EU Contest lectures

JUST A GAME?

Advances in interactive 3D technologies are not only revolutionising the gaming industry but are also having an impact on the real world. The realistic environments created in so-called serious games are now being used for training in defence, medicine and education - and its

future potential is enormous. So what are the benefits of virtual training? Does it really work? What are the implications of allowing the public access to such realistic simulations? How close to the “real world” are they? And what happened to the VR equipment of the 90s?

Discuss these and other questions over a coffee with British serious games expert Bob Stone, Professor of Interactive Multimedia Systems at the University of Birmingham. He will explain more about this exciting technology and give you a glimpse into the virtual future of serious gaming.

The discussion is open to everyone free of charge and will be in English. Organised by the British Council, Public & Science, the Swedish Federation of Young Scientists and the National Museum of Science and Technology

Sunday September 24, 16.00 – 17.15, Restaurant Stallet, Museum of Science and Technology

RESEARCH AT A HIGH LEVEL

Stockholm University is now home to Sweden's first Marie Curie professor, the chemist Barbara Nozière, who is an expert in the field of atmospheric chemistry. Her current research focuses on the chemistry of aerosols, their formation processes and how they contribute to cloud formation, their role in the climate system, and how they are affected by human activities. Her research is primarily carried out in laboratory, and uses techniques at the boundary between chemistry and physics.

The European Union (EU) each year awards about ten Marie Curie professorships in all fields of socio-economic, physical, engineering, and medical sciences. These are intended to encourage leading researchers within strategically important fields to work in Europe. Barbara Nozière is Sweden's first Marie Curie professor. The EU has provided support for her to work at the Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University. Shortly after the Chair, she has also been awarded an International Reintegration Grant from the EU, encouraging European researchers to return to Europe after working more than five years outside. Previously, Barbara Nozière has been an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami, USA, an Advanced Study Program fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, USA, and a post-doctoral researcher with a EU grant at the University of Wuppertal in Germany.

Tobias Svanelid, science journalist at the Swedish Radio, will have a talk with Barbara about her science, her career, and her decision to be a scientist. Tobias will also encourage the audience to put their questions to Barbara.

Tuesday September 26, 15.00 – 16.00, Museum of Science and Technology

THE CHEMISTRY OF LOVE

What happens in your brain when you fall in love? Who are the molecules involved and what do they do to you? How important is smell? The curious Professor of Physical Chemistry at Chalmers University of Technology, Bengt Nordén, and the dopamine expert, the Nobel Laureate in Medicine Arvid Carlsson will do their very best to answer your difficult questions about love. Eva Krutmeijer, science communicator at the Swedish Research Council will urge the public to contribute and help the participants to give short and clear answers in this fascinating

field.

Tuesday September 26, 17.00 – 18.00, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

HOW TO GET FROM GOOD TO GREAT

What differs a good scientist from an outstanding one? How do you copy with the competition and the stress? What makes it worthwhile? In this discussion you will meet Arvid Carlsson, Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Bengt Nordén, previously Chairman of the Nobel Committee

for Chemistry, Barbara Nozière, Marie Curie Professor of Meteorology at Stockholm University, Anna Qvarnström, post doc researcher in zoo ecology and EURYI winner 2006, Uppsala University, Miranda Varedian, PhD student in biochemistry and organic chemistry, Uppsala University and Björn Jacobsson, PhD Student in laserphysics, The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm.

Moderator: Eva Krutmeijer, science communicator at the Swedish Research Council.

Tuesday September 26, 18.00 – 19.00, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences