Soapbox Science: women scientists take the floor at the heart of Brussels
On Saturday, June 25, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., 12 women scientists in Belgium will tell you about their research during the Soapbox Science Brussels event at the Place de la Bourse/Beursplein.
Soapbox Science is a science outreach initiative that aims to promote the visibility of women and non-binary scientists and their research by bringing them on the streets to reach the public. Soapbox Science events transform public areas in discussion forums based on Hyde Park’s Speaker’s Corner where scientists, on their soapboxes, talk about their research to the people passing by.
Why women scientists? Even today, they constitute a minority in the research field, and their relative number dwindles as the seniority in the field increases. Recent research shows that women and non-binaries face a lot of obstacles from a very young age, notably due to strongly held stereotypes and biases related to the image of the scientist.
For those reasons, Soapbox Science aims at tackling stereotypes, and shows to the public that science is not a stereotypically smart and socially awkward man’s business and that anyone has the opportunity to enjoy science in an interactive way.
Soapbox Science was founded in 2011 in London, by Dr Seirian Sumner, from the University of Bristol, and Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, from the Zoological Society of London. The concept went on with great international success, with, during some years, more than 40 events in at least 13 countries.
This year will be the third edition for Brussels, after a first online event in 2020 that was broadcasted live on social media, and a first real-life event in 2021.
Illustration of a Soapbox Science event in Brussels in 2021. Credit: Soapbox Science Brussels.
During the event, four soapboxes are placed on the Place de la Bourse/Beursplein of Brussels. On each soapbox, a speaker talks about their research and interacts with the public passing by, for the duration of an hour. Talks will be in French, Dutch and English, the most commonly used languages in Brussels. This year, we will for example explore the climate, socially transmitted stress, ultra-resilient microscopic organisms, brain evolution, futuristic materials, sea stars and the human body !
Follow all updates on Twitter @SoapboxscienceB, and come to the Place de la Bourse/Beursplein to hear them talk and to discover their fascinating cutting-edge research!
Details and programme of the event: https://soapboxsciencebrussels.oma.be/soapbox-science-brussels-events/soapbox-science-brussels-2022/
Soapbox Science Brussels is sponsored by the Royal Observatory of Belgium, the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Marc Vandenbrande (video maker for scientists), Universiteit Hasselt, Université de Liège, Europlanet Benelux and the Belgian Science Policy. The Royal Observatory of Belgium is the host institute of Soapbox Science Brussels.
Contact:
Soapbox Science Brussels
Email: soapboxsciencebrussels@oma.be
Website : http://soapboxsciencebrussels.oma.be
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SoapboxScienceBrussels
Twitter: @SoapboxscienceB
YouTube: bit.ly/SoapboxScienceYouTube
