FUTURES
A festival of discovery exploring the past, creating the present and imagining the future
Our festival of discovery – Autumn 2024!
Exploring the past, creating the present, and imagining the future.
Funded by UK Research and Innovation, FUTURES 2024 was a fabulous series of events that brought research to life, inviting participants to get creative, ask questions, and try new things. Thank you to everyone who joined us this year!
As a hub of outstanding research and innovation, the Southwest showcased projects that address some of society’s biggest challenges and make a real difference. The festival celebrated groundbreaking initiatives at local universities, helping to shape a brighter future for all.
Research is all about curiosity, creativity, and hands-on exploration—and at Futures 2024, the public had a chance to experience this first-hand!
Voyage of Discovery 2024 showcase
Watch our showcase video from the fantastic event and hear from Daniela Oehring, Associate Professor in Optometry tell us more about what public engagement means to researchers.
We can’t wait to return with more exciting events in 2025. For updates on next year’s programme and to explore more events across the South West.
For more information on events across the South West, and for bookings please visit the main FUTURES website, or visit the
What's on at the University of Plymouth
page.
Highly informative. Helps me stay connected to the advancements of the technology necessary for developing interactive architecture. Please organise more similar events, make research visible!
It was a great event with lots to do for all ages. Ideal for my little boy who wants to be a scientist.
From public engagement to scientific recognition
The story of Lotion in the Ocean
Scientific discovery doesn’t happen in isolation. It thrives on conversation, curiosity, and collaboration—often well before a breakthrough hits the headlines. Last year, we hosted Lotion in the Ocean, an event exploring the impact of sunscreen on marine life, led by PhD researcher
Anneliese Hodge
in partnership with The Box. The event was part of FUTURES 2024. Through this programme, we've been able to create dynamic, interdisciplinary spaces where researchers and the public can come together to explore and engage with emerging research.
Anneliese’s research, initially shared through Lotion in the Ocean, has now been picked up by The Guardian, highlighting the urgent need to investigate the effects of sunscreen chemicals on marine ecosystems. This journey – from an interactive public engagement event to international media coverage – demonstrates the vital role of engagement in shaping and amplifying research.
Public engagement is often seen as a way to share ‘finished’ research, but it’s most powerful at the beginning, when questions are still forming, and data is still unfolding. Events like Lotion in the Ocean provide researchers with the opportunity to refine ideas, test public interest, and even uncover new perspectives that shape their work. The conversation doesn’t just flow one way; public input can spark new directions, build confidence, and create real-world impact.
As we continue to support researchers in sharing their work, Anneliese's story reminds us that public engagement isn't just about dissemination; it's about discovery.
Public Engagement at Plymouth
The University of Plymouth is committed to engaging the public with its research. Our researchers work with a diverse range of communities and publics from in and around the city of Plymouth to communities right across the globe.
The public engagement team work across the University to provide advice and support, training and funding for engaged activities.
