Pop in to our Pop-up Shop!

The University of Birmingham will be encouraging people of all ages to think differently about research when they visit its first Pop-Up Shop in the heart of the city which opens Monday August 25.

The shop, called the Think Corner, will be based in the Pavilions Shopping Centre in Birmingham City Centre and shall engage the public with ground-breaking research being done at the University. A host of free talks, activities and events will showcase how the research affects everyday life and is working towards solving problems of the future.

From dangerous volcanoes to autonomous robots, the pop-up shop will allow visitors to question the researchers, perform experiments and see the results of research first-hand. It will feature research from all academic disciplines including physics, history, sociology, medicine and art.

Dr Chris Allen, a lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Birmingham, is hosting a two day event at Think Corner focusing on his research into post 9/11 Islamophobia. He will offer the public the chance to engage in debate with various community groups and civil organisations, and to see how academic research is used by institutions including the European Union to address social issues such as Islamophobia.

Chris said: “On the 11 and 12 September, I will be using a variety of different approaches to explain how my research not only raised awareness of the experiences of those who become victims of street-level anti-Muslim hate, but also how that same research has sought to shape and influence political thinking about how best to tackle this timely phenomenon: what we call having impact from ‘pavement to parliament’. In addition, I’ll be inviting members of the public to share with me their experiences of living in today’s increasingly diverse, multi-faith Birmingham.”

Dr Eliot Marston, Head of Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Birmingham’s College of Medical and Dental Sciences said: “This is a great opportunity for us to bring the best of our research to the very heart of the city. We’re looking to inspire people with the breadth of our work, but I’m also certain that the people of Birmingham will come armed with their own thoughts and ideas that will no doubt challenge our researchers to think differently about their studies.”

One of many events running alongside the British Science Festival and Birmingham Year of Science, the shop opens on Monday August 25 and runs until Sunday September 14.

Ends

• For further information please contact Faye Jackson in the University of Birmingham Press Office on +44 (0)121 414 6029. For out of hours enquiries please email the press office or call +44 (0)7789 921165.
• The shop is open Monday – Saturday (10:00 – 18:00) and Sunday (10:00 – 17:00).