On Thursday 20 July alumni, friends and guests attended the first 'Bringing Birmingham to You' event at the London Eye.
In this London edition, attendees had an opportunity to listen to one of Birmingham's leading academics give a short, informal talk on their particular area of expertise within one of the pods in London's famous ferris wheel. We enjoyed fast-track entry, drinks and canapés on board the wheel itself. The academics spoke for the first turn around the Eye, and then there was time for questions and networking on our second rotation. On a sunny July evening the view over the river and beyond was fantastic.
Our two academics were:
- Professor Rob MacKenzie, Director of the Birmingham Institute of Forestry Research, who spoke on 'Sci-fi Forests', the work of his institute and discuss how vegetation can improve air quality in cities. He brought VR headsets for attendees to take a closer interactive look at BIFOR's project.
- Professor Scott Lucas, Professor in International Politics and professional journalist, who gave his thoughts on what the UK's political landscape could look like following the tumultuous 2017 General Election and in light of the ongoing Brexit negotiations. The pod enjoyed a lively question and answer session!
'Bringing Birmingham to You' is a new events series from the Alumni Office, bringing Birmingham academics to our alumni community. No prior knowledge of the subject matter is necessary. Academics will discuss and share their latest research and findings in an informal atmosphere giving our alumni a chance to meet some of the people helping lead the way in arts and science.