight, innovation, and human curiosity.

The session concludes with a 15-minute audience Q&A, offering a chance to dive deeper into Lucy’s ideas, adventures, and inspirations.

Blending humour, clarity, and an eye for the extraordinary in the everyday, this event invites audiences to look up, think differently, and rediscover the creativity and science woven into the world around us.