Soapbox Science Plymouth

Grassroots science outreach project
Soapbox Science
Soapbox Science is a novel public outreach platform for promoting women scientists and the science they do. The yearly event aims to transform public areas into an arena for learning and scientific debate with the aim to encourage women in science and also challenge perceptions of who a scientist is.

Soapbox Science 2023

Talks in 2023 included:
  • How to train your brain...to control machines (speaker: Dr Krithika Anil)
  • Science research is for everyone – there is no such thing as a 'subject for boys' (speaker: Dr Vikki Cheung)
  • Can the sea power my kettle? (speaker: Dr Keri Collins)
  • Helping Nemo: How can science support the marine ornamental industry? (speaker: Sancha Conway Holroyd)
  • The science of sensing sentience: What can hermit crabs tell us about the evolution of sentience in non-human animals? (speaker: Ari Drummond)
  • Aphantasia: What does it mean to think without pictures? (speaker: Stephanie Hartgen-Walker)
  • Do plants behave and grow the same in a lab and in a field? (speaker: Dr Anne Plessis)
Rocks at a soapbox science event
For 2021, Soapbox Science Plymouth took place virtually, opening the event up to an even wider audience.
Female scientists from around the South West gave talks on anything from ‘robots to rockpools’ with props and an online live interactive session to make learning fun!

Soapbox Science 2021 speakers

13:00 - The natural world

14:00 - All about us

15:00 - Food matters

About Soapbox Science

Soapbox Science is a public outreach platform for promoting women scientists and the science they do. Our events around the world transform public areas into an arena for public learning and scientific debate. With Soapbox Science, we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy, learn from, heckle, question, probe, interact with and be inspired by some of our leading scientists. No middle man, no PowerPoint slide, no amphitheatre – just remarkable scientists who are there to amaze with their latest discoveries, and to answer the science questions the public have been burning to ask.


Soapbox Science Plymouth videos